title: Women's World Cup: Coming to America?
author: Senior Editor Scott French
league: sow
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Everybody except those whose opinions truly matter has decided the fourth Women's World Cup will be played in the United States.
Odds are everybody is right. We'll know for certain sometime next week or the week after that, when FIFA's executive committee decides which country will replace China as host.
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There appears to be five candidates, but the only one that makes any sense is the United States. None of the other proposed hosts can offer the sort of media coverage, fan excitement, big crowds and international buzz that a tournament here can provide.
Women's soccer needs all of that, and as much pizzazz as can be mustered. The wildly successful '99 World Cup opened the world's eyes to the game, and another chance to publicize it could ensure continued growth in support and participation around the globe.
That's what FIFA's looking for, and it also wants to support the WUSA, the only fully professional women's league in the world. The WUSA is struggling financially, and the World Cup — with, likely, more than 50 WUSA players competing — could provide the league a significant boost.
The irony in this is that the U.S. bid is being prodded by Major League Soccer, the men's pro league, which has had a rather ambivalent relationship with the WUSA. A U.S.-hosted tournament would be run by MLS personnel, take place in MLS facilities and be beamed around the world through the auspices of a company owned by MLS's chief . . . [more]