An IBISWorld study released today estimated the 2022 World Cup would generate $35.5 billion in spending across the Australian economy - dwarfing the $9 billion generated by the 2000 Olympics.
"Football event on the planet. However, when it comes to spending, there is a clear winner," said IBISWorld general manager (Australia) Robert Bryant. "IBISWorld forecasts that the 2022 World Cup in Australia would, in real terms, generate four times more spending than the 2000 Olympics."Over one million people have entered South Africa's borders since early June and that number would be much higher in Australia because of the pre-2010 tournament security fears.
Just as the 2006 World Cup changed the perception of Germany, the 2010 World Cup has left the globe viewing South Africa and the entire African continent in a much more positive light.
With Australia's 22 million a fraction of the world's 6.7 billion population, the World Cup provides Australia with a wonderful opportunity to become part of the world and not apart from it.
If people thought the Olympics were huge, the World Cup will hit them for six, attracting 750,000 spectators from abroad as opposed to Sydney 2000's 130,000.
Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Canberra, Gold Coast, Newcastle, Geelong and Townsville would all get a slice of the pie this time - not just Sydney.
While the majority of Australians support the World Cup bid, some of the minority that didn't would probably change their view if the information they were receiving on the World Cup and football generally was objective.
