"Together for Great Goals" is the plucky motto of the joint bid by the Netherlands and Belgium. Both were founding members of FIFA in 1904 and have a long and storied history in the sport, though neither have won a final. The Netherlands has made nine appearances, reaching the final in 1974, 1978, and 2010, earning it the title "the best team never to win."
Belgium has entered 11 World Cups and its highest attainment was the 1986 semi-finals.
Former Dutch soccer great and head of the Netherlands' bid, Ruud Gullit, says that a 2018 World Cup in the Netherlands and Belgium "will be the greenest World Cup ever," because the shortest distance between matches will be at most a couple hundred miles.
The deal would be sweetened by free public transportation between venues and two million free bicycles to let fans join Dutch bike enthusiasts.
