The announcement that Russia and Qatar would host the two World Cup editions of 2018 and 2022 provoked reaction, mostly negative, the world over. Inas Mazhar reports They were not favourites, yet Russia and Qatar managed to beat out the more fancied nations with previous experience. The selection of Qatar in particular drew considerable criticism. It was accused of bribing FIFA in order to beat out the US, South Korea, Australia and Japan. The angry reaction came mainly from the media but the world was surprised when it also came from the leader of the most powerful country in the world, President Barack Obama. Following the selection, Obama said FIFA had made the "wrong decision" in awarding 2022 to Qatar as he spoke to reporters briefly after heading to a meeting with newly-elected governors at Blair House. The English media were and still are angry for losing their 2018 bid to Russia, branding the voting process a "fix." Though FIFA President Sepp Blatter had called England's bid "excellent and remarkable", it was eliminated from the running in the first round after claiming just two of the 22 votes. The Daily Mirror's headline had 'SOLD ' as they asked how oil-rich Russia and Qatar could possibly have persuaded FIFA to give them the World Cup. The Sun headline was 'FIXED ' while the Daily Star wrote 'WHAT A FIX'. The Daily Mail screamed 'THEY LIED' and The Daily Express simply said 'HUMILIATED'. The Times said 'End of the world for England', The Independent had 'England fear foul play after World Cup humiliation' and The Guardian headlined 'Russia ends England's dream of hosting 2018 World Cup'. The Daily Telegraph thought it a 'DISASTER' handing the tournament to Russia and a 'DISGRACE ' that 2022 will be in Qatar. Inside The DAILY MAIL "The World Cup is a competition that is, essentially forged in corruption, which is why it goes to countries that are essentially corrupt," wrote columnist Martin Samuel. "THE DAILY MIRROR: "FA prostituted England around the world... and all they received in return was one measly vote." From THE SUN : "Our efforts were undermined by the BBC's cynical actions in broadcasting rehashed corruption allegations against FIFA on the eve of the vote," said its editorial. Being awarded the 2018 World Cup met with mixed reaction by Russia's media. ?? Kommersant, a liberal daily newspaper, says it will be a stimulus for modernising football facilities in a culture characterised by toleration of match fixing. Business daily Vedomosti reports that Finance Minister Aleksey Kudrin has promised that the cost will not exceed that of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, however, Vedomosti estimates it will cost twice as much and come to more than $50bn (�32bn). Left-leaning daily Trud claims FIFA had been attracted by Russia's developing market as it would be more difficult for its commercial partners to earn money elsewhere in Europe. "We are the masters of the field!" blared the front-page headline in the sports daily Sovietsky Sport while the Russian tabloid Tvio Den said: "We never doubted our victory". Spanish paper El Pais suggested that the Spain/Portugal joint bid was not helped by Spanish Football Federation president Angel Maria Villar greeting the prime minister of Spain in his presentation and forgetting the "and Portugal". El Mundo ran the headline: "The power of gas and oil." Dutch daily AD wrote: "With Russia and Qatar FIFA has chosen its guarantees in gold and oil," suggesting that FIFA's Zurich headquarters would be "swimming in bank notes". The United States media reacted with shock after Qatar was named as 2022 hosts ahead of its bid. The Seattle Times wrote "Qatar? Really?" while The Wall Street Journal said FIFA's secret vote came amid allegations of kickbacks, bribes and collusion," adding: "Safe to say that ambitions to popularise the 'beautiful game' in the US aren't helped by the spectacle." Time magazine said that the results reflected "geopolitical trends." Independent Arab nationalist paper Al-Quds Al-Arabi hit back at Obama after he criticised FIFA for choosing Qatar over his country as 2022 hosts. "For him [Obama] to condemn the executive council of FIFA for giving Qatar the right to host the 2022 World Cup and describing it as wrong is shocking, because the selection process was done in a democratic and free voting based on facts and convincing components," it stated. But Japanese business daily Nikkei claimed their country's bid had been scuppered by money. "Qatar, which has never qualified for the World Cup finals, had a weapon in its abundant financial resources based on oil money," it said. Australia's Brisbane TIMES ONLINE: "We shouldn't be embarrassed by the Cup defeat, but others should," wrote Dan Silkstone. "It was not so much a defeat as an abject humiliation, an embarrassment that reeked of newcomer's naivety and misplaced trust. But if there was shame to be felt for it then it should probably have been felt by others. "The World Cup in 2022 will be hosted by Qatar -- a tiny emirate of few people, little sporting pedigree and a FIFA world ranking of 113. A nation in name but a city-state in practice, one that will challenge in almost every way traditional notions of what a World Cup is and how it is run." The NEW YORK TIMES ONLINE: "There is no point saying the United States "deserved" the 2022 World Cup merely because it could hold the event next week, as soon as it erased those goofy stripes across perfectly good fields," wrote George Vecsey. "What the United States needs to do right now, rather than sulk and mutter about being cheated, is continue developing soccer the way it has in the last generation. Holding the World Cup is not a birthright, not a prize for having a lot of hotels near a lot of stadiums. It's a big world out there." Germany's BILD "FIFA sold the 2022 World Cup to the sheikhs -- Qatarstrophe. This is how the word is spelt since yesterday (2 December the day of the announcement). "The only explanation for this decision is that FIFA sold the World Cup to the sheiks of the mini-state in the desert. There is no other explanation. It was always clear that money rules in Zurich." Spain's MARCA "Spain had the technical conditions to win but it lacked weight. Since 1982 they have organised the Olympic Games, the World Cups of football, basketball and swimming. It is an excellent organiser. Perhaps the moment has arrived to take measure of a fever that is starting to wear thin." Italy's GAZZETTA DELLO SPORT: "World Cup goes to Russia and Qatar yet they had the worst bid dossiers." LA REPUBBLICA: "Qatar stole Obama's ball and now he gets angry while in 2018 the map of the footballing world will suddenly be all Russian." An editorial in Portugal's DIARIO ECONOMICO, a daily business paper : "For Portugal and Spain this bid meant much more than football games -- in case of a win it would have been a spiritual boost for two countries that currently have a deficit in terms of international credibility." Another Portuguese editorial in PUBLICO said: "Regardless of the lamentations that try to minimise the effect of the decision, the truth is that FIFA acted in accord with its identity: a multinational company that looks for diversity and business." "They (Russia and Qatar) are bids of geographic expansion, that entail construction of stadiums and infrastructures which would not have happened in England or Portugal/Spain." Even in countries who were following the bid as spectators, the media came down hard. In Indonesia's JAKARTA GLOBE: "Nations Struggle With FIFA's Shock Decision to Hand 2022 World Cup to Qatar." France's LIBERATION: "How can such a small country (Qatar) with no sporting tradition organise such an important event?" "On several points, demographic, economic, environmental, sporting and touristic, the choice makes you wonder." The final presentations and the announcement of the host nations for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups was one of the biggest media events ever seen in Switzerland. Some 70 TV stations reported live from the official announcement at Zurich Exhibition Centre, where around 1,000 reporters from all over the world also covered the event. Usually 24 members have the right to vote but due to the suspension of Nigeria's Amos Adamu and Tahiti's Reynald Temarii for financial irregularities, only 22 members voted. FIFA's Secretary-General Jerome Valcke confirmed in a press conference in France after the announcement of the FIFA Ballon D'or awards shortlist that FIFA was not planning changes to the voting process to decide the hosts of a World Cup. He was answering a question after the secret ballot had been criticised. "We have not sat down to discuss a reform of the voting system. It's not part of our discussions at the moment. Yes, it is a political decision. But, overall, I think reactions were positive," said Valcke. "The decision was fairly well received by football fans. It shows that football is open to the world. Russia is a great footballing country and deserves it. And the Middle East is part of the family of football. "The 22 members were in a room with a lawyer and an official," said Valcke. "Each one got up to vote with a ballot paper which had a stamp from the lawyer. It is normal that the vote be secret. "The matter is closed. We dealt very well with the two that were caught. We reacted well to the situation. The members were suspended. There is no need to be ashamed." FIFA President Sepp Blatter announces Qatar as the host nation for the FIFA World Cup 2022
