Football codes sign MOU on WC18/22 bid

Australia's four major football codes have signed a Memorandum Of Understanding
(MOU) with the federal government to ensure the country's bid for the 2018 or 2022
soccer World Cup would be FIFA-compliant.
The AFL confirmed in a statement on Sunday that the MOU had been finalised along
with Football Federation Australia, the National Rugby League and the Australian
Rugby Union.
AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou said his organisation had agreed to give up the use of the
MCG - something which had previously been reported as being a sticking point - as
well as Skilled Stadium in Geelong, Perth's Subiaco Oval, Gold Coast Stadium and
Adelaide Oval during the World Cup.
Demetriou said the MOU recognised that it was fair and reasonable that other
football codes continued to play their seasons should Australia win the right to
host a soccer World Cup.
"We have consistently supported Australia's bid for the World Cup as we have with
other major sporting events," Demetriou said.
"We know it will cause serious dislocation of our AFL season, including up to 90
games that will need to be relocated and/or rescheduled, but we also accept that all
codes need to make accommodations to ensure major events come to Australia."
The MOU also outlines a future compensation formula for other codes.
"All matters are now resolved and we, like all Australians, will continue to throw
our support behind Australia's bid for the soccer World Cup," Demetriou said.
Demetriou had previously indicated he would not let soccer dictate terms.
"We do not - and will not - accept second place for Australian football," Demetriou
said at the AFL season launch in March.
"We welcome other sports and major events, but we won't allow seven million fans to
be deprived of Australia's indigenous game, nor put at risk the jobs of so many
associated with our game."