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.
Indianapolis!!! With the plans for the 2012 Super Bowl, we can carry the same idea for the World Cup!!
The newly revamped Cotton Bowl would be an awesome place to watch a WC game. So would DKR in Austin. I heard they are putting in new turf and ripping out the drainage pumps, so unfortunatly it looks like the crown is going to be necessary. That stadium is awesome though…
Legion Field is a dump and it’s in a bad neighborhood. Yale Bowl is all-bench seating — a big no-no in footy — plus it’s too close to New York and Boston.
Oakland should be ruled out as the World Cup is held during baseball season.
I see the US bid utilizing NFL stadiums plus Los Angeles for most matches. Opening match and championship final go to the new 100,000-seat Dallas Cowboys stadium. In return the NFL awards a future Super Bowl to Wembley.
Bobby Dodd in Atlanta would be a much better choice than the Dome … no indoor soccer please!!
The Big House would make a perfect opening or final game venue. 100K+ seats. 30 mins transit time from a major international airport w/direct flights from Asia and Europe. 31,000 hotel rooms in the area. City/region has recent experience with major marquee sports events.
Except that the playing field will require widening (same for Ford Field, barely wide enough for international friendlies, no way it is WC standard). I assume that this is understood when the venues consented to be on the consideration list.
Where the hell is Albuquerque?
Way to go San Francisco! Not even on the list. Of course we all know the Stick needs to be brought down, but damn. SF is seriously the best, with only New York competing, as the best place in the United States to enjoy the WC, inside and outside of the stadium.
But this is our lot in life. Damn (SF)liberals don’t like sports so we’ll never get another stadium. Bye Bye World Cup. Bye Bye Super Bowl. Bye Bye Olympics.
WORLD CUP GAMES IN “THE SWAMP”, AMAZING
To find FIFA quotes about the humidity you might have to get off the Internet and go to your library. It was discussed during halftime matches also.
I remember watching it as I was about 15 during the WC94.
The whole argument from everyone on here suggests Indianapolis should get a game anyways. That was my whole point in the first place.
Retractable Roof: Indy has
Accomidations: Indy has
History of hosting big events: Indy has
Population: Indy has, more than most cities named.
@ 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. ”
The stadiums mentioned in Houston, Dallas, and Phoenix all have retractable roofs, so they can be climate controlled.
i would pay anything to see a WC game in Norman.