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Tuesday Kickoff: Europe plotting move for 2018, Cooper returns to 1860 and more

Sepp Blatter (ISIphotos.com)

If you were hoping for the United States to beat out a host of other candidates, including England, for the right to host the 2018 World Cup, things have gotten a whole lot tougher.

According to FIFA president Sepp Blatter, a plan is in the works to guarantee 2018 going to one of the several European countries bidding for the World Cup.

“From what I’ve discussed with the president of UEFA, Michel Platini, in the last few days in Moscow is that only a European candidate will be evaluated for the 2018 World Cup,” Blatter said on Monday. “It’s still not decided, but it’s an idea to help facilitate the work of FIFA and its executive committee.”

While it has never been a secret that Europe was always considered the favorite to host 2018, this is the first public statement from Blatter basically admitting that Europe would wind up hosting in 2018.

What does it mean for the USA World Cup bids? It means that 2022 is the safer bet for the World Cup to return to the United States.

Here are some other stories to get your Tuesday going:

Cooper set to resume training. U.S. national team striker Kenny Cooper is set to return to action for 1860 Munich for the first time since suffering a sprained MCL in training. Cooper has rejoined the club after undergoing treatment for the injury in the United States. 1860 Munich physicians have already checked out the knee and Cooper is ready to resume training.

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Cabanas in critical, but stable condition. Paraguayan national team striker Salvador Cabanas is in critical, but stable condition after surgery following a shooting in Mexico City on Sunday night. Efforts to remove a bullet from Cabanas brain were unsuccessful as doctors chose to leave the bullet in rather than risk more damage to the Club America star. Cabanas was the victim of an apparent robbery late Sunday night at a Mexico City bar.

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What do you think of these stories? Disappointed to hear Europe will wind up with 2018, or did you already see that coming? Which country would you like to see host the 2018 World Cup if it isn't the United States? Hoping Cooper can get back into the 1860 starting lineup so he can earn a call-up for the USA-Netherlands match in March?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. If only….

    We know that’s the problem. 4th graders are NOT playing pickup soccer at recess. Only in their “organized leagues” on Sat/Sun…..in suburban America. 🙁

    Reply
  2. I know 60. ugh. 40 sucked, 50’s gonna suck, maybe if we get the WC, 60 won’t suck as much. If I’m still alive and able to walk on these crappy knees of mine.

    Reply
  3. I just wish that bullet would’ve entered Blatter’s head instead. That corrupted a-hole is one of the nastiest beings to ever run any sports organizations. Extremely corrupted.

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  4. australia’s bid has issues too, because fifa’s saying any hosts need to be using wc stadia for the tourney and nothing else, from just before it starts until the end of the tournament.

    two of australia’s three biggest spectator sports go on in those same stadiums during the southern hemisphere’s winter – that is, when the world cup’s on. they’re in a pickle – those two leagues are essentially flipping soccer the bird at this point.

    as far as size goes, though, australia’s actually roughly the size of the lower 48.

    i don’t think we have a great bid either, though, and i think we should wait. until when? until we’re willing and able to play world cup games in a stadium we built for the damned thing.

    Reply
  5. My email from the Bid Committee
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    Dear Brian,

    First of all thank you for your email and your support of the USA Bid.

    I would like to explain some of the reasons why we were unable to include Chicago as part of the final 18 cities.

    Under normal circumstances, Chicago would have been part of our national bid, given its soccer tradition, diversity, location and reputation as a world-class city.

    Since we announced in February of last year our intention to bid for the FIFA World Cup in 2018 or 2022, we knew we would be approaching Chicago at a challenging and potentially problematic time in relation to our own World Cup bid, whether the 2016 Olympics bid was successful or not.

    FIFA’s bidding process clearly establishes that any city and stadium that is proposed by any bidding nation has to be accompanied by corresponding signed agreements.

    At this time, the Chicago Park District was unable to meet these FIFA contractual requirements. Without these mandatory signed documents, it was impossible for the USA Bid Committee to even consider Chicago to be part of the final 18. So it was with some disappointment, but also much compassion, that we mutually agreed to move forward in our bid without Chicago.

    Here is a link to an article that appeared in the New York Times this past Friday and that talks about this situation:

    http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/15/sports/soccer/15cncpulse.html

    Once upon a time, the notion of a U.S. bid without Chicago might have been unthinkable. Today we have a surplus of world class cities worthy of being hosts, with a collection of venues that have no match anywhere in the world. As a nation, we still need every soccer fan’s support to win this bid and bring the largest sporting event in the world to our country.

    Hope this email helps explain why the USA Bid Committee was unable to consider Chicago in the final list.

    Thanks again for your support,

    Jurgen Mainka
    Director of Communications
    USA Bid Committee

    Reply
  6. it doesn’t matter if its spread out foolio…what matters is how much income they can make if they hold the cup in the USA…don’t hate, participate…

    Reply
  7. it is extremely outrageous…USA held the most profitable WC when it was only 24 teams…EUROPE can’t even pull it off with 32 teams in the tourney…they should have it in the USA for 3 out of 6 WCs because we just make the tourney that much more profitable….BS is what I say…they are hating on the US, the numbers don’t lie.

    Reply
  8. Man, I sure hope they get that bullet out of Cabana’s brain…
    poor guy, he may never be the same again, who knows what kind of functions he may lose from the brain injury…..Hopefully he can recover like Davies, but more likely he will not.

    Reply

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