USSF Pulls Bid for 2018 World Cup, Focus Now on 2022
The USA Bid Committee in conjunction with the United States Soccer Federation pulled their bid today for the 2018 World Cup.
It’s been believed for some time now that the 2018 World Cup would go to Europe and that the US was really focusing on the 2022 games.
Four European candidates now remain in the race for 2018: Belgium/Netherlands, England, Russia and Spain/Portugal. Experts in the subject have said they believe Russia will win the bid but the FIFA World Cup committee will not make their final decision on the 2018 and 2022 hosts until December.
The FIFA Executive Committee will gather in Zurich on October 28 and 29 to discuss a number of items, including the final voting process for the selection of the host nations for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups.
FIFA Statutes indicate that the competition cannot be held on the same continent on two successive occasions. By going with Europe for the 2018 Cup the 2022 campaign will now be between Australia, Japan, Korea Republic, Qatar and the United States.
“For some time we have been in conversations with FIFA and UEFA about the possibility of focusing only on the 2022 bidding process, an option we have made reference to many times,” said Sunil Gulati, Chairman of the USA Bid Committee and President of U.S. Soccer. “We are confident this is in the best interests of the USA Bid. We wanted to make the announcement now – still 48 days before the final decision – in order to make our intentions clear during the last part of our campaign. This also enables FIFA to finalize the selection procedures during its upcoming Executive Committee meeting.”
“We have had an open and constructive dialogue with the USA Bid for some time now, after it became apparent that there was a growing movement to stage the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Europe,” said FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke. “The announcement today by the USA Bid to focus solely on the 2022 FIFA World Cup is therefore a welcome gesture which is much appreciated by FIFA.”
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I vote for Russia in 2018
I’m surprised the USA didn’t pull out of 2018 earlier because in all reality everyone’s been talking for more than 1 year that it would go to Russia or England. I still think that England has a good chance, but most prognosticators are leaning toward Russia. In my opinion, it would’ve been a real departure from the FIFA tradition of giving Europe every other World Cup. Notice how it’s in Europe once, then somewhere else, then back to Europe. Now there are some people who don’t consider Russia as being part of Europe, but that’s another discussion all together…I’d like to see Russia get it.
the vodka is worth it and the people are great. St. Petersburg is wonderful
I think a Russian bid would be terrible. The TV/match times would mean little to no sleep. I think Russia is the last place I would want to go watch soccer. I guess I will have to pull for England.
If its Belgium/Netherlands, do they both get automatic bids?