US bid looking strong

Speaking before a sell-out 80,000 crowd for a Mexico-Ecuador friendly to open the New Meadowlands stadium in New Jersey, US Bid Executive Director David Downs said other American sports were 'delighted' by a proposed World Cup in the US.

That view is opposite to the feeling in Australia where Australian rules football and rugby league are involved in a turf war with Football Federation Australia over hosting a future World Cup.

"We don't have any similar obstacles," Downs told The World Game. "We are fortunate that [American] football is played from September to January so there are no conflicts with a June-July World Cup.

"We are also fortunate that these [stadiums] cannot exist with eight to 10 American football games alone in any given year. They need to have major events like a World Cup.

"The only major sport that may have a conflict with a World Cup is baseball and none of the stadiums we plan to use are baseball stadiums."

The US Bid Book, the official document that outlines its proposal, arrived in Switzerland last Friday bound for FIFA's headquarters in Zurich a week before the 14 May deadline.

Australia's Bid Book, printed in Germany, will likely be submitted to FIFA without a resolution over venues and compensation with the AFL or National Rugby League.

Downs said FIFA's optimum number of World Cup venues is 12 and that the US bid had 18 confirmed potential host cities including New York, Los Angeles, Denver, Baltimore, Miami, and Nashville.

Downs, a youth footballer and grassroots coach and referee, said unlike Australia, US sports did not feel threatened by the potential of a World Cup hosted by the US.

"The other sports are not concerned at all," Downs said. "They are all encouraging the bid. The other day we went to the NBA to talk to them about several NBA players endorsing the bid and they were delighted we reached out to them.

"What is happening in Australia is very unique. I don't fully comprehend it but I can understand that if the other leagues are in season and the ask is not 'Can we use your buildings for a couple of weeks' but 'Can you please play in another town' that's a tough proposition.

"But all the stadiums are happy to have us in the US."