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U.S. World Cup bid to cut nine cities

Dallas Stadium

Even with eight years to go, the U.S. World Cup bid committee for 2018/2022 is still hard at work. On Tuesday, the list of possible host cities will be reduced from 27 to 18.

Tuesday's announcement is scheduled to take place at the ESPN Zone in Times Square. Below is the list of 27 cities that are vying for the 18 spots.

Cities: Washington, Tampa Bay, Seattle, St. Louis, San Francisco, Phoenix, San Diego, Philadelphia, Oakland, New York, Orlando, Nashville, Miami, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Houston, Detroit, Dallas, Denver, Cleveland, Chicago, Charlotte, Boston, Atlanta, Baltimore

The final 18 will be in line to serve as World Cup hosts, with major cities with MLS clubs — such as Washington, Seattle, Los Angeles and Chicago all likely to make the cut. The 18 remaining cities will be submitted as part of the final bid due by May 14, with a decision from FIFA expected in December.

What do you think about the latest list of cities? Which cities do you want to see stay? Which ones go?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I doubt FIFA cares whether the stadium is a SSS as long as the field is to size, there is natural grass, the lines are painted the right way, and there is room for lots of fans.

    Also, the US is the only candidate that can have almost every game in a 75k+ stadium without rebuilding or constructing something new. That means HUGE profits and more money on marketing and advertising and less on infrastructure.

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  2. I just hope that the US gets to play in NY, if the US gets picked to host. Watching the US play in a WC in NY? oh man….

    as for the final… I wouldn’t be surprised if NY got the nod, but for some reason I have a feeling a surprise city (not LA or NY or DC) will get that game.

    My 2 cents.

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  3. San Diego (Qualcom Stadium) has good public transit access, easy freeway access from multiple angles, plenty of parking….
    All of those are big upgrades of the LA options.
    Probably just wishful thinking on my part but it San Diego would be a great WC option.

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  4. hahha think of how much money USSF will make from telling people the only way to apply for tix is to join their $50/year membership for the ability to just apply for tix!

    BTW the list will be cut down further right? 18 cities sounds way too many. ’02 did have 20 but most others varies from 10-12.

    I think in the end six will be locks dc, ny, boston, orlando, dallas, la. I would then add one for north cali, one in mid west (kc or stL), one amongst det, chicago, indy, and maybe seattle.

    Finals will be in the Rose Bowl @ 230 EST for our friends in Europe. Looking at a list of past finals, its usually a city with a lot of prestige, Dallas is no LA and NY-NJ just doesn’t sound as good as LA neither mainly cuz of Jerzey =P.

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  5. Detroit? Really?

    For the 1994 World Cup, FIFA bent over backwards to allow the USA to host. Many of the stadiums that were used were not really designed for futbol/soccer, and even then Detroit’s entry, the Pontiac Silverdome, had to have specially installed natural grass installed before it was considered a viable venue.

    This time around I doubt that FIFA will look at things the same way. Stadiums will have to have natural grass, the fields will have to be the correct dimensions, be able to hold sizable number of fans, etc. At present Detroit does not have such a stadium.

    Silverdome? Abandoned by the Lions, and would face the same problem that they had in 1994. Even with what they did in ’94, the pitch/field was too small, really.

    Ford Field? Crowd capacity, check, field dimensions, maybe, natural grass, ummm, well…

    As a Metro Detroiter I’d love to see the World Cup come back to the USA, and Detroit to be one of the cities involved.

    As a futbol fan, all I can say is no, not gonna happen. Even if all the other considerations come into place, there isn’t a futbol specific stadium in the entire nation large enough to host the Final.

    In 1994 the Rose Bowl was used, but, once again, that field isn’t really designed for futbol.

    No, if the USA really wants the World Cup held with in it’s borders ever again the sport needs to be taken to by the American fans to the point where building a 75000+ futbol specific stadium wouldn’t just leave the facility an under used hulk once the champion is crowned.

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  6. My guess for Eighteen Final Cities
    1/Seattle
    2/San Francisco
    3/LA
    4/Phoenix
    5/Denver
    6/Chicago
    7/Houston
    8/Dallas
    9/Miami
    10/Indianapolis
    11/Boston
    12/New York
    13/DC
    14/Nashville
    15/Atlanta
    16/Tampa
    17/Charlotte
    18/Baltimore

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  7. well the WC would be in middle of the MLS season which won’t be the problem since there will probably like they are doing this year a break in the season for the World Cup.

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  8. Seattle will definitely be on the list of 18. They have 2 Sports Stadiums that will work for the world cup: Qwest Field and Husky Stadium.

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  9. If 2018 goes to Europe (e.g England or the Spain/Portugal or Belgium/Holland bids) then the main competition will be between the USA and us Aussies. Here in Australia there is a lot of conflict between the soccer body (FFA) and the Australian Rules (AFL) and Rugby codes (NRL, ARU) because the bid requires using stadiums right in middle of AFL, NRL and ARU seasons. I’m curious – what would be the reaction of the NFL in the USA if the FIFA World Cup had to be held in February right in middle of an NFL season and NFL stadiums had to be used? You guys have benefit of the WC beinig out of NFL season, but just hypothetically…

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  10. Orlando is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the states, if Orlando is chosen it is a guranteed success. Everyone in orlando walk around wearing EPL shirts and Brazilian shirts at the malls, its crazy…. They do need to upgrade the citrus bowl though and with the sunrail coming in 2012 it would be ready for the world cup audience….

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