FIFA promised $40M to national federations that would vote yes in September. Give them 80 on a direct deal and maybe you get something. But big countries will want more. If you get a World Cup without the important European countries and Argentina and Brazil TV broadcasters will pay to air a final between Morocco and Japan? I'm sure that people from those countries will be more interested than in Spain vs Argentina but what if at the same time there is a tournament with all the other traditionally more important teams? So, 80 to the runner ups and 800 to the others. It's not an easy deal. And remember what happened with the European Superleague.

This article is the definition of evil....

There has ben a lot of accusation of buying votes in FIFA and IOC, specially to get designated as the next location. I'm not sure if anyone has been proved. Anyway, assuming the accusations are true, I expect evil people to prefer to get a nice amount of money under the table every few years than a single visible package now.

> “East Timor needed financing so they could build schools”

Note that the money in the deals does not go to the government to fund education or health or whatever. It goes to the local soccer association, that may invest in whatever they like, like a new stadium or a new yacht to promote sailing as a complementary sport to soccer.

Anyway, the one vote per country is a fiction because if they anger too much Eurore+AR+BR(+UR), then they would have no real cup. It's like the UN, everyone has a vote, but the Security Council has nukes.