USA shooting for future World Cup

[bedir than average]

ESPNsoccernet - US - Davis: 2018 World Cup bid still a longshot

Selected quotes

"The World Cup that's open is 2018," U.S. Soccer spokesman Jim Moorhouse said. "FIFA is on record that certain parameters must be in place [in South America] by 2014, and who is to say how that's going to play out. But from our perspective, this is about 2018."

Consider some grounds built since World Cup 1994: Qwest Field in Seattle, Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, FedEx Field in Washington, Reliant Stadium in Houston and Qualcomm in San Diego are all shining examples of stadiums on steroids, with supercapacities, enhanced amenities and extra leg room in those indulgent suites.

And that's not to mention the monsters being developed, including an 80,000-seat facility for the NFL's Jets and Giants. That one will include 10,000 club seats (ka-ching!) and more than 200 suites.

It is quite plausible that by 2018 (or even 2014), a World Cup could be staged here entirely in facilities constructed since 1994.

The WaPost Story (registration required)

Amid global skepticism about holding the tournament in a nontraditional soccer-playing country, the '94 World Cup set the record for largest average game attendance (68,991) and generated millions of dollars in revenue for the nine U.S. venues, including Washington, and for various national soccer initiatives

Despite concerns about its preparedness, South Africa is set to host the 2010 tournament. A South American country is scheduled to stage the 2014 event, with Brazil and Colombia having expressed interest, but FIFA President Joseph "Sepp" Blatter has left open the possibility of awarding it elsewhere.

"We have said that the 2014 World Cup will be staged in South America," he said recently. "But if there is no candidate strong enough, then we would go north instead as the logical thing."

Mexico -- which hosted in 1970 and '86 -- might also formulate a bid for 2018 and be ready for 2014.

Personally I think the USA and USSF has to go strong after 2014, as it would help MLS maintain relevancy after the Beckham signing. He will be here for 5 years as per contract. US soccer should improve to do his being here as well. The growth curve of the sport would be complimented by a 2014 Cup here, filling in the gap from the initial signings under the Beckham rule. MLS, and US soccer would be helped most by a 2014 games. Plus many of the cities which would host could use the SSS of MLS for training and prep matches that could be opened to the public.

[Wiggen]

You know, hosting the World Cup is such a massive undertaking, it seems to me that there are only a limited number of host sites available. First, there must be the stadiums available. Second, hotel space and an effective transportation system are a must. Finally, communication facilities must be massive and sophisticated. I'm sure there are more factors, but clearly the U.S. is possibly the best prepared nation in the world to host such an event.

[bedir than average]

Wiggen, you mentioned this in a PM, but the 2010 Cup might have to get an emergency host, since South Africa is having trouble getting things together. One other time has this happened, with Colombia in 1983 for the '86 Cup eventually Mexico got it.

This is the time frame that SA and FIFA are currently in, and I can really only see four nations that could host on little notice.
Germany - as they just had it
France - also quite recent
England - their facilities are state of the art, and their stadia are getting ready for the Summer Games
USA - we have dozens of top flight facilities, and are the most powerful economy in the world.

If the 2010 games move, I would bet heavily that the USA hosts one of the next three games as the rotational system would be all out of whack.

[TheAJx]

I have no idea where this guy gets the idea that Qualcomm Stadium is a "shining example" of a stadium.

[Zen653]

If an emergency host is needed for 2010, the United States would make a lot of sense. Europe hosted two of the last three World Cups, so rather than go back to France or Germany, or a country like Italy, Spain, or England, why not give the U.S another whirl? We could easily host a World Cup without much of an advance warning. And we could do it in stadiums that didn't exist in 1994. In addition to Qwest Field in Seattle, Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, FedEx Field in Washington, and Reliant Stadium in Houston, there's also Gillette Field near Boston, Ivesco Field in Denver, University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona, and the refurbished Soldier Field Stadium in Chicago. The relatively small soccer-only facility in Columbus, Ohio, could be used for a World Cup game, as a reward to the city for pushing professional soccer. I wouldn't put a marquee matchup there (not enough seats), probably something like Trinidad-Cameroon.

Pool A: Boston.
Pool B: New York.
Pool C: Philadelphia/Washington.
Pool D: Phoenix.
Pool E: Chicago (one game in Columbus.)
Pool F: Los Angeles.
Pool G: Seattle/Denver.
Pool H: Houston/Dallas.

Round of 16 games:

Boston
New York
Washington
Phoenix
Chicago
Los Angeles
Seattle
Houston

Round of 8 games:

Boston
New York
Phoenix
Los Angeles

Semi-Finals:

New York
Phoenix

3rd place game:

Phoenix

World Cup Final:

New York

[Otter]

Dallas will have a world class facility opening in 2009 for the Cowboys. Also a viable site.

[bedir than average]

The SSS (soccer specific stadia) in the US max at the Home Depot Center's 30,000ish. Too small for any World Cup Event which requires 40,000

But there are still plenty of brand new stadiums that could work.

[bedir than average]

From this story it is apparent that the USA is the favorite.

But now read the google news on this and tell me how many nations took Blatter's words to point to them as the fave?

[bedir than average]

ESPNsoccernet - World - UEFA president wants 2018 Cup for Europe

Platini wants Europe, as he should, but I think he has too much on his plate right now. He (a frenchman) is willing to back England.