Germany won the bid for the 2006 World Cup, ahead
of South Africa and England.
The Germans were disappointed that England were bidding to host the
2006 World Cup finals, as they believed there was a gentleman's agreement; if Germany
supported England for Euro 96, England would return the favour for WC 2006.
Just three days before the vote was due to take place, in Zurich
on 6th July 2000, Brazil withdrew their application to host the 2006 World Cup Final (some
say because Pelé is a friend of Beckenbauer's).
This left England, Germany, Morocco and South Africa with competing
bids.
World Cup 2006 - First Ballot
The 24 members of the FIFA Executive Committee all cast their votes to
decide who would host 2006 World Cup Finals; Africa for once, or Europe yet again.
Germany pulled 10 votes in the first round, South Africa 6, England 5,
and Morocco 3.
No-one abstained and Morocco were eliminated.
World Cup 2006 - Second Ballot
Three of those who voted for England in the first round seemed to
desert them in favour of South Africa; surely they wouldn't switch to Germany?
South Africa tied Germany with eleven votes each.
England only attracted two votes and were eliminated.
World Cup 2006 - Final Vote
Who would the two votes go to?
There was great speculation as to where the last two votes for England
would go.
If the final ballot tied at 12-12, FIFA President Sepp Blatter was to
decide who would have the honour of hosting the 2006 World Cup Finals - he was rumoured to
be in favour of South Africa.
The greatest chance to justifiably bring a World Cup Finals to Africa,
for the first time, was squandered.
One of the two remaining votes went to West Germany and the other - in
the hands of Charles Dempsey, the New Zealand President of the Oceania Football
Confederation - was not submitted. The abstention as good as a vote for West Germany.
The media attention Charles Dempsey received, once his inaction became
known to the world, forced him to resign from the FIFA Executive Committee and all other
FIFA committees of which he was a member.
Whatever his real reasons for abstaining and eventually resigning, the
World Cup Finals in 2006 were to be hosted in Germany and South Africa would host the World Cup Finals in 2010.
2006 World Cup Qualifiers
AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, OFC, UEFA.
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