Thailand Awarded the 2012 FIFA Futsal World Cup!

FIFA awarded the 2012 Futsal World Cup hosting rights to Thailand on Friday afternoon at an Executive Committee meeting in Zurich. Read for more details.

It was widely expected that the Asian country would be granted the hosting rights, but after numerous protests that continue to make international headlines cast a dark shadow over the country many were unsure if FIFA would issue the tournament to them.

Thailand beat out China, Iran, Azerbaijan, Czech Republic and Guatemala on Thursday for the competition.

According to the Bangkok Post, the expected venues will be Muang Thong Thani’s Impact Arena, Nimibutr Gymnasium and Hua Mark’s Indoor Stadium. It is also rumoured that Thailand’s former deputy prime minister Suwat Liptapanlop may chair the organising committee.

Futsal is very popular in Thailand and the hosting of the World Cup will surely allow for its contiuned growth. The national team is currently ranked 10th in the world according to www.futsalworldranking.be and finished runnersup at the 2008 AFC Futsal Championships. The team is preparing to go that extra mile in the next edition of that event which takes place later on in May. They have qualified for the last three FIFA Futsal World Cups and the expectations will be high when they host in 2012.

Let’s hope that the Canadian Soccer Association invests some money into a national futsal program that will allow our top players to compete at the CONCACAF qualifiers to have a chance at the World Cup. There is currently $0 into futsal right now and there hasn’t been a player identification camp or friendly match in half a decade. There is currently no national referee or coaching programs in place and although we are hearing that the CSA is interested in holding a FIFA Coaching course this summer nothing has been announced.

We need those investments immediately if we are to grow as a futsal nation. The best futsal coaches in the country hail from Quebec and Ontario and right now have no opportunity to become licensed. With our current national futsal coach coming from the arena soccer world we desperately need to help further educate Canada’s futsal managers to spread the education to the next generation of young futsallers.