And then there were 58.
Representatives from a total of 58 of th original 70 stadiums listed by U.S. Soccer's World Cup bid committee as potential sites for World Cup matches have expressed interest in hosting World Cup matches in either 2018 or 2022.
Representatives from Las Vegas and Raleigh-Durham markets have expressed interest in being considered as hosts for the World Cup as well (No, Las Vegas doesn't have a stadium now, but a proposed stadium project is in the works). Also, Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah has also applied for consideration.
Two venues, one in Jacksonville and one in Oklahoma City, are still in discussions with the U.S. bid committee as officials analyze the feasibility of hosting World Cup matches.
Here is a rundown of the original list of 70 potential World Cup stadiums (with the 12 stadiums that declined interest crossed out):
Potential USA World Cup Stadiums
|
Metro Market |
Stadium | Location |
| Atlanta, Ga. | Georgia Dome | Atlanta, Ga. |
| Baltimore, Md. | M&T Bank Stadium | Baltimore, Md. |
| Birmingham, Ala. | Legion Field | Birmingham, Ala. |
| Boston, Mass. | Gillette Stadium | Foxborough, Mass. |
| Buffalo, N.Y. | Ralph Wilson Stadium | Orchard Park, N.Y. |
| Cedar Rapids, Iowa | Kinnick Stadium | Iowa City, Iowa |
| Champaign, Ill. | Memorial Stadium | Champaign, Ill. |
| Charlotte, N.C. | Bank of America Stadium | Charlotte, N.C. |
| Chicago, Ill. | Soldier Field | Chicago, Ill. |
| Cincinnati, Ohio | Paul Brown Stadium | Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Cleveland, Ohio | Cleveland Browns Stadium | Cleveland, Ohio |
| Columbia, Mo. | Faurot Field | Columbia, Mo. |
| Columbia, S.C. | Williams-Brice Stadium | Columbia, S.C. |
| Columbus, Ohio | Ohio Stadium | Columbus, Ohio |
| Dallas, Texas | Cotton Bowl | Dallas, Texas |
| Dallas, Texas | Dallas Cowboys New Stadium | Arlington, Texas |
| Denver, Colo. | Invesco Field | Denver, Colo. |
| Detroit, Mich. | University of Michigan Stadium | Ann Arbor, Mich. |
| Detroit, Mich. | Ford Field | Detroit, Mich. |
| Fayetteville, Ark. | Reynolds Razorback Stadium | Fayetteville, Ark. |
| Green Bay, Wis. | Lambeau Field | Green Bay, Wis. |
| Greenville, S.C. | Memorial Stadium | Clemson, S.C. |
| Houston, Texas | Reliant Stadium | Houston, Texas |
| Houston, Texas | Rice Stadium | Houston, Texas |
| Indianapolis, Ind. | Lucas Oil Stadium | Indianapolis, Ind. |
| Jacksonville, Fla. | Jacksonville Municipal Stadium | Jacksonville, Fla. |
| Jacksonville, Fla. | Ben Hill Griffin Stadium | Gainesville, Fla. |
| Kansas City, Mo. | Arrowhead Stadium | Kansas City, Mo. |
| Knoxville, Tenn. | Neyland Stadium | Knoxville, Tenn. |
| Lexington, Ky. | Commonwealth Stadium | Lexington, Ky. |
| Los Angeles, Calif. | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | Los Angeles, Calif. |
| Los Angeles, Calif. | Rose Bowl | Pasadena, Calif. |
| Madison, Wis. | Camp Randall Stadium | Madison, Wis. |
| Miami, Fla. | Dolphin Stadium | Miami Gardens, Fla. |
| Minneapolis, Minn. | TCF Bank Stadium | Minneapolis, Minn. |
| Minneapolis, Minn. | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | Minneapolis, Minn. |
| Nashville, Tenn. | LP Field | Nashville, Tenn. |
| New Haven, Conn. | Yale Bowl | New Haven, Conn. |
| New Orleans, La. | Superdome | New Orleans, La. |
| New York, N.Y. | Meadowlands Stadium | East Rutherford, N.J. |
| Oklahoma City, Okla. | Oklahoma Memorial Stadium | Norman, Okla. |
| Orlando, Fla. | Florida Citrus Bowl | Orlando, Fla. |
| Philadelphia, Pa. | Lincoln Financial Field | Philadelphia, Pa. |
| Phoenix, Ariz. | University of Phoenix Stadium | Glendale, Ariz. |
| Phoenix, Ariz. | Sun Devil Stadium | Tempe, Ariz. |
| Pittsburgh, Pa. | Heinz Field | Pittsburgh, Pa. |
| San Antonio, Texas | Alamodome | San Antonio, Texas |
| San Diego, Calif. | Qualcomm Stadium | San Diego, Calif. |
| San Fran/Oakland, Calif. | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum | Oakland, Calif. |
| San Fran/Oakland, Calif. | Stanford Stadium | Stanford, Calif. |
| San Fran/Oakland, Calif. | California Memorial Stadium | Berkeley, Calif. |
| Seattle, Wash. | Qwest Field | Seattle, Wash. |
| Seattle, Wash. | Husky Stadium | Seattle, Wash. |
| St. Louis, Mo. | Edward Jones Dome | St. Louis, Mo. |
| Tallahassee, Fla. | Doak Campbell Stadium | Tallahassee, Fla. |
| Tampa, Fla. | Raymond James Stadium | Tampa, Fla. |
| Washington, D.C. | RFK Memorial Stadium | Washington, D.C. |
| Washington, D.C. | FedEx Field |
Landover, Md. |
While a potential U.S.-hosted World Cup is still up to a decade away (assuming the United States is even chosen for either of the next two cycles) it is still exciting to look at this list and consider the possibilities.
What do you think of the remaining list? Disappointed to see any of the 12 stadiums off the list go? Does the idea of a World Cup match being played in Las Vegas make you as excited as it does me? (or does it just make your head want to explode?)
Share your thoughts below.
Let’s be realistic. Cut this list down to less than 25. That’s the max…All the others should fall on their swords like ND and Penn State. Why go through the pain of even considering this when you know that it will eventually come down to the venues in the biggest cities.
Everything else is bollocks.
It’s a shame we can’t use the stadium @ s. bend.
Would have been so cool 2 see a world cup game there.
Bummer!
“Crew Stadium is over by the fairgrounds on I-71 in the middle of the city, seats about 30k when fully-loaded – brant”
Err, Crew Stadium seats 20,000 – 21,500 when they add seats underneath the stage.
So does any of these have a roof over the stands? Just out of curiosity.
@ This Guy, who said:
“One thing that FIFA learned from the WorldCup 94 was that the humid, hot weather was a problem. Coaches and players complained about it. So all the pipe dreams of 3 California venues and 3 Texas venues and an Arizona venue should be thrown out. ”
Uh… you ever been to Arizona in the summer? Humid it isn’t. It’s 120 in the shade, and the heat feels like a brick wall when you walk outside, and the entire crowd in the stands would look like cooked lobster by the end of the game (unless you played a Saudi Arabia – Mexico match there). But it would NOT be humid.
I don’t see how New Orleans *doesn’t* get a game. They’ll still be recovering from Katrina even 20 years later, and there are plenty of things for international travelers to do there.
This guy –
You’re dreaming if you think SF/Bay Area (or any of the CA cities) is going to be eliminated b/c it’s too hot/humid. There’s no humidity in the bay area (or CA in general). The average high in July in Palo Alto is like 75-80, and it’s cooler in SF/Oakland. It’s probably better soccer weather in CA in the summer than most of the rest of the country b/c of the lack of humidity.
This is why Austin is wierd.
I think they should play every game in a different stadium. Spread it over as much of the country as possible to help grow soccer. And you could have each group be based in a region to make travel easier (ie no cross country travel). NE region w/ NY, BOS, PHI, New Haven, Pitt, Buffalo, DC, MD. SE region w/ ATL, CLT, RDU, JAX, TAM, MIA. So on…
One thing that FIFA learned from the WorldCup 94 was that the humid, hot weather was a problem. Coaches and players complained about it. So all the pipe dreams of 3 California venues and 3 Texas venues and an Arizona venue should be thrown out.
San Diego no
LA yes
SanJose no
San Fran no
Dallas Yes
Houston no
Phoenix no
I also have doubt Miami as popular as it is could sustain a crowd like the World Cup would bring.
I’m still for Indianapolis.
I live in Baton Rouge, the WC would be invisible here, sadly but at the Superdome in New Orleans would be amazing. I swear it would be packed even a Bulgaria vs Iran match.
The problem with most of the college stadiums is that they’re simply not wide enough currently for soccer fields. Has anyone ever been to Michigan Stadium? It just barely fits the football field; I’ve never seen less space between the sidelines and the wall (if you watch a game on TV, look at how close the benches are to the field). They’d have to do major renovations there (including removal of a whole lot of seating), which I just don’t see happening. The same is true of a lot of the other stadiums that have undergone renovations recently (past 10 years) such as Ohio Stadium and Camp Randall Stadium. Ricecloudnine has it right – most are either surrounded by small populations or have nicer professional stadiums nearby to compete with. The only two that really are the nicer venue in their area are Stanford Stadium (recently renovated, hosts soccer matches already) and the soon-to-open TCF Stadium (built to fit a soccer field; currently a prospective site for soccer for the 2016 Chicago Olympic bid).
To Homey Boehmy: Yes, the Metrodome is on the list. So is the Georgia Dome, Alamodome, and the Edward Jones Dome Yes, I agree it’d be a bad choice. However, let’s not forget that the Pontiac Superdome hosted games in ’94. So it’s not necessarily a deal breaker – but I’d think with the options they have they probably will stay away from domes this time around.
Here are my twelve:
Soldier Field (Chicago), FedEx Stadium (Washington, D.C.), Giants Stadium (New York), Reliant Stadium (Houston, TX), University of Phoenix Stadium (Phoenix, AZ), Rose Bowl (Los Angeles, CA), TCF Bank Stadium (Minneapolis, MN), Gillette Stadium (Boston, MA), LP Field (Nashville, TN), Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, FL), Qwest Field (Seattle, WA), Stanford Stadium (Alameda, CA)
Why would they settle for the small NFL stadiums? Did every SEC stadium say no?
Chicago should get every match.
Well the Detroit one that was declined is actually in East Lansing, Michigan. Since I am from EL, MI I can say that it would be awesome to host any potential World Cup matches, it is not an easy place to get to (i.e no major airports…you can’t count the rinky-dinky Lansing airport) and it is kinda of a crappy town with not much to do.
However, it is good to see that Detroit and AA have thier act together.
why the hell were some of these stadiums on there to begin with?
This country is far, far, far too big for the idea of a single national soccer stadium. Not to mention there are clearly 75+ stadiums capable of holding big-time matches for the USA. It would be pointless to spend even a dime on creating our own stadium.
Reliant is great, but I wonder if they’ll get screwed because Dallas’ new stadium would have to be considered one of two absolute locks (new Giants stadium the other).
“No, Las Vegas doesn’t have a stadium now, but a proposed stadium project is in the works”
Las Vegas DOES have a stadium, Sam Boyd stadium, where UNLV plays… it would need to be expanded slightly, but otherwise is probably fine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Boyd_Stadium
Haha, imagine Lambeau field or something hosting a WC final…
Spartan Stadium in Michigan should never have been on the list as the available playing surface is much too narrow. That being said, I’m still disappointed that Michigan State didn’t even express interest in attempting to bring an economy-boosting event to the East Lansing area. Goodness knows we need it, and Michigan will still need it in 2018 or 2022. Maybe they knew they had no shot.
Uh, the Home Depot Center already exists. However, why would anyone want to build a “National Soccer Stadium” anyway? Where ever you put it in this country, 90% of the US would never get to see a USMNT game unless they booked a plane ride under such a plan. Does Brazil have a “National Soccer Stadium”?
I do think the idea of a National Soccer Stadium is something that needs to be talked about more. It could be in place for this easily. I would throw DC in first being the nation’s capital, but with the trouble United has, I have a hard time believing it could get done there.
It could host WC, Qualifiers, Friendlies, when these Euro teams come. Surely we could find SOME way to at least get the idea looked at by SOME one.
I’m not much up on NFL regulations. Is a crowned field required? How will NFL stadiums comply without a Cat D9?
Not all the SEC schools declined. UK is in! And all we know about Commonwealth Stadium is it’s too windy for baskeball.
Re: Bay Area Stadiums
To my knowledge, only the Oakland Coliseum and the renovated Stanford Stadium have hosted big matches. The Coliseum is a dump, while the new Stanford Stadium is pretty nice. (see – http://images2.cdn.fotonauts.com/sfyoshi-76ad3e85c5b03141e4dea4e36000408e-image.jpg taken from Chelsea/Club America game; Inter and Club America are going to play there is summer) If a World Cup game were to be held tomorrow, Stanford would probably be the choice over both the Coliseum and Memorial Stadium (which also needs to be renovated).
However, by the time the World Cup does come to the US, it is likely that a new 49ers stadium will exist, and that stadium would certainly be the host for the Bay Area.
You gotta figure all the small towns (Clemson) will get cut b/c they won’t appeal to international travelers. You’ll end up with the usual suspects in the big cities, plus maybe 2-3 ‘surprise’ cities like San Antonio or Columbus.
Shoe in Areas:
LA
NY
Bos
Dallas or Houston
Chicago
Bay Area
DC
Mia or Tampa/Orlando
Likely Host Areas:
Philly
Seattle
Phoenix
Hotlanta
Denver
San Diego
St Louis
Detroit
Field surfaces will not be an issue, because all plastic fields have the capability to convert to grass.
Cities must have the infrastructure (hotels, transportation, cultural/tourism attractions) I think it’s doubtful college stadiums’s wil be used. FIFA will want complete security control of the stadium and surrounding area.
France ’98 used 10 stadiums, Japan/Korea ’02 used 20 stadiums, Germany ’06 used 12 stadiums.
It would be possible to see 2 stadiums per group stage. In the current format, you’re talking about 16 stadiums.
Martin Stadium in Pullman! It’ll have 40K by then.
Gary – that is pretty ironic
isn’t it fantastic that we’d be hosting the most important international soccer competition, and none of our SSSs can hold the event?
The USA bid committee should exclude all turf stadiums if there are plenty of available venues with natural grass.
In that case Ulrich, I sure hope Birmingham gets one. If not, I think it would still be relatively safe bet that Atlanta or Nashville will get one.
-The Beard,
Have you seen Tuscaloosa traffic on college game day? The stadium is perfect, but the infrastructure would collapse. Tuscaloosa would have to be bulldozed to to make way for the hotels etc that must be in place.
I’m speaking from one who has gotten caught on McFarland Blvd at 5:00, not even on a game day.
However, Baton Rouge, the capital of louisiana, totally could have handled a game. That would have been sick. Personally I would have given a kidney to have the U.S.A. group stage games in Oxford, MS… Beautiful town, but could never, ever, handle that kind of massive international crowd.
Joey, don’t make fun of Nebraska. The American Outlaws supporters group was founded by a bunch of college students from U of N.
Soccer is pretty big in the midwestern states. It’s that they don’t have a large enough population.
“Please no more soccer at Rice Eccles Stadium ever again! ”
Not that UT will get the WC anyway, but I’d much rather have it at Rice Eccles than at Cougar Stadium. Cougar Stadium sucks for (american) football, I can’t imagine soccer. Plus, no parking at all, I remember walking 2+ miles to see Syracuse play there and it was only about 2/3 full. Add in no Trax in Provo and RES is the only viable option in UT (and really, in fairness, wasn’t all that bad for soccer).
East Coast: NY, BOS, PHI, DC, MIA
Central: CHI, DAL, HOU
West Coast: LA, SF/SJ/OAK, SEA
Posted by: Mr. Fish | April 23, 2009 at 04:50 PM
Houston and Dallas are not Central. Indianapolis, Columbus, Lexington, Detroit are Central.
I don’t think they go with big markets, It’s the World Cup, I suspect they would go with venue. Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis is as nice as it gets. Also market shouldn’t imply just Americans and if it does Indianapolis host the single largest atteded sporting event in the World. The Indianapolis 500 which seats and sells 250,000 for a single event and day.
If you want a World market then Indianapolis hosts the number one sporting attended event by Europeans in the United States. The F1 race which will be back on next year.
Markets is what you want then Indy it is.
Geez!!!!!
The list of stadiums is simply a Marketing strategy by US Soccer. 75% of the locations on the list aren’t going to make the head-honcho’s cut, but they list them all to show FIFA that the USA has all of the infrastructure in place now. Sure more stadiums will be built between now and the Cup, but even if they weren’t because the economic recession continues to go south, FIFA can sleep at night knowing the WC isn’t going to experience a hiccup like South Africa.
No need to dream about the fringe stadiums – you’ll only wake up dissappointed.
Indianapolis would be without a doubt a good place. We live for sports here.
I think Mr. Fish is about right, though I think Philly will miss out, with two venues somewhat nearby in the Meadowlands and FedEx Field. I would think Denver would be the replacement, since it provides some geographic balance.
There isn’t an obvious #1 choice out of the Bay Area. If the 49ers get their stadium built, then it probably goes to the top of the list.
For some of the colleges dropping out it may not be the problem that it’s not near a metro area but more than that it would probably disrupt the college’s programs. I am sad to see Notre Dame drop out but Meadowlands is still in the running (as expected) so I’m fine with the remaining venues.
Damn, University Park aka Penn State is off the list. That would probably be the sweetest thing ever to go to at Beaver Stadium.
Please no more soccer at Rice Eccles Stadium ever again! Unless while you are watching the world cup you dont mind the run of play disappearing when it gets within 5 yards of the sideline.
Do other football specific stadiums have this problem? Not being wide enough?
Meadowlands – New York
Cowboys Cathedral – Dallas
Fedex Field – Washington D.C. (Daniel Snyder will probably get a new stadium by this time)
Ford Field – Detroit
Rose Bowl – L.A.
Gillette Stadium – Foxboro/Boston
Future 49ers Stadium – San Francisco
Carolinas Stadium – Charlotte
University of Phoenix Stadium – Glendale Arizona
TCF Bank Stadium or Future Viking Stadium – Minneapolis
Qwest Field – Seattle
Thats only 11 because I think you would have to put the last one in the south somewhere, probably Florida. Problem with that is all the stadiums in the south are old or Domed, but I would bet that that new stadiums will probably be built in Miami, Orlando, or Atlanta by that time but one of the Florida venues would probably get it. Could be an argument for Philly over Foxboro, or Reliant Stadium in Houston over Phoenix, but Foxboro got it in 94 so I gave them the nod, and you could go either way between Phoenix and Houston. I just think it would be hard not to give it to most of these venues in the large cities with the most modern stadiums. What does everyone think?
Gotta go with top markets:
East Coast: NY, BOS, PHI, DC, MIA
Central: CHI, DAL, HOU
West Coast: LA, SF/SJ/OAK, SEA
Add in a surprise: Nashville
World Cup at college,lets postpone until school starts….so there alcohal and girls left and right ;]
Jordan-Hare crossed out, nooooooo! =(
Seems like most of the college campuses declined; makes sense since transit and finding suitable hotels would be a logistical nightmare.
The application process to express interest must not have been that extensive. Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, while one of the finest college football stadiums and probably the stadium that would put fans closest to the field of play, is not reasonable for the WC. I am sure the folks in Iowa City, and others in towns a ways away from major markets realize the small odds but said, “why not?”
The usual suspects will host the WC if it comes back to the US. This list is just proving a point about stadia in America.
With that said, bring the World Cup to IOWA CITY, IA!! GO HAWKS!
As mentioned above, Lambeau Field would be AWESOME!!
Play a USA game there and I guarantee an all USA crowd.
My pipe dream is still alive, Obama needs to flex his muscle and get a WC match in Iowa!
There are some absolute locks here. The new stadia in the Meadowlands and Dallas and Soldier Field are givens, as is the Rose Bowl (unless something new gets built in LA by then). Seattle has to be favored also. I think its very likely that one of Boston or DC gets in (with Philly less likely) as does something near San Fran. Tampa wouldn’t surprise me; Miami would. Nashville wouldn’t surprise me. I hope they don’t use domes, but if they do, that its the Superdome only. I like Michigan Stadium if they get a game that will fill it.