Back in 1994, the U.S. hosted the World Cup for the first time. The games were spread across nine cities, and FIFA, soccer’s international governing body, estimated the American economic impact at $4 billion. (It also estimated the impact for the Germany-hosted 2006 Cup at $6.2 billion.) Tampa put in a bid, but with the sub-standard soccer facility that was the old Tampa Stadium, it was an instant also ran. Orlando, however, was one of the nine.
Now the U.S. is gearing up again for a bid. This time for either the 2018 or the 2022 Cup. And this time Tampa’s chances are a lot better. Raymond James Stadium is considered a superb facility. The dimensions are right, sight lines perfect and there’s no crown on the field. And it hardly hurts that RayJay’s main tenant, the Bucs, is owned by the same guy, Malcolm Glazer, who also owns Manchester United, the most famous soccer team in the world.
Tampa’s bid has already been submitted. Orlando, Jacksonville and Miami are also in the hunt. The USA bid is due next May. FIFA will announce the host nations for 2018 and 2022 by December 2010.
Insiders say there’s a much different vibe now, and much of it is attributed to Raymond James Stadium, as well as additional hotels built since the last World Cup courtship. There’s also the credibility that the U.S. has gained – from being a presence on the world soccer stage to having already hosted a World Cup.
I can still remember covering the FIFA tour of Tampa Stadium for the Tampa Bay Business Journal in the 1980s. Amid the furrowed FIFA brows came this unsolicited comment from a Brazilian journalist: “America getting the World Cup is like Brazil getting the World Series.” Ouch.
No, America is not, and may never be, Brazil when it comes to soccer. But, yes, the U.S. is a major player capable of holding its own against international competition. And, yes, Tampa, which has already hosted three Super Bowls, should be a favorite if the U.S. is awarded the World Cup in 2018 or 2022.