The U.S. Soccer has announced that it’s considering six venues for the three possible home matches in the semifinal stage of 2010 World Cup qualifying. Four of the six venues belong to Major League Soccer clubs: Toyota Park, home of the Chicago Fire, Crew Stadium, home of the Columbus Crew, Pizza Hut Park, home of FC Dallas, and Dick’s Sporting Goods Stadium, home of the Colorado Rapids. The other two stadiums under consideration are RFK Stadium, a multipurpose venue and current home of D.C. United and Qwest Field, the future home of MLS’ Seattle franchise.
If all goes according to plan (that is, if the favorites manage to beat their lowly opponents and qualify for the first group stage), then the U.S. would be grouped with Cuba, Trinidad & Tobago and Guatemala, with home matches T&T on Sept. 10, Cuba on Oct. 11, and Guatemala on Nov. 19. To qualify for the group stage, the U.S. would have to beat either Barbados or Dominica at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. on June 15th. The top two teams from the corresponding group stage qualify for the six-nation finals. CONCACAF automatically sends three teams to South Africa 2010, with the fourth-place team from the finals advancing to a playoff against the No. 5 nation from South America.