View source for Belgium–Netherlands 2018 FIFA World Cup bid

{{main|2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup bids}}
[[File:Belgium Netherlands 2018 FIFA world cup bid logo.svg|thumb|The official logo of the [[Belgium]]-[[Netherlands]] 2018 FIFA World Cup bid]]
<!-- [[Image:Amsterdam Arena Roof Open.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Amsterdam Arena]] opened in 1996]] -->

[[Alain Courtois]], a Belgian Member of Parliament, announced in October 2006 that a '''formal bid''' would be made on behalf of the three '''[[Benelux]] countries: [[Belgium]]''', the '''[[Netherlands]]''', and '''[[Luxembourg]]''' to host either the '''[[2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup bids|2018 FIFA World Cup]]''' or 2022 version, but later decided to concentrate solely on the 2018  version (see 2018 European World Cup bids).<ref name="Benelux">{{cite news|url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=385813&cc=5901|title=Benelux trio to apply to host 2018 World Cup|date=16 October 2006|work=[[ESPN]]|accessdate=18 October 2006|archive-date=1 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121001045444/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=385813&cc=5901|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In June 2007 the three countries launched their campaign not as a joint bid in the manner of the [[2002 FIFA World Cup|Korea-Japan World Cup in 2002]], but emphasizing it as a common political organization.<ref>{{cite news
|url= http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=441938
|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110427082904/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=441938
|url-status= dead
|archive-date= April 27, 2011
|title= Benelux countries launch 2018 World Cup bid |work= ESPN |date= 27 June 2007 |accessdate=29 October 2007}}</ref>
Luxembourg would not host any matches or automatically qualify for the finals in a successful Benelux bid, but would host a FIFA congress.<ref>{{cite news
|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/7095242.stm
|work=BBC News Online |location=London
|title= Benelux countries want World Cup |date= 14 November 2007 |accessdate= 14 November 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20071116110513/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/7095242.stm| archivedate= 16 November 2007 | url-status= live}}</ref>

==Schedule==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
!Date
!Notes
|-
|15 January 2009 ||Applications formally invited
|-
|2 February 2009||Closing date for registering intention to bid
|-
|16 March 2009||Deadline to submit completed bid registration forms
|-
|14 May 2010||Deadline for submission of full details of bid
|-
|9–12 August 2010||Inspection committee visits Belgium/Netherlands<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/bidders/2018/newsid=1210979.html |publisher=FIFA.com |title=FIFA receives bidding documents for 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups |date=2010-05-14 |accessdate=2010-07-31 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100729211034/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/bidders/2018/newsid%3D1210979.html |archivedate=29 July 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
||2 December 2010||FIFA to appoint hosts for 2018 and 2022 World Cups
|}

==Developments==
Belgium and the Netherlands registered their intention to bid jointly in March 2009. A delegation led by the presidents of the [[Royal Belgian Football Association|Belgian]] and [[Royal Dutch Football Association|Dutch]] national football associations met [[FIFA]] president Sepp Blatter on 14 November 2007, officially announcing their interest in submitting a joint bid.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://fifa.com/worldfootball/releases/newsid=637931.html| title= Associations of Belgium and the Netherlands officially announce interest in submitting joint bid| date= 14 November 2007| accessdate= 14 November 2007| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20071115095252/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/releases/newsid%3D637931.html| archivedate= 2007-11-15| url-status= dead}}</ref>
On 19 March 2008 the delegation also met with [[UEFA]] President [[Michel Platini]] to convince him that it was a serious offer under one management. Afterwards they claimed to have impressed Platini, who supports the idea of getting the world cup to Europe.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza.be/voetbal/1.273169 |title= Ons dossier maakte indruk bij Platini |date= 19 March 2008
|work=sporza.be
|language= Dutch |accessdate= 23 March 2008}}</ref>

FIFA tends to favour bids from single nations. In 2009, Blatter suggested that joint bids would be rejected if a suitable individual bid was available.<ref name=joints>{{cite news
|url= http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=614306&cc=5901
|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121019131411/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=614306&cc=5901
|url-status= dead
|archive-date= October 19, 2012
|title= Blatter casts doubt on joint World Cup bids |date= 30 January 2009 |work= [[ESPN]]}}</ref> Another factor that is against the Benelux bid is the lack of an 80,000 capacity stadium to host the final.<ref name="race20090317">{{cite news
 | title = The race to host World Cup 2018 and 2022
 | first = Marc
 | last = Vesty
 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7856716.stm#netherlandsbelgium
 | work = BBC Sport
 | location = London
 | date = 17 March 2009
 }}</ref>
However, the city council of Rotterdam gave permission in March 2009 for development of a [[De Kuip#De Nieuwe Kuip|new stadium]] with a capacity of around 80,000 seats to be completed in time for the possible World Cup in 2018.

Belgian [[prime minister]] [[Yves Leterme]] met the mayor of the city of [[Brussels]] [[Freddy Thielemans]] and [[National Railway Company of Belgium|NMBS/SNCB]] leader {{Interlanguage link multi|Jannie Haek|nl}} to discuss plans for a new 60,000-seater [[stadium]] in Brussels, for which there are three possibilities: the first would be to renovate and expand the current [[King Baudouin Stadium]], the second would be to build a new stadium on the [[Heysel Park|Heysel]], and the third would be to build one on the property of the SNCB in the [[municipality]] of [[Schaerbeek]]. As a whole, Leterme stated that Belgium should get 4 stadia with a capacity of 40,000 together with the new 60,000-seater stadium in Brussels.<ref>{{cite news
|work=Het Laatste Nieuws
|location = Brussels
|agency=Belga
|url= http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/950/Buitenlands-Voetbal/article/detail/302456/2008/06/05/Leterme-zet-zich-in-voor-WK-kandidatuur-Belgie.dhtml |language=Dutch |title= Leterme zet zich in voor WK-kandidatuur België |date= 5 June 2008 |accessdate= 5 June 2008| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080703012624/http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/950/Buitenlands-Voetbal/article/detail/302456/2008/06/05/Leterme-zet-zich-in-voor-WK-kandidatuur-Belgie.dhtml| archivedate= 3 July 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref>
[[UEFA Euro 2000|Euro 2000]] was also jointly hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands.
On 23 June former French football international [[Christian Karembeu]] was presented as official counselor for the joint bid.

===2018 World Cup European bids===
After eventual withdrawals from both Australia,<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.australiabid.com.au/news-updates_detail.aspx?view=69 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20100726190637/http://www.australiabid.com.au/news-updates_detail.aspx?view=69 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2010-07-26 |title=Australia to focus on 2022 FIFA World Cup Bid |publisher=Australiabid.com.au |date=2010-06-11 |accessdate=2010-10-15}}</ref> and the United States<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.worldfootballinsider.com/Story.aspx?id=33812 |title=USA Withdraw From 2018 World Cup Bid Race |publisher=World Football Insider |date=2010-10-15 |accessdate=2010-10-15| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101017022352/http://www.worldfootballinsider.com/Story.aspx?id=33812| archivedate= 17 October 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref> in bidding for the 2018 World Cup, and in practice with FIFA's current policy of the same continent unable to win both bids, the Belgium/Netherlands bid is effectively disqualified from eligibility for the 2022 edition.

==Candidate venues==
In November 2009, the venues were presented. In Belgium, matches will be played in 7 venues: [[Antwerp]], [[Bruges]], [[Brussels]], [[Charleroi]], [[Genk]], [[Ghent]] and [[Liège]]. In the Netherlands, only five cities would host matches: [[Amsterdam]], [[Eindhoven]], [[Enschede]], [[Heerenveen]] and [[Rotterdam]], but both Amsterdam and Rotterdam will provide two stadiums. Eindhoven will function as the 'capital city' of the World Cup.<ref>{{cite news
 |work=Sporza.be 
 |location=Eindhoven 
 |agency=Belga 
 |url=http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/voetbal/wk/091109_speelsteden_WK 
 |language=Dutch 
 |title=België krijgt zeven speelsteden op het WK 2018 
 |date=9 November 2009 
 |accessdate=9 November 2009 
 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091111111437/http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/voetbal/wk/091109_speelsteden_WK 
 |archivedate=11 November 2009 
 |url-status=dead 
}} </ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
!{{Flagicon|BEL}} [[Brussels]]
! colspan="2" |{{Flagicon|NED}} [[Rotterdam]]
! colspan="2" |{{Flagicon|NED}} [[Amsterdam]]
|-
|[[Eurostadium|Brussels Stadium]]
|New Rotterdam Stadium
|[[De Kuip]]
<small>'''(Stadium Feyenoord)'''</small>
|[[Amsterdam ArenA|Amsterdam Arena]]
|[[Olympic Stadium (Amsterdam)|Olympic Stadium]]
|-
|Capacity: '''80,000'''
<small>''(new stadium)''</small>
|Capacity: '''80,000'''
<small>''(new stadium)''</small>
|Capacity: '''44,779'''
|Capacity: '''65,000'''
<small>''(current capacity: 48,850)''</small>
|Capacity: '''44,000'''
<small>''(current capacity: 21,000)''</small>

<small>''(23,000 temporary seats)''</small>
|-
|
|
|[[File:Rotterdam De Kuip 4.jpg|frameless|200x200px]]
|[[File:Amsterdam Arena Roof Open.jpg|frameless|200x200px]]
|[[File:Amsterdam Olympisch Stadion.jpg|frameless|200x200px]]
|-
!{{Flagicon|NED}} [[Eindhoven]]
! colspan="3" rowspan="8" |{{Location map+|Benelux|places={{Location map~|Benelux|lat=50.895706|long=4.334083|label=[[Brussels]]|position=bottom}}
{{Location map~|Benelux|lat=51.193272|long=3.180583|label=[[Bruges]]|position=bottom}}
{{Location map~|Benelux|lat=50.609908|long=5.543344|label=[[Liège]]|position=bottom}}
{{Location map~|Benelux|lat=50.414609|long=4.453787|label=[[Charleroi]]|position=left}}
{{Location map~|Benelux|lat=51.893894|long=4.523253|label=[[Rotterdam]]|position=top}}
{{Location map~|Benelux|lat=52.314167|long=4.941944|label=[[Amsterdam]]|position=left}}
{{Location map~|Benelux|lat=51.441781|long=5.467442|label=[[Eindhoven]]|position=top}}
{{Location map~|Benelux|lat=52.9606|long=5.9205|label=[[Heerenveen]]|position=right}}
{{Location map~|Benelux|lat=52.2215|long=6.8937|label=[[Enschede]]|position=left}}
{{Location map~|Benelux|lat=51.2194|long=4.4025|label=[[Antwerp]]|position=right}}
{{Location map~|Benelux|lat=51.0543|long=3.7174|label=[[Ghent]]|position=right}}
{{Location map~|Benelux|lat=50.9661|long=5.5021|label=[[Genk]]|position=left}}|float=center|width=400|caption=}}
!{{Flagicon|BEL}} [[Liège]]
|-
|[[Philips Stadion|Philips Stadium]]
|[[Stade Maurice Dufrasne]]
|-
|Capacity: '''45,000'''
<small>''(current capacity: 34,765)''</small>
|Capacity: '''44,000'''
<small>''(current capacity: 27,670)''</small>
|-
|[[File:Philips Stadion.jpg|alt=|200x200px]]
|[[File:Standard liege kaerjeng02.jpg|alt=|200x200px]]
|-
!{{Flagicon|NED}} [[Heerenveen]]
!{{Flagicon|NED}} [[Enschede]]
|-
|[[Abe Lenstra Stadion|Abe Lenstra Stadium]]
|[[De Grolsch Veste]]
|-
|Capacity: '''44,000'''
<small>''(current capacity: 25,322)''</small>
|Capacity: '''44,000'''
<small>''(current capacity: 23,400)''</small>
|-
|[[File:Abe_Lenstra_Stadion_pano_03m.jpg|alt=|frameless|200x200px]]
|[[File:Grolsch Veste wedstrijd.JPG|alt=|frameless|200x200px]]
|-
!{{Flagicon|BEL}} [[Antwerp]]
!{{Flagicon|BEL}} [[Ghent]]
!{{Flagicon|BEL}} [[Bruges]]
!{{Flagicon|BEL}} [[Charleroi]]
!{{Flagicon|BEL}} [[Genk]]
|-
|Port of Antwerp Stadium
|[[Arteveldestadion|Artevelde Stadium]]
|Chartreuse Stadium
|[[Stade du Pays de Charleroi]]
|[[Cristal Arena]]
|-
|Capacity: '''40,579'''
<small>''(new stadium)''</small>
|Capacity: '''40,300'''
<small>''(new stadium)''</small>
|Capacity: '''40,000'''
<small>''(new stadium)''</small>
|Capacity: '''40,000'''
<small>''(new stadium)''</small>
|Capacity: '''40,000'''
<small>''(current capacity: 21,457)''</small>
|-
|
|[[File:Ghelamco Arena panorama indoor..jpg|200x200px|alt=|frameless]]
|
|
|[[File:Cristal Arena Stadionplein Genk - panoramio.jpg|200x200px|alt=|framless]]
|}

==Official Bid Partners==<!-- PLEASE RESPECT ALPHABETICAL ORDER -->
* [[ING Group]]
* [[KLM Royal Dutch Airlines]]
* [[PwC]]
* [[Randstad Holding]]
* [[Royal BAM Group]]

==See also==
* [[Euro 2000]] - An international football tournament co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official|http://www.thebid.org }}

{{Bids for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup}}
{{FIFA World Cup bids}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Belgium-Netherlands 2018 FIFA World Cup bid}}
[[Category:2018 FIFA World Cup bids|Belgium–Netherlands]]
[[Category:Belgium at the FIFA World Cup|Bid]]
[[Category:Netherlands at the FIFA World Cup|Bid]]
[[Category:Belgium–Netherlands relations]]