Obligatory Baltimore photo
The good burghers of Baltimore have started an online marketing push to ensure that their city gets to host a game in a possible USA World Cup in 2018 or 2022. “Baltimore is among 27 cities vying to host World Cup games in 2018 or 2022 if the U.S. is tapped as the host nation,” the Baltimore Business Journal notes. “The USA Bid Committee is expected to meet this weekend to begin narrowing the list down to 18, and leaders spearheading Baltimore’s bid want more support from local resident.” They might need help, as right now they are ranked 23 out of 27 host cities at the GoUSABid website. While the foul up was a great success, we at UF stand firm that Baltimore doesn’t deserve to host a World Cup game. Our picks for who should, after the jump.
Just as a reminder, for 2010 there are 10 different venues, while in Germany there were 12 different ones. USA 1994 had 9 stadiums, including the Pontiac Silverdome (fall from grace, eh?). FIFA rules allow you to have one city with two venues, but given the size of the USA I doubt that happens. Lets assume 12 venues for our hypothetical USA 2018/2022 bid, as thanks to the NFL stadium building spree there are more than enough decent options. The current USA bid proposal has 32 stadiums in 27 cities, a list that will be pared to 18 cities in the next few months.
So who gets to host games?
Mortal locks-
New York (well, actually New Jersey) – The new Giants/Jets Stadium is due to open next year, replacing the not-beloved current concrete monstrosity in the Meadowlands. New stadium and New York location means that this is very likely to be where the final is played.
Washington, D.C. – While RFK is actually in the city and has greater signifigance to US fans, there is no way that Fedex field, with nearly double the seating, gets overlooked.
Boston – Robert Kraft is very influental in US Soccer circles, Boston has a good international name reputation, and Gillette Stadium was designed with soccer in mind.
Dallas – Jerry World is not missing out on the World Cup. And with 111,000 seats, the new Cowboys Stadium would be one of the largest venues in World Cup history. If anything, there will be a push to get the final played here.
Houston – Fourth largest city in the country, with a new stadium that has hosted important soccer games. The large Hispanic population doesn’t hurt, and its proximity to Dallas means that pairing the Texas cities could cut down on travel.
Los Angeles- While neither stadium option is exactly modern, and I think the final gets played in New York this time around, there is no way that LA misses out on hosting games.
Chicago – Too important a city to overlook, and the Soldier field refurb makes it a nice venue. Has hosted numerous friendlies, including USA-Brazil.
Very likely -
Phoenix – New stadium and geographical location make it a natural fit with other West Coast cities. Has hosted games in the past, although lacking in MLS presence.
Seattle- Huge support for the Sounders and a good stadium. Backing from Paul Allen, etc….
Miami – Stadium sucks, as does the heat in the summer, but Florida is going to host a game, and its not going to be at the Citrus Bowl. Miami might have a new stadium in 12 years, anyways. Maybe Tampa could slide in here instead.
Longshots (pick two) –
San Francisco – People will gasp, but the stadium options here are not great compared to elsewhere. The two official venues in the bid are Stanford Stadium and the Oakland Alemeda Country Coliseum (aka where the Raiders play, so automatic DQ).
Cleveland – Lerner owns Aston Villa, and Rock and Roll Hall of fame is there. And, uh, in 2022 Lebron might be coming back for his pre-retirement swan song with the Cavs. Would benefit if FIFA wants to have another city close to Chicago to reduce travel burdens.
Philadelphia – The Linc would be a great venue, and Philly fans are great. Only downside is geographic proximity to NYC and DC.
Detroit – Both Ford Field and Michigan’s stadium in Ann Arbor are on the bid list. The precipitous economic decline of the city and its international reputation as the symbol for failed American capitalism suggest that the committee might look elsewhere, though.
Denver – Complete homer choice. But it does have a good stadium and would benefit if the committee wants to base more teams out west. Altitude might be a reason to pass.
Nashville – A sneaky pick if they want a middle of the country venue. Hosted a pre World Cup 2006 friendly between USA and Morocco.
Of that list I’d say San Francisco and Philly are most likely, but I could see Cleveland as an oddball choice.
No way –
Kansas City, Jacksonville, Charlotte (the best 100-1 bet), Atlanta (city is worthy, but I’m dome biased), Indianapolis (The worst city in the world), Tampa Bay, Orlando, San Diego, St. Louis.
Oh my god its a comma-splosion
Assuming 10 hosts…. My guesses would be: NY, LA, Dallas, Seattle, Miami, Chicago, Denver, Boston, DC/Balt, Atlanta.
Possible Wildcards: San Diego, San Fran, St. Louis or KC.
Houston is too close to Dallas.
Philly falls victim b/c it’s right b/w NY and DC.
Charlotte? Um, no. Baby ATL.
Detroit is even worse off than it was in ’94… and doesn’t have the draw of the Silverdome anymore.
Joe Robbie/Pro Player/Dolphins/Landshark Stadium in Miami was designed for soccer. When you watch the Dolphins, just notice how much room there is on the sidelines. It was supposed to host WC1994 games, but the Marlins ruined that plan.
Speaking of, I’d love to know how narrow the fields will be in the stadiums. I believe I read that the Cowboys stadium can’t fit the desired width of 75 yards.
Hopefully Drew Carey would shun his new favorite city in favor of Cleveland. It’d be great if the World Cup came here; at least half the fans would root for a winning team at each match, which is an oddity for Clevelanders.
corky, Jerry cares not for your trifling FIFA rules. Just look at how he ran roughshod over the NFL to install his 747-sized scoreboard.
Assuming 12 venues:
LA, NY/NJ, Chicago (USSF based there), DC/Baltimore, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, Seattle, San Francisco, Nashville, Miami, Boston.
I could see San Francisco losing out to Denver or another Midwest city. But, the Governator is on the US bid committee, so Cali getting two venues would not surprise me.
I’m pretty sure that the Cowboys field has two entire soccer pitches in storage just waiting to be pulled out and used. They’re artificial, though, which may kill the grandeur of Cowboys Stadium.
And, personally, I would love to watch Jerry Jones go at it with FIFA. Those two are meant for each other.
Oh, Cowboys Stadium will get WC games. Jerry decreed that it was very important the stadium could host WC games (unsaid is that he really wants the annual Mexican NT friendly as well). Of course, despite this, he can’t be bothered to design a stadium that would fit the right width.
St. Louis doesn’t have the stadium. Plus it’s a s**t-hole of a town (StL native, represent!)
Denver will lose out because of the altitude. Plus, Denver in July is f**king 90+ with the light of God on you that never goes away and adds an easy 15 degrees. No humidity though, I do love living here (ian, you’re in Denver?)
It’ll be all NE, West and then Dallas. Maybe Miami. Phoenix sounds f**king awful. Interesting about the final being in Dallas with that 111,000 seater, I just can’t see it not being in NY, DC or LA (Rose Bowl in ’94 right, which seats 90,000+). That final was brutally hot though.
The thing that affects the US more than other country is the geographical distance between cities.
The only thing that sounds awful about Phoenix is the heat, but when you are there it’s all air conditioned so it could work.
It’s summer, its going to be hot everywhere, unless you put all the games in Minneapolis.
“and Philly fans are great”
uhhhh
it gets hot in minneapolis too doesn’t it?
it doesn’t get very hot in the northwest. perfect temps in the northwest for the summer.
They’ll put games in Phoenix. They have the hotel infrastructure to support it. They’ll just keep the roof closed on the stadium. Unfortunately, as a former resident, I can tell you that Phoenix is a soulless wasteland and the stadium is in Glendale, the barnacle on the ugly oil tanker that is Phoenix.
While it’s not on the bid SF could finally get its new 49ers stadium going in Santa Clara. It’s looking like it’s close (but that’s been said before) to getting its final approval done.
Similarly Los Angeles might finally build a real NFL stadium too.
Would they still play at Cowboys new stadium because it has turf, or would they put grass over it?
They yanked out the turf to put grass in when they played friendlies and the Copa Oro there over the summer.
@Andy — Fifa would probably require grass, although UEFA let Moscow host the Champions League Final on a fake surface. I can’t seem to find what Detroit did in ’94, but I think they installed grass (can anyone confirm?)
Detroit had grass placed. I think FIFA allows the artificial turf fields but I don’t think they will allow it for the World Cup. I thought the Moscow final was grass…isn’t that why EBJT slipped?
@whizalen: It was Michigan State Agro School specially engineered grass! Donated to a local high school after the World Cup.
@TFA Yeah, I think they had the grass brought in the week of, or at some point way closer to the day of the match than was necessary.
You think FIFA would allow the final to be played on field turf in N Jersey? That stuff is awful.
My prediction is Phoenix, Philly, Seattle, Nashville and SF (new stadium) in addition to the 7 locks mentioned above.
^^^^^^^^^^^
This
There will be no field turf anywhere for 2018; the cost to bring in turf is easily worth the gain brought in by having a match at your stadium
When Chelsea and America played in Cowboys Stadium, they put a grass field in the stadium. I’m sure they’d do the same for the WC.
Mpls is not hot in the summer…unless 85 and partly sunny is hot to you.
Thanks guys. And yes, I remember hearing that brought in the grass (that JT slipped on) just days before the Moscow final.
@steve: i thought it was hot (90s regularly) and humid in Minnesota and North Dakota in the summer. maybe i’m wrong
/no humidity in the summer for the Pacific Northwest and average highs in low 80s.
“and Philly fans are great.”
I’m with Clemantona on this one.
Uhhh…
Filthydelphia FTL.
@TFA: It’s probably in the upper 90s a few times a summer. The humidity is not as bad as the rest of the midwest, and definitely not anything like that in the south. Coming from Phoenix, summers in Mpls are perfect.
Why dis Baltimore, dude? There has been excellent footy here for decades. Plus, M&T Bank City was a great venue for Chelsky and that damn Eyetalian Team. We had about 70k fans there, and a nice wide real grass field. Really, freekin’ Phoenix over Charm City?