- by Aalok Patel, writing from the Bay Area
The FIFA Inspection Delegation arrived in the United States for an examination of the US World Cup Bid. The four-day, five-city event consisted of visits to facilities and tourist attractions as well as meetings with coaches, players, fans, business officials, and civic leaders. Organized by the USA Bid Committee, the tour was created to give the FIFA Inspection Delegation a thorough examination of all aspects critical to the US bid.
Starting with a welcoming reception in New York hosted by Mayor Bloomberg, the Delegation was greeted by representatives from all 18 cities involved in the USA Bid. The event featured food delicacies from all the cities (cheesesteaks from Philadelphia, crab cakes from Baltimore, etc.) in an attempt to give the representatives from FIFA a “taste” of the country.
The comprehensive trip was a great way for FIFA to get a first-hand look at infrastructure for the tournament. This included stadiums for matches (New Meadowlands), potential training venues (Red Bull Arena), and public transportation issues. Moreover, since no new stadiums will be constructed for the World Cup, modifications will be required to make the fields at NFL stadiums wide enough to be in line with FIFA regulations.
Full details of the tour can be found [here]
The USA Bid Committee is currently bidding for both the 2018 and 2022 World Cup. Other countries that have put in 2018/2022 bids include England, Russia, Spain-Portugal, and Belgium-Holland. With Brazil hosting the next World Cup, it is very likely that the 2018 tournament will be in Europe. Countries that have submitted single bids for the 2022 event include Australia, Japan, South Korea, and Qatar. USSF President Sunil Gulati has stated that unless it is certain that withdrawing a bid will greatly improve the country’s chances, there’s no reason to do so.
With Japan and South Korea having joint-hosted the 2002 World Cup, it is unlikely that FIFA will select either country to host another tournament so soon. Qatar is an impractical choice due to infrastructure and climate factors among other issues. That leaves Australia and the United States as the most serious competitors for the 2022 bid.
Australia has political support from FIFA, proper infrastructure, and a developed economy; all of which are benefits the organization would receive from hosting the World Cup in a major European country. Moreover, Australia has never hosted the tournament, making their 2022 bid a very enticing option. The United States hosted the 1994 World Cup and normally would be unlikely to host another tournament so soon, but there are several factors that make the country a strong candidate.
The soccer scene in the United States has exploded since the 1994 World Cup. MLS has evolved into a full-fledged league, WPS has started to take off, and soccer-specific stadiums are popping up all around the country. When the United States hosted the World Cup, a record 3.6 million tickets were sold in a country that, at the time, had minimal interest in the event. Even though the tournament has expanded from 24 to 32 teams, this record has never been broken. With interest in soccer higher than ever, it is very realistic that a 2022 World Cup in the United States would sell 4.5-5 million tickets (setting another record in the process).
The United States has the infrastructure set in place to host the tournament. Each of the 18 cities in the US bid has the necessary transportation and hospitality facilities built to accommodate the world’s largest sporting event. With brand new, state of the art venues such as New Meadowlands and Cowboys Stadium, FIFA will have access to huge seating capacities and luxury suites necessary to keep corporate sponsors satisfied and entertained.
A 2022 World Cup for the United States would be the tipping point needed to take soccer in this country to the next level. FIFA’s 24-member committee will vote on the hosts for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup on December 2.
-Aalok Patel (Twitter: @apatel17)
