There will be no need to renovate the field at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium to meet FIFA — the international governing body of soccer — standards.
Tuesday afternoon, City officials were informed that Jacksonville did not make the round of 18 cities that USA Soccer will evaluate in its bid to host either the 2018 or 2022 men’s World Cup.
Two Florida cities — Tampa and Miami — did make the list of 18 that contains primarily cities with Major League Soccer franchises or are in line to get an expansion MLS team. Mike Bouda, director of sports and entertainment for the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission, said he figured two cities from Florida would make the cut and he always figured Miami was one.
“We were concerned because Malcolm Glazer owns Manchester United,” said Bouda. “We feel like we can do so much more than Tampa. We did everything we could.”
Glazer bought the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1995 and between 2003 and 2005 he purchased a majority of the shares in Manchester United, a perennial power in the English Premier League and one of the most valuable franchises — regardless of sport — in the world.
Bouda and several others have hosted officials from USA Soccer and met with them in New York recently to push Jacksonville as a potential host city for 3-6 matches over a 30-day period that would have generated hundreds of millions of dollars. Former JEDC Commissioner and certified international soccer referee Zim Boulos has played a role in the process.
“We did not leave saying we wish we had done this,” he said, adding the fact that Atlanta was chosen hurt Jacksonville’s chances. “We could still serve as a training site for teams that play close to Jacksonville or maybe host an exhibition match.”
Bouda said USA Soccer’s final bid is due this spring and FIFA officials will visit all 18 cities this fall. In December, FIFA will announce which countries are getting the two World Cups that will be awarded.
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- Real Madrid Will Allow Guti To Leave In The Summer
- Ben Foster has 'absolutely no chance' of leaving M...
- Manchester United rule out Ben Foster going on loan
- Harry Redknapp, Tottenham Football Club Manager C...
- 2010 Player Ballot Elections Results
- National Soccer Hall Of Fame adds --- Thomas Doole...
- Frozen weather cripples English Premier League
- Manchester United the World's Most Valuable Team A...
- Maradona heads to South Africa to view training camp
- Coca-Cola FIFA World Cup trophy unveiled in Kolkata
- Asian, African soccer teams could be in top ten in...
- Beckham - This World Cup might not be last
- African Cup of Nations: Egypt VS Nigeria
- potential World Cup host --->>> Jacksonville
- FOX Launches Fox Soccer Plus Network
- 2010 ANC CUP GROUPS
- AFRICAN NATIONS CUP 2010 SCHEDULE
- African Cup -- Algeria loses 3-0 to Malawi
- LIVE SOCCER:- Togo disqualified from African Cup
- Zakumi - a Mascot with attitude
- 2010 WORLD CUP SCHEDULE.
- 2010 WORLD CUP GROUPS!!!!!
- TOGO P.M ADDS TO CONFUSION!!!
- Togo soccer team to play on despite deadly ambush ...
- Togo's national football team has been hit by gun ...
- Togo team to pull out of the Africa Cup of Nations...
- Emmanuel Adebayor pulls out as terror attack leave...
- Arsenal miss chance to gain on Chelsea >> DRAW
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