Did FIFA Ask U.S. to Be Ready to Host 2022 World Cup Instead of Qatar?

Did FIFA ask the United States to get ready to host the 2022 World Cup if Qatar is stripped of it?

As soon as Jorge Ramos of ESPN Deportes reported on Thursday that FIFA had asked the United States delegation to be ready to host the 2022 World Cup if Qatar is stripped of it, U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati immediately denied it. 

A translation of Ramos’s tweet reads:

BREAKING NEWS: #FIFA advised #USA to have their organization committee ready for 2022, in case there is no #WorldCup in #Qatar. Final decision will take place in September/October

Gulati told New York Times reporter Sam Borden that FIFA has not “asked us and I cannot imagine it happening anytime soon.”

Just spoke to Gulati, who is president of US Soccer and FIFA ExCo member. Could not have been more forceful in saying no approach made.

— Sam Borden (@SamBorden) June 12, 2014

Sunil Gulati, flatly denied FIFA has approached them re: ’22 WC. “They haven’t asked us and I cannot imagine it happening anytime soon.”

— Sam Borden (@SamBorden) June 12, 2014

FIFA has come under fire for awarding Qatar the 2022 World Cup after reports of corruption and migrant workers who have died building the infrastructure leading up to the event. FIFA President Sepp Blatter publicly said it was a mistake to choose Qatar, which may have to host the World Cup in the Winter if Qatar is not stripped of it so soccer players are not subjected to the nation’s dangerous and unsafe temperatures during the summer.