This was supposed to be the World Cup bid cycle when lavish spending to sway FIFA's executive committee members was supposed to stop. But Russia and Qatar were out in force with expensive exhibits at Soccerex, the soccer expo held this week in Manchester, England.

Russia bid executives rejected talk that they would buy the 2018 or 2022 World Cup. "No amount of money is enough to deliver a World Cup," Russia’s 2018 operations director Alexander Djordjadze said.

But Russian spending pales to that of Qatar, whose 2022 World Cup bid budget is believed to be $180 million. Qatari officials claim jealous rivals are spreading rumors of exaggerated spending. But spending they are. Their "sponsorship" of the African soccer confederation congress cost $2 million.