World Cup Coming to Atlanta?

FIFA has now started accepting bids for the 2018 & 2022 World Cups.  The US is among 10 countries that are expected to submit bids prior to the February 2nd deadline.  Part of that bid must include plans for 12 stadiums that hold 40,000 people. Last May Sunil Gulati, President of the US Soccer Federation, awed the European press when he told them…

“We have got 50 stadia of 70,000 capacities capable of hosting the World Cup. We could have hosted the competition in 1998 in stadiums that didn’t even exist in 1994, and the same goes for 2002 and not use any stadiums that existed in 1998″

You can’t help but love that. And with addition of New Yorks Jets/Giants stadium and the Dallas Cowboys new $1.3 Billion masterpiece being ready by the end of this year there are several additional facilities to add to that list. 

Now comes the good part.  Although the Georgia Dome can configure to hold a 70×110 yds soccer field it is by no means an ideal site. In fact if may not even exist by the time the 2018 world cup rolls around.  Currently there are at least 2 proposals for new stadiums to be the home of the Atlanta Falcons.  Sembler Co. is considering the Doraville GM site and the Georgia World Congress Center that owns the current Dome is proposing a few different options for a new stadium.  Currently the Falcons are under lease to play at the Georgia Dome until either the bonds are paid off OR the year 2020.  The bonds could be paid off as early as 2015 but it should give some hope to a new stadium being build right in time for either the 2018 or 2022 World Cup.

What do you think?  Did you make the 1994 World Cup in America?

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The kids did good!

Dick's Sporting Goods Park Commerce City, CO

The Men’s US National Team finished up this round of qualifying with a solid 2- 0 win against Guatemala at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Colorado.  With the majority of the team comprised of MLS players whose teams aren’t in the MLS Cup game we got to see some new faces.  There have been several individuals in the Media and supporters of US Soccer that have asked to see Kenny Cooper don the Red, White, & Blue.  Not only did he start but he had a clinical finish to score the games first goal off a great piece of setup work by Villarreal’s Jozy Altidore.

With Players like Kenny Cooper, Jozy Altidore, and Freddie Adu coming onto the scene it is going to get more difficult for coach Bob Bradley to pick his starting 11.  It’s an exciting time in US Soccer but we still have a ways to go before we earn the right to sit at the big people’s table.  More to come on the next steps for the US in World Cup Qualifying and our next opportunity to prove we belong.

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