Confederations Cup teams permitted to boost Gold Cup rosters

July 1, 2009

NEW YORK – Any team playing in both the Confederations Cup and Gold Cup in the same year will be allowed to increase its roster from 23 to 30 players, CONCACAF announced Tuesday. The decision will enable the United States to add seven players to its already announced squad for the tournament that starts Friday.

“In light of the consecutive competitions, the Confederations Cup and the Gold Cup, with the objective of providing the best performance possible for the public, and in recognition that the back-to-back tournaments strain players and their clubs, CONCACAF will give permission to any team who also is participating in the Confederations Cup in the same year to enlarge their roster to 30 from the 23 already permitted,” CONCACAF General Secretary Chuck Blazer said.

“This year, we have the Confederations Cup ending just five days before the start of the Gold Cup. This allowance will be extended to any team in the future that finds itself in the same situation.”

All teams still will be limited to 18 players for any one match.

The United States played two World Cup qualifiers in four days to start June, then traveled to the Confederations Cup in South Africa where it played five more games including the title match against Brazil, losing 3-2 on Sunday in its first FIFA tournament final.

The two-time defending champion USA opens its Gold Cup schedule on Saturday against Grenada in Seattle, the second game of a doubleheader following Honduras vs. Haiti. It was expected to announce its roster additions by Wednesday.

Canada will play Jamaica to open the Gold Cup on Friday at The Home Depot Center in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, with a second game between Costa Rica and El Salvador.

The 23-day event will be staged in a record 13 venues across the United States, concluding with the final at Giants Stadium outside New York City.

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Schwarzenegger joins US World Cup effort

June 3, 2009

NEW YORK (AFP) – California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has joined the bid committee trying to bring the World Cup to the United States in either 2018 or 2022.

“Soccer is the world’s most popular sport and California has been home to some of its most exciting games, and I am proud to be a part of bringing the World Cup back to the United States,” the former Hollywood star and bodybuilder said.

California venues have traditionally been used for major international matches in the United States.

The Rose Bowl in the Los Angeles suburb of Pasadena hosted the 1994 World Cup final and the 1999 Women’s World Cup final.

The 2003 Women’s World Cup final was held at the Home Depot Center in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson.

Six stadiums in California are among 58 venues in the United States under consideration to host World Cup matches in 2018 or 2022: the Rose Bowl, Stanford Stadium, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, Memorial Stadium in Berkeley and Oakland-Alameda County Stadium.

No other state has that many venues in the hunt.

“The millions of fans from around the globe that will travel to the United States to cheer their teams will prove a great benefit for our state, our nation and the world of soccer,” the Austrian-born Schwarzenegger said.

The United States is one of nine countries that have put their hats in the ring to host the World Cup in either 2018 or 2022.

Australia, England, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico and Russia, with joint bids proposed from Netherlands-Belgium and Portugal-Spain.

Qatar and South Korea have applied only as candidates to host the 2022 tournament.

All candidates must have their formal bid applications to FIFA by May 14, 2010. FIFA will award the tournaments in December of 2010.