A quote from Chris Seitz at last night's Meet the Players event: "This is my first trip to Philadelphia, but from what I've heard from the guys who have played for the US National Team, the support from the fans is second to none. Everyone was talking about them." (source) Since the only men's National Team appearance in the last few decades was the Gold Cup game this summer...it sounds like we made an impression. (With the help of some great Honduran fans who stayed and rooted for the USA). Next, hopefully, we'll get a World Cup warmup game at the Linc, with another chance to show why we belong in the USA bid. France? Switzerland? Chile?
Seems like the only ones rumored to be lined up thus far are the Netherlands, Honduras, and Northern Ireland. Though I could go for a froggy friendly in philly.
We tell them how to beat Mexico. ("Two words. Sea level.") They tell us how to beat England. ("One word. Penalties.")
The 18 cities to be included in the US bid to host either the '18 or '22 World Cup will be announced today in about 10 minutes or so. Granted, that doesn't mean the City of Brotherly Love will be a final host city, but screw negadelphianisms ... Come on Philly! http://www.gousabid.com/blog/entry/which-will-be-the-18-cities-included-in-the-us-bid/
How many cities will the list be whittled down to? 8? 10? South Africa has 10 stadia, Germany had 12, South Korea and Japan each provided 10 (for 20 total - higher math and all), France had 10 ...
I would tend to think that this would be cut down. Then again, with so many stadia out there, you would also think that having that many options would cut down on travel during the group round. With 64 games, it would mean that eight cities would get three matches and the remaining ten would get four. I think that would work.
12 Cities. I'm predicting Indy, Tampa, San Diego, Baltimore, KC, and Phoenix to be dropped. EDIT: Possibly one of either Nashville or Atlanta, instead of Phoenix, Indy or SD.
I just read it'll be down to 12-15 locations, and that Philly is 4th in total number of petition "signatures".
FIFA requires that the bid book be submitted with at least 12 and no more than 18 candidate stadiums. This is the list that will be used up through the time the Cup is awarded. After that...well, the Gold Cup this year was held in 13 venues, in part to prove to FIFA that the logistics of using more than 8 or 10 venues were practical. I doubt all 18 will get games, but I'd be surprised if it wasn't more than the 9 the US used in 1994.
i'm thinking baltimore, indy, tampa, nashville, and KC don't make the cut. i think boston, NYC, philly, DC, miami, dallas, phoenix, LA, and Seattle are locks due to stadiums. (world cup final held in jerry jones' monstrosity? it could happen...).
Not making the cut are Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Jacksonville, Oakland, Orlando, St. Louis and San Francisco. Source
As much as I hate everything Cowboys, that stadium would be absolutely awesome for a World Cup final. 100k, that massive screen, the roof open, the atmosphere. I would hate giving my money to JerryJ but Id pay a hefty sum to see the final there.