Egyptians brace for disappointment as Cairo makes play for 2030 World Cup
Cairo hopes that more professional lobbying and a possible joint bid with Morocco and Tunisia could make Egypt a host of the 2030 World Cup, but many citizens are wary of public embarrassment.
CAIRO — Eager to promote Egypt as a venue for international sporting events, Cairo made a bid this month for the 2030 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament and the 2032 Olympic Games. But many Egyptians are unsure, worried about the expense as well as the potential for humiliation.
Egyptian Minister of Youth and Sports Ashraf Sobhi’s July 10 announcement of Egypt's intention to host both games was met with immediate criticism, as the Egyptian public took to social media to question the timing and the Egyptian economy’s ability to bear the related expenses such as building or improving stadiums, roads, railways and hotels.
Concern over the economic burden of such ventures is not new. Back in 2015, Hany Abo Rida, the president of the Egyptian Football Association and a member of the FIFA Executive Committee, told the local press that Egypt should prioritize its own development plans rather than take on the cost of hosting international competitions.
Many fear that the 2030 World Cup dossier will be managed in a way that could publicly humiliate Egypt, remembering when Egypt’s bid to host the 2010 World Cup received zero votes 14 years ago.
