Qatar beat out the United States. The US hoped to grab the games for the first time since 1994.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter told the AP: “We go to new lands.”
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Qatar, a small country that neighbors Saudi Arabia, has oppressing summer heat. Temperatures often climb to the triple digits – easily. They plan to add facilities to combat the heat, including air conditioned stadiums.
Per the AP:
Following corruption allegations that led to two of 24 FIFA executive committee members being excluded from the vote, the decision was bound to be controversial even before it was made. It also will cause American sports executives to question what they have do to host another international event.
Qatar, with a population smaller than that of Houston, used its 30-minute presentation to underline how the tournament could unify a region ravaged by conflict. Presenters also promised to dismantle the stadiums built for the tournament and give them to needy nations.
The last time the World Cup was in the United States it sold over 3.5 million tickets.
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