L.A. Still in Running to Host World Cup Games in 2018 or 2022 & More
Not much of a surprise given the Rose Bowl hosted the 1994 World Cup final.
The USA Bid Committee today released the locations of 18 cities - the maximum allowed by FIFA - as potential World Cup game hosts after an eight month process that winnowed the field from the 45 stadiums in 38 cities identified last June.
This time around San Francisco, which hosted games in 1994, was cut, but San Diego is in.
The two stadiums in Southern California are the aging Rose Bowl (alleged capacity 93,607) and the crumbling Coliseum (listed at an equally uncomfortable 89,000).
The other 16 cities named: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Miami, Nashville, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Seattle, Tampa and Washington, D.C.
"Today our hopes of becoming a host nation are strengthened many fold by the announcement of the 18 cities we will submit to FIFA on May 14," said Sunil Gulati, president of the bid committee and U.S. Soccer. "These 18 cities share outstanding leadership with a vision and understanding of what a FIFA World Cup would mean to the United States, along with how well we can play the role of host to visitors from throughout the world."
England, hosts in 1966, are considered the frontrunner for the 2018 World Cup and the U.S. is one of the favorites in 2022.
From the U.S. Soccer press release:
The United States, Australia, England, Japan and Russia have formally declared their desire to host the FIFA World Cup in 2018 or 2022. Netherlands-Belgium and Portugal-Spain have each submitted joint bids for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, while Indonesia, Qatar and South Korea have applied as candidates to play host only to the tournament in 2022. Mexico withdrew its bid in September.
The winning bidders for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments will be announced in December.
In other news today, Fox will start a new soccer channel picking up rights to the EPL and other leagues relinquished by Sentanta:
From AP:
NEW YORK -- Fox is launching its second all-soccer network in the United States on March 1.The new network, called Fox Soccer Plus, will televise matches of the European Champions League, England's Premier League, the English Football Association Cup and the Italian Serie A.
Fox Soccer Channel began operation in 1997 as Fox Sports World and changed its name to FSC five years ago.
"As America's interest in the world's game is increasing, the launch of Fox Soccer Plus will complement and enhance our current programming on Fox Soccer Channel," new FSC general manager David Nathanson said Tuesday.
The new network will draw content from Setanta USA, whose sublicenses with Fox are expiring, a person familiar with the negotiations said Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity because that detail won't be included in the announcement.
Fox, a division of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, is negotiating with cable carriers to determine whether they want to place it on a select tier or offer it as a monthly subscription service for a fee. The new network will be broadcast in high definition; Fox also has been preparing to start high definition telecasts of FSC.
Fox has been televising the Premier League in the U.S. since 1998 and sublicenses some of the games to Setanta USA and ESPN2, which is televising 48 matches this season.
Also Monday, FSC said it was hiring Andy Gray of News Corp.'s Sky Sports in Britain for its studio show during this year's World Cup. Gray, a former Scotland national team player, worked for ESPN's U.S. coverage of the 2008 European Championship.
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About 100 Percent Soccer
Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005 for the Daily News, Daily Breeze and other Los Angeles area newspapers. The blog of the same name began in 2007. A native of England, he began writing about soccer in the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat in the stands for one in the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer and is married to a long-suffering soccer widow. Join Nick on FaceBook and follow him on Twitter.
Goodnews to have LA (2 stadiums) and San Diego included in the bid. Hope they make it into the final 9-12 stadiums.
The US certainly has a "nice problem" with so many stadiums (all more or less built, even if some are a bit old).
Still would have loved to see a game at Detroits Silverdome, where in 94 the US and Switzerland opened the World Cup.
It was the 1st match in FIFA World Cup history to be played with a closed roof, indoor so to speak. Also the 1st match where players names were on the jerseys and 3 points would have been awarded to the winning team.
If awarded a World Cup for 2018/2022, I'll be there for sure.
FIFA World Cup USA 94 started my love and appreciation of the sport.
Go USA Bid :)
Honestly, LA is on the clock to get the new stadium in Industry (or something else) done. Look at Chicago not on the list but, Indy and their brand new stadium is. The Q (or the new Charger stadium if it's built) is more likely to see World Cup action than either of the current stadiums in the LA area.