US throws hat in ring for 2018 and 2022 World Cups

The United States has officially submitted a declaration of interest to host either the 2018 or 2022 World Cup, US Soccer Federation Sunil Gulati said Monday.

The announcement came on the day set by world football’s governing body, FIFA, for countries to declare their interest in hosting the global football tournament in either or both years. FIFA will select the hosts of both tournaments in December of 2010.

“We have formally advised FIFA that it’s our intention to bid for the 2018/2022 World Cups,” Gulati said from Chicago in a media teleconference.

Gulati said the United States would be happy to host in either year, but added that with all the necessary infrastructure in place “sooner is better.”

The United States, which hosted the World Cup in 1994, joined Australia, England, Belgium and the Netherlands, China, Japan, Mexico, Indonesia, Portugal and Spain, Qatar and Russia as countries vying to stage the Cup.

In addition to confirming the US candidacy, Gulati introduced David Downs as executive director of the USA bid committee.

Downs previously served as president of Univision Sports from 2001-2009.

Gulati will chair the committee, which also includes US Soccer chief executive Dan Flynn, Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber and Phil Murphy, the former National Finance Chair of the Democratic National Committee.

Downs enters into his new position after serving more than 30 years in the broadcast industry as an executive with both ABC and Univision Communications, Incorporated. He has been involved with negotiating US television rights to every World Cup beginning in 1994.

The United States hosted the World Cup in 1994, when there was still no viable professional football league in the country.

The World Cup fueled the development of Major League Soccer, and Gulati noted that despite the game’s lower profile Stateside the cumulative attendance of 3,587,538 broke the previous record by more than one million.

“I believe the sport will continue its incredible growth in this country, and I know that the US can host yet another first class World Cup tournament,” Downs said. “It’s a formidable challenge, but I’m looking forward to dedicating the next two years to the pursuit of that goal.”

Gulati said that decisions on possible host cities across the nation would be made after the Cup is awarded, noting that numerous potential venues have been built since the country last hosted the World Cup.