Zurich, 2 December 2010: FIFA president Sepp Blatter pulls the name
Qatar from the envelope to reveal the hosts of the 2022 World Cup. The
accusations fly and the recriminations start. But once it's all sunk in,
we start to look at maps and temperature charts, and try to scrape
together fragments of knowledge about kingdoms in the Arabian desert.
The Armchair Guide looks beyond the myths and preconceptions to provide
the average fan with sound information about what a World Cup in the
desert might look like. Was the bidding process corrupt? How many people
actually did die building stadiums? How hot will it be? Can I go there
with my mates and have a drink anywhere? What will the legacy be - both
in the region and for the global game? The Armchair Guide takes a
light-hearted, sideways look at the tournament, using stories from
within and beyond the game to cover everything about the 2022 Winter
World Cup. Although the book can't claim to pick a winner, it goes some
way to shedding light on football's place in a changing world.