Blatter hints at alternate location for the World Cup

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has stated that FIFA has already spoken with 3 countries regarding the possibility of hosting the 2010 World Cup on short notice. This is a pretty telling remark, as it shows that FIFA's confidence with South Africa is waning every day.

But why is South Africa being challenged so publicly now? The stadium construction woes, high crime rate, and energy crisis have always been known challenges for South Africa. When FIFA awarded the World Cup to South Africa, it knew that the country would have to face down these problems. None of South Africa's stadiums were up to FIFA World Cup standards at the time of the awarding of the World Cup. Eskom auditors were publicly stating that South Africa did not have the capacity to provide adequate power to the country beyond 2008 (they were wrong; they did not have adequate power beginning in 2006). While these problems, including the issue of crime, haven't been dealt with to FIFA's satisfaction, these factors alone would not justify moving the World Cup.

Instead, FIFA is concerned about the new problems that South Africa is facing. It is becoming clear that South Africa has not only failed in managing the known challenges of the World Cup, but that its government has also failed at managing new crises in the region. Zimbabwe was never publicly brought up when FIFA discussed the World Cup in the past. Suddenly, FIFA representatives are bringing up the crisis in Zimbabwe as a new factor that could have an impact on the success of the World Cup.

I don't like the idea of moving the World Cup. But South Africa is coming face to face with a crisis of leadership. In order to retain the World Cup, these challenges must be confronted by the South African government.