April 23 - Bids from 58 major stadiums in the United States, including Soldier Field in Chicago, have formally confirmed interest in playing host to FIFA World Cup matches in 2018 or 2022, it was announced today.

 

The respondents represent 58 venues in 49 cities and towns, ranging in size from New York City, where the new Meadowlands Stadium will open in 2010 in nearby East Rutherford, New Jersey, to small towns.

 

Three new candidates have also expressed their interest, including Las Vegas, which currently does not offer a suitable stadium but requested to be included as a market for consideration. 

 

David Downs, the executive director of the USA Bid Committee, said: “We are very pleased by the impressive response, and are certainly gratified by the enthusiasm and thorough understanding everyone has shown for this unique opportunity.

 

"The benefits to a host nation, and particularly to the venue cities where the matches could be played, are numerous and lasting.

 

"Tourism, economic impact, meaningful global exposure and a legacy of being at the center of a FIFA World Cup competition await host venues and cities if we are fortunate enough to stage the tournament here in 2018 or 2022.”

 

Earlier this month, the USA Bid Committee mailed letters to public officials and executives representing 70 stadiums.

 

The letters outlined FIFA’s bid process and criteria for venue selection, which includes the candidate host nation providing a minimum of 12 stadiums capable of seating 40,000 or more spectators.

 

Stadiums with a minimum capacity of 80,000 are required by FIFA for consideration to play host to the opening match and final.

 

In 1994, the US used nine stadiums to host the World Cup, which then featured a 24-team and 52-match format compared to today’s field of 32 nations competing in 64 matches.

 

Despite the smaller field and schedule of matches in 1994, the United States set an overall attendance mark of 3,587,538, a record that broke the previous tournament mark by more than one million fans and still stands today.

 

Representatives from the Las Vegas, Nev. and the Raleigh-Durham markets, as well as Rice Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah – none of them included in the original list of 70 venue and market candidates – have requested to be considered as hosts in 2018 or 2022.

 

Twelve stadiums declined to be considered as potential candidates while conversations continue with representatives of two stadiums as local officials there explore various venue feasibility issues before confirming their interest.

 

Downs said: “We will soon begin contacting all venue and metro market representatives on a one-on-one basis to ensure that their candidacy is in accordance with FIFA criteria.

 

"We are looking forward to working with all the parties involved as we continue this exciting bid process.”

 

Highlights among the stadiums that have confirmed interest in playing host to matches in 2018 and 2022 include 30 of the 31 stadiums in the National Football League have confirmed interest, more than 20 stadiums have confirmed interest that are either on college campuses or serve as the primary venue for NCAA Division I college football teams and all continental US time zones are represented by stadiums in 28 states and the District of Columbia.
 

But only two of the stadiums are currently home to Major League Soccer teams, the Gillette Stadium where New England Revolution play and Qwest Field, home of the Seattle Sounders.

 

The United States, Australia, England, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico and Russia have formally declared their desire to host to the FIFA World Cup in 2018 or 2022.

 

Netherlands-Belgium and Portugal-Spain have each submitted joint bids for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, while Qatar and South Korea have applied as candidates to play host only to the tournament in 2022.