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North America Bid For '26 World Cup Heavy On Newer Venues

Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium is one of 23 cites that remain of the bid committee's proposed list GETTY IMAGES

United Bid Committee Exec Dir John Kristick said the North American effort for the '26 World Cup is moving forward with a "combination of cities with brand new facilities and facilities that have been recently upgraded or will be renovated," according to Jeff Carlisle of ESPN.com. The UBC on Thursday "reduced the field of potential bid cities to 23 candidates" ahead of the submission of a bid to FIFA on Friday. Kristick: "We're in a great situation. It has to be the most comprehensive sports bid ever put forward." The field of candidate cities was "reduced from a list of 32 named last October." However, there are some "notable omissions." Chicago is "not only the home of the U.S. Soccer Federation, but it also hosted the opening game" of the '94 World Cup. Vancouver, which was the site for the '15 Women's World Cup championship, is also "absent from the list." The "other cities eliminated include Charlotte, Detroit, Las Vegas, Minneapolis (which pulled out citing unacceptable FIFA demands), Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Tampa." Once the UBC bid is "formally submitted," the "campaign phase will accelerate" (ESPN.com, 3/15). SOCCER AMERICA's Paul Kennedy noted each of the stadiums included in the UBC proposal are "already built and have an average capacity of more than 68,000." The UBC has also "secured more than 150 training site options" (SOCCERAMERICA.com, 3/15).

NORTH AMERICAN CITIES BEING SUBMITTED TO FIFA
CANADA
Edmonton
Toronto
Montreal
 
MEXICO
Guadalajara
Monterrey
Mexico City
 
UNITED STATES
Atlanta
Miami
Baltimore
Nashville
Boston
N.Y./New Jersey
Cincinnati
Orlando
Dallas
Philadelphia
Denver
S.F. Bay Area
Houston
Seattle
K.C.
DC
L.A.
 
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WORK TO BE DONE: In N.Y., Andrew Das noted the list, which will be "pared down further if the bid succeeds," includes three cities in Mexico and three in Canada, but the "vast majority" will be in the U.S. The list of proposed venues is the "largest for any World Cup," but a "necessity" given the World Cup's expansion to 48 teams from its current 32. If the North American bid wins in June, FIFA and the bid committee will "consult over the next two years to narrow the options, most likely by the middle" of '20. Kristick said that a final list of 16 cities -- "likely the three each in Mexico and Canada, leaving only 10" in the U.S. -- "will be finalized" in '21 (NYTIMES.com, 3/15).

STICKING AROUND: PHL Sports Exec Dir Larry Needle, whose group is part of city's Convention & Visitors Bureau, said that stakeholders in the process "included city officials, the Eagles, the Union, owners of training sites, and other people involved in area soccer organizations." The "headline items when it comes to Philadelphia are well-known." Lincoln Financial Field would be the "venue for games," while Talen Energy Stadium and Penn's Rhodes Field would be "among the training sites." Potential locations for the "always-popular fan festivals include Penn's Landing, the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, and a combination of Dilworth Plaza and Love Park." Sources working on the World Cup bid have "spoken highly of Philadelphia's prospects for quite some time." They are "especially fond of Philadelphia's location at the heart of the Northeast Corridor" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 3/16). PRO SOCCER USA's Jordan Culver noted Camping World Stadium would "host games if Orlando is selected." With a capacity of 65,000, the venue "couldn't host the final or opening match that will be held at venues that seat at least 80,000." However, Central Florida area officials could "pursue swift renovation of the stadium to improve the venue's chances of being selected to host games" (PROSOCCERUSA.com, 3/15). In San Jose, Elliott Almond notes while organizers list S.F. as the Bay Area host city, games "would be held" at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara (San Jose MERCURY NEWS, 3/16).

DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH: In Minneapolis, Adam Belz notes the local bid committee in a statement said that "concerns about liability were the main problem in negotiations with FIFA." Minneapolis "remains in contention to be a 'team base camp' where a national team would stay in a hotel and train as long as they're in the tournament" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 3/16). Meanwhile, USA TODAY's Nancy Armour writes FIFA has "no one to blame but itself" for cities like Chicago and Vancouver saying no to hosting. Cities and countries have "grown tired of these modern day robber barons, who make exorbitant demands in exchange for the 'privilege' of holding events that will leave their hosts with white elephant venues and decades of debt." Local leaders and residents have "gotten wise to FIFA and the IOC's games, becoming increasingly willing to say they don't want to play" (USA TODAY, 3/16).

SURPRISE TO EVERYONE: In Toronto, Kurtis Larson writes the removal of Vancouver as a potential host city was a "baffling decision from a provincial government that cares more about political posturing than business metrics and the voices of Canadians, more than three-quarters of who support Canada's United Bid." Canada Bid Director and General Secretary of Canada Soccer Peter Montopoli said, "It's disappointing because of the legacy (Canada Soccer) had started for (Vancouver) in terms of international soccer." Larson writes events like the World Cup are "why the BC government recently poured" more than C$500M into BC Place" (TORONTO SUN, 3/16). In Vancouver, Ed Willes writes under the header, "You Can't Put A Dollar Value On Hosting A World Cup." Sources said that there "wasn't a peep" from British Columbia leadership "until 10 days ago as the deadline for submitting the bid drew near." Suddenly, there were "all manners of concerns about the cost of security" and the "cost of installing a natural-grass playing surface at B.C. Place" (VANCOUVER SUN, 3/16).

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