S2E69: Asean To Host World Cup?

Several weeks ago, the football fraternity in Southeast Asia was abuzz with talk that Asean plans to bid for the 2034 Fifa World Cup. However, such talk is not new. Leaders from this region have been suggesting the idea of hosting one of the biggest sporting events in the world but have never got down to getting things rolling. Skeptics argue politicians should reach out to football associations to see if they are indeed ready for the World Cup. Others stress the attention should be on raising the standard of football in Southeast Asia instead of hosting a grand tournament.

But policy makers argue hosting such an event will see nations benefit through tourism money and boosting the sports industry. This led to the conceptualisation of 'The Asean Fifa World Cup 2034: The Feasibility Report'—the brainchild of the 2010 Asean Senior Officials Meeting on Sports. Malaysia was tasked to carry out the study. University Malaya's Associate Professor Dr Megat Ahmad Kamaluddin Megat Daud led a team of researchers and their findings showed Malaysia and other Asean members are able to host the World Cup. Joining co-producer Haresh Deol and I in the studio today is the man himself Professor Dr. Megat who will share more about his findings.