Seattle is America's most popular choice to host World Cup matches

By Duncan Mackay

January 5- Seattle is currently heading a poll of United Sates cities that should host matches if the country’s bid to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup is successful, ahead of Atlanta and Houston.

The USA Bid Committee is due to meet soon to choose the final list of potential sites but a petition began last autumn on the official website to allow American fans to show their preference for which cities should host matches has Seattle comfortably out on top ahead of Atlanta with neither New York City or Los Angeles, the country’s two biggest and most cosmopolitan cities not ranked among the top 10.

There are currently 27 cities in the running to host matches, a list which officials are expected to cut down to between 14 and 18 before it submits its final bid in May to world governing body FIFA.

Seattle is fast becoming America’s unofficial “soccer capital”, a fact reflected in the 19,112 votes it has so far received from US fans wanting it to become a World Cup venue.

Seattle Sounders, who are co-owned by comedian Drew Carey, a member of the US World Cup Board of Directors, made its debut in Major League Soccer (MLS) last year when it sold 22,000 season tickets for games at its Qwest Stadium.

The team reached the playoffs before getting knocked out in the conference semi-finals but then staged a highly successful MLS Cup final, which featured David Beckham’s Los Angeles Galaxy losing to Real Salt Lake 5-4 on penalties following a 1-1 draw.

Atlanta, which hosted the 1996 Olympics, is currently running second in the poll with 14,733 votes and are proposing that the Georgia Dome – or a replacement for the 17-year-old 70,000-seat stadium – host matches.

The top five is completed by Philadelphia and Kansas City who, like Seattle, Atlanta and Houston, did not stage matches the last occasion the US staged the World Cup, in 1994.

Indeed, it is interesting to note that out of the top 10 in the poll, only Dallas – ranked ninth – was involved 16 years ago.

More than 300,000 people have so far voted in the poll.

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Current Top 10

1. Seattle 19,112

2. Atlanta 14,733

3. Houston 12,961

4. Philadelphia 10,763

5. Kansas City 10,636

6. Indianapolis 10,627

7. Miami 10,474

8. Tampa Bay 7,783