The President of the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) said that there was so much interest in hosting matches from cities across the country that if they are chosen to stage the 2018 or 2022 tournament then they do not know how they will accommodate every stadium that wants to be involved.

 

 

He said: "We've got really an extraordinary wealth of choices.

 

"It is impossible to predict at this time how we are going to get down to FIFA's requirement that no more than 18 recommendations [in the initial bid].

 

"We might try to convince them [to have more]."

 

The US received bids from 58 stadiums across the country that wanted to stage the matches if their bid is successful.

 

That list was subsequently trimmed last month to 45 stadiums in 37 areas.

 

Gulati said: "We are getting a receptivity that is very different than the one we had in 1986 or 1987 [for the 1994 World Cup].

 

"Having been part of that effort back then, in many cases we'd have to explain what the World Cup was, when it was, how many games it was.

 

"In this case, that is a non-issue.

 

"We have got civic leaders, stadium leaders, team owners, politicians very interested in trying to bring the World Cup to their city.

 

"People understand what the World Cup is about."