September 3 – A campaign has been launched by officials in Pasadena to ensure that the Rose Bowl, the venue for the 1994 World Cup final, is included in the list of stadiums if the United States is awarded the 2018 or 2022 tournament.
Los Angeles is among the 18 cities selected by the US from which the venues will be selected if FIFA decide to give them the World Cup when its ruling Executive Committee vote at a meeting in Zurich on December 2.
“The Rose Bowl is the preeminent soccer venue in the country,” said Darryl Dunn, general manager of the Rose Bowl.
“The biggest soccer events in the country’s history have been held at the Rose Bowl.”
A delegation from Los Angeles is due to travel to New York on Monday (September 6) where they will be part of a party to meet the team of FIFA inspectors who will be arriving in the US to evaluate the country’s World Cup bid.
Rose Bowl Operating Committee Board President Victor Gordo claimed that the 92,000-capacity stadium should be given a place among the venues because of its history.
Brazil beat Italy there on penalties to win the World Cup in 1994 before a crowd of 94,194.
“There is no question that the Rose Bowl is the preeminent soccer event in the country,” said Gordo.
“We are the only venue to host the Olympic soccer final [in 1984] , the men’s World Cup final and the women’s World Cup final [in 1999].
“There is no rival to the Rose Bowl.”
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