Mods ... if this has been posted .. .please merge
World Cup back in North Amercia .. not if England has its way ...
US soccer boss eyes bid for 2018 World Cup: report
Tue Feb 20, 1:02 PM
WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati told US media that his group is preparing a bid for the 2018 World Cup and positioning US cities to be ready as a backup for the 2014 edition.
The Washington Post reported that the federation will form an organizing committee this weekend at annual meetings in Los Angeles and prepare to advise world governing body FIFA of its intent to launch a 2018 bid.
The only men's World Cup hosted by the United States was in 1994, which was a success in terms of attendance and staging. The Americans have improved their reputation among global football squads since, reaching the last eight in 2002.
"We've got some history and a track record," Gulati told the Post. "We showed in 1994 that the US is capable of hosting a terrific event.
"Now with the way the soccer landscape in this country has evolved, we would be in position to put on a spectacular event. We are much more a part of the sport internationally than we were in 1994."
England is also planning a 2018 bid, with British Finance Minister Gordon Brown saying earlier this month that the government will back any bid by England's Football Association (FA) to host the 2018 World Cup.
FIFA is not expected to make a decision on a 2018 host until 2011 or 2012. South Africa will host the next World Cup in 2010 with the 2014 event set to be hosted in South America.
England's only time as host of the World Cup was in 1966 and that was also the only time the English have won the Cup.
German football legend Franz Beckenbauer, president of Germany's 2006 World Cup organizing committee, has called England "the only country with an obvious chance" of hosting the 2018 World Cup.
But there have been US upsets of England before, notably a 1-0 victory at the 1950 World Cup in Brazil.
The US bid comes as England's David Beckham prepares to leave Real Madrid in July to join the Los Angeles Galaxy for a 250 million-dollar deal that has sparked new excitement over the sport in America.
The 1994 US World Cup set a record for average attendance at 68,991 over nine venues.
Brazil and Colombia have indicated interest in hosting the 2014 World Cup but FIFA president Sepp Blatter has said he would move the event to another continent if no South American candidate is prepared to host.
Gulati told the post the US plan is aimed at 2018 but added, "Obviously FIFA knows what we are capable of and if something else changed we would be open to any other possibilities."
The US record includes a historic Women's World Cup in 1999 that drew 100,000 spectators to the US-China final and a 2003 Women's World Cup that was taken over on short notice when an outbreak of SARS forced a move from China.
FIFA is expected to name a 2014 site in November. Brazil, a five-time World Cup champion, has not hosted since 1950. South America has not hosted a World Cup since Argentina did so in 1978.
Gulati described FIFA as "very open" to a 2018 US bid and said feedback was "very positive from regional officials in the Confederation of North, Central and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF).