Huge Support for Qatar 2022 Bid in World Football Insider Poll

(ATR) Qatar is the country that most deserves to host the 2022 World Cup, according to World Football Insider's latest poll.

An astonishing 14,659 people responded to the survey that closed on Monday.

The tiny Gulf state, which is bidding to bring the FIFA World Cup to the Middle East for the first time, received a staggering 4,650 (31.7%) of the votes.

Surprisingly, Australia and USA - two of the bids expected to provide a serious challenge to Qatar - did not feature in the top three places.

Japan was ranked second with 3,186 votes (21.7%), while South Korea collected 3,069 (20.9%).

Australia garnered only 2,660 votes (18.1%) and USA was in last place with just 1,094 (7.5%).

The results of the WFI Poll come less than 24 hours before World Football Insider launches its second World Cup Bid Power Index.

The analysis published on Wednesday will gauge the progress of the nine bidders in the race for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments and assess the strengths and weaknesses of the bids as they enter the final months of campaigning.

FIFA's 24-man executive committee will select the hosts on Dec. 2.

The new index shows some changes in the top three places that were occupied by England, Russia and Australia in the the February edition.

FIFA is widely expected to award the 2018 World Cup to Europe, with England, Holland/Belgium, Russia or Spain/Portugal battling it out to stage the tournament. If 2018 headed to Europe, the race for the 2022 World Cup would be a fight between Australia, Japan, South Korea, Qatar and USA.

The WFI Bid Power Index is the only regularly published review of World Cup bids that is based on expert analysis and first-hand contact with the bid nations, including interviews with bid leaders and information and figures from each of the bids.

WFI’s newest poll asks: Who will be the leading scorer at the World Cup?

Lionel Messi (Argentina)

Wayne Rooney (England)

Robin van Persie (The Netherlands)

Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast)

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)

David Villa (Spain)

With reporting from WFI editor Mark Bisson (mark@worldfootballinsider.com)

Your best source of news about the global football business is World Football Insider

Get Free WFInews bulletins

Click Here