[Farm93]

So how did we get the World Cup in 1994?  Was the sport squeaky clean at that time?

FIFA officials were pretty clear about their intentions at that time, and everything since seems to have been consistent with the statements at the time.  FIFA believed that the USA was an untapped commercial market, much like China is today for FIFA.  And FIFA believed that by having ONE World Cup in the USA they could create enough interest in the sport to get the American corporation sponsorship money....errrr grow the game here in the USA.  The USA in 1994 was an investment in FIFA growth.


20 years later and the mission has been accomplished. FIFA seems to want to get a World Cup in China much like the FIFA investment in the USA 20+ years ago now.  Too many Chinese interested in basketball and tennis.


Returning to the USA is a different equation than that the first visit. Now AYSO is the largest youth soccer club in the world, so no need to come just to grow the game.  FIFA will return eventually.  However, unlike the IOC, FIFA does not need to find a host that will support 30+ sports and build venues for sports they do not even play all in one city.  Plenty of places that have never hosted that are very eager to spend billions, and give millions, to make it happen (ie. Russia & Qatar).

[Farm93]

So how did we get the World Cup in 1994?  Was the sport squeaky clean at that time?

FIFA officials were pretty clear about their intentions at that time, and everything since seems to have been consistent with the statements at the time.  FIFA believed that the USA was an untapped commercial market, much like China is today for FIFA.  And FIFA believed that by having ONE World Cup in the USA they could create enough interest in the sport to get the American corporation sponsorship money....errrr grow the game here in the USA.  The USA in 1994 was an investment in FIFA growth.


20 years later and the mission has been accomplished. FIFA seems to want to get a World Cup in China much like the FIFA investment in the USA 20+ years ago now.  Too many Chinese interested in basketball and tennis.


Returning to the USA is a different equation than that the first visit. Now AYSO is the largest youth soccer club in the world, so no need to come just to grow the game.  FIFA will return eventually.  However, unlike the IOC, FIFA does not need to find a host that will support 30+ sports and build venues for sports they do not even play all in one city.  Plenty of places that have never hosted that are very eager to spend billions, and give millions, to make it happen (ie. Russia & Qatar).