MIAMI, Nov 25 — Nothing illustrates the growth of soccer in the United States better than the realisation that hosting the 2022 World Cup there is now regarded as a safe option for Fifa, compared with 1994 when it was considered a risk.
When Fifa awarded those finals to the US in 1988, many observers felt world soccer’s governing body were taking a risk in a country with little love for the game.
In some ways they were right because that World Cup was played out in a bubble.
There was interest in games in and around stadiums, but a short distance away there was little evidence that the World Cup was taking place. Few bars showed matches on television, and the “street theatre” that traditionally accompanies the World Cup was missing.
Sixteen years later though, soccer has largely taken root and remarkably the US’s strong point as a candidate this time is that it would be a safe option as a country that has finally “found” the game.
Former President Bill Clinton is honorary chairman of the bid, and if he were to adapt one of his old slogans to capture its strength, it would surely be: “It’s the stadiums, stupid.”
Unlike most countries bidding to hold the world’s biggest sporting event, the US needs to do virtually nothing to have its stadiums ready to host large crowds in modern comfort.
Newly built stadiums in Dallas and New York will not be quite as shiny in 12 years’ time but they will certainly, along with other modern National Football League (NFL) venues, be more than ready for a World Cup.
The major US cities that are competing to be host cities — back in 1994 they did not compete but had to be persuaded to volunteer — are already geared up for big events.
They have the hotels and the services that fans, who will be on holiday as well as supporting their teams, have come to expect.
Given the size of American stadiums, with 70,000 capacity the norm in the NFL, the US is confident it could beat its own record number of spectators for a World Cup that was set with 3.56 million fans in 1994.
Some of those voting at Fifa may be concerned, however, about the lack of public transport facilities in some venues, such as Miami, and the fact that NFL venues such as New York and Seattle would need to replace their artificial turf with natural grass.
While organisers are confident those issues can be easily dealt with — New York’s Meadowlands Stadium switched to grass for the recent friendly with Brazil, and Miami has handled mass transportation many times for Super Bowls — the key battle in the bid process will probably be convincing Fifa voters that North Americans deserve the World Cup.
Despite the growth of the game since 1994, with the progress of the national team, the creation and development of Major League Soccer (MLS), huge crowds for international friendlies and healthy television audiences for foreign matches, the sport remains behind America’s traditional games — baseball, basketball and American football. — Reuters
