It's a do-or-die game for the USMNT against an unknown opponent. Where are the top three stadiums you'd like to see the US play at? Comment below if there's an unlisted one
Portland, Seattle, Rio Tinto, Columbus, Kansas City....all great choices. Instead we got NYC and hot, humid Orlando, FL for our last 2 critical World Cup qualifiers. Good thing we got the brilliant minds at US Soccer making those decisions for us. Surprised our other qualifiers weren't at RFK or the Rose Bowl either since those Einsteins seem to want to make it as difficult as possible.
I am in the mood to talk about Stadiums so I am resurrecting this dead thread. I am excited to see what Allianz stadium St Paul and Audi Field in DC can provide in terms of true home fields. The former will host a Gold Cup match. The Latter should host some sort of official match sooner rather than later.
And the new Lockhart stadium in Fort Lauderdale looks good in artist renderings. Although I don't know if we should host any CONCACAF teams there unless there is a strict ticket lottery like the Mexico Hex matches. (And the New Stadium in Miami would have the same logic applied.)
I went with: Century Link (Seattle), Children's Mercy (KC), and Orlando City Stadium. Also like the atmosphere in a couple of NoCal stadiums like Avaya or Levi's for a bigger option. And if you don't enjoy the Rose Bowl for special events you're just UnAmerican. Might start a petition for them to come to Milwaukee for the first time in the modern era. A lot of untapped markets that could be lively, have novelty, and serve the public actually instead of rotating the same locales.
I voted for Portland, Kansas City, and Other. I'm fine with continuing to give a match in the Hex to Columbus, but I'd prefer that the Mexico match be shifted to Portland or Kansas City now that the 2-0 streak has been broken.
It may all be moot if the Hex is demolished and we won't have a Mexico match every cycle. But assuming there are matches: I think it would be interesting to see maybe Minnesota or Cincinnati host a Mexico match too.
Add San Jose's Avaya Stadium. They've played well there with enthusiastic crowds on multiple occasions. In general I'd prefer MLS soccer-specific stadia in most cases (except for big games where greater capacity is needed). And it depends on the opponent and the time of year.
Red Bull Arena would've been fine for a number of other matches, but not a qualifier against Costa Rica in literally the only sizable Tico enclave in the United States. (Earlier in the cycle, we played a friendly there. I was in attendance, and it was about 60/40 Ticos I'd estimate.) In general, it's a good venue, one that should be used primarily in friendlies.
We should have a nice array of Midwest fortresses once a few more of the SSS are built. Cincy, Cbus, Minnesota, and KC will be go to locations for big qualifiers. I’d imagine Nashville and hopefully Seattle and Portland will get games as well.
The poll doesn't have any options northeast of D.C. Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland are eleven states that combine to have exactly 20 percent of the House seats, using that to estimate what percent of the population lives there.
I'm sure others feel differently but I think a stadium should be ineligible for selection for any significant game if the surface is anything other than grass.
With all the beautiful new MLS stadiums popping up I am leaning towards this opinion myself. Although there are special exceptions I still would consider like the two in the Pacific Northwest and maybe Atlanta since I want to see how the locals would support an official match.
It will be interesting to see where the Federation decides to play the upcoming Nations League matches. I would probably play Cuba in Colorado or Utah. The altitude would make them drained and dizzy by the 20th minute. Canada in DC United's Stadium. The atmosphere should be good for the very first official National team match in the new stadium. It all depends on many variables and conflicts but those are the venues I would pick for the 'NL right now not knowing the behind the scenes factors.
Does not apply to Canada or Cuba for that matter since they mostly gave baseball fans in the USA but I guess you are referring to the OP's question.
I'm not sure our players are used to the altitude either though. I'd just try to limit travel. I'd guess we're going to play one home game and one away game in each window. So if let's say we go to Havana in October, then I would play the home game somewhere down south in either Florida or Atlanta, and if we go to Toronto in November then I would put the home game somewhere up north like Columbus, Philly, or New York.
I was thinking Atlanta. Not sure the stadium would be ideal with turf though and with the American Football conflicts/MLS conflicts that could be in the Fall.
I know we just played there, but Orlando makes sense against Canada (lessen travel to/from Cuba). Maybe Minnesota for the Cuba match to minimize travel to/from Toronto (I’m assuming they won’t put the game in Vancouver or Montreal)? New York, DC etc make more sense from a travel standpoint, but then we run the risk of the game being loaded up with Cubans.