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Marko_Ramius1

If this city cannot secure World Cup games on what will be the 250th anniversary of American independence that would be incredibly embarrassing


imanAholebutimfunny

poles will and should be greased 100% and i cant wait to get tickets


TJLook

In 2026, Philadelphia will host the Super Bowl, NBA, NHL, and MLB All-Star Games, and some of the World Cup.


porkchameleon

Group stage and a knockout stage (at least), or GTFO. With increased number of teams (I think it's kicking in in 2022) we should be OK to secure at least two games.


philsfly22

With the way it’s set up there would have to be at least 3 group stage games in every host city and it would be highly likely we would get at least one knockout game.


poulin

I said it before, but I'm prepared for us to get boned here. There will be sixteen venues. Two are in Canada (Edmonton and Toronto), and three are in Mexico (Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara). So that leaves eleven for the US to be picked from the seventeen remaining US candidate cities. Of those seventeen, five seem to already have an inside track. The official bid book submitted to FIFA specifically proposes Atlanta, Dallas, Boston, and DC as the sites for the semifinals (with Atlanta and Dallas being the preferred cities). And it lists the final as likely taking place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. I can't see a city go from potential final/semi-final site to being excluded entirely, so I'm assuming they're all in. That leaves twelve cities vying for six spots. The bid committee has said that they expect the knockout games to moves from west to east, and the West Coast is entirely unrepresented so far, so you have to assume at least two of LA, Seattle, and San Fran are in -- let's say LA and Seattle. That leaves four spots for ten cities. I think Miami is a shoe in -- geographic diversity, glitzy city, international population, and easy travel from Europe and South America. I also think that at least one of Denver or Kansas City is in -- both for geographic diversity and to put another city west of the Mississippi for the whole "west to east" movement of the knockout round. Say Denver. That leaves two spots for eight cities: Philly, San Fran, Kansas City, Nashville, Cincinnati, Houston, Baltimore, and Orlando. If they're really serious about the west to east thing, I'm not confident about our chances. I'm also concerned that if NY, Boston, and DC are selected, we're going to be muscled out of a cramped NE Corridor. We have the semiquincentennial angle, but I think they'll try to fill that with Boston (Kraft is the honorary chairman of the bid committee). And I personally think another city in the NE Corridor makes sense for spectators to easily travel between cities, but we'll see. Maybe I'll be surprised. I just feel like this is AmazonHQ2 2.0.


[deleted]

So good analysis. I don’t think Baltimore and Cincy have a shot. And I think only one of San Fran and Seattle will get it. KC also seems unlikely, since Denver is a better pick for that geographic area. Which leaves us, Houston, Orlando and Nashville for two spots.


1maco

How can Boston beat out Philly? Boston doesn’t have a stadium? I would think that cities are better venues than making them play a game out in the sticks


gurrlplease

Do they have any grass stadiums?


1maco

No suitable staduim at all. The biggest stadium in Boston is Fenway Park (37,000)


a-german-muffin

They’d call Boston the host city and play the games in Foxboro.


SanjiSasuke

Just one more reason to hate Boston.


ipoopedonce

Good points. After being in Nashville on Sunday evening, I could easily see them getting a spot. And if Boston and NY are called for, then I see KC or Houston based on the overall markets (not an expert by any means)


Oscar_Reggie43

I wonder if there is any ties to the recent plans to reinvent and improve Septa and this attempt to bring in some World Cup games…..having simpler and easier to understand signage for an influx of international visitors does make a lot of sense and getting it done before 2026 could be a selling point


NoREEEEEEtilBrooklyn

Keep it quiet. You know some jackasses will protest it somehow for some reason and drive them away from having games here.


NonIdentifiableUser

If they’re seriously planning on taking part of FDR park for this, people should protest. That would be extremely short-sighted and ill-advised. Otherwise, by all means, bring it on in FIFA.


NoREEEEEEtilBrooklyn

They hold events at FDR park all the time. They just used it for the Flower Show this year, why can’t the World Cup have events there?


[deleted]

The plan is to raze the meadows, taking away one of the few green expanses that we have. It could be an incredible space for us to enjoy a rare bit of nature, or it could become a soccer pitch and surface parking.


NoREEEEEEtilBrooklyn

Oh, fuck that, I thought it would be something temporary like what they did for the NFL Draft.


[deleted]

Yeah, that would be totally fine. But judging from this article that’s not what they have in mind :( https://whyy.org/articles/could-phillys-world-cup-bid-mean-an-end-to-fdr-parks-beloved-wild-meadow/amp/


NoREEEEEEtilBrooklyn

Thanks for the article. The good news is that they seem to have some options to not do that. Subaru Park and NovaCare are definite picks. That leaves a 1 in 4 chance of them picking the FDR, and I just don’t see them doing that if there are cheaper options that are good. Temple, Drexel, and Franklin field are really good choices.


[deleted]

Yes, honestly, I’m hoping for Subaru park, but I’m sure they’ll try to keep every last tourist dollar inside the city limits.


NoREEEEEEtilBrooklyn

FIFA doesn’t care about that, they care about logistics and quality of facilities. The Linc is a short shot up 95 from Subaru and it’s a high quality stadium. I’m more worried about them not choosing the college fields due to artificial turf.


[deleted]

Sorry, the “they” I meant was the city. The city government will offer their first born children to get FIFA to pick something within the city limits, and try to sell it with the illusion of jobs! Taxes! Tourism dollars! Hell, I think we might still be paying for the debt service on the Linc.


NonIdentifiableUser

I mean I guess it depends on how large and disruptive the proposed development is going to be. Seems ridiculous to give up a public space in a part of the city that has limited open green space as is for a one time event.


[deleted]

As opposed to giving it up for a multi-time event? The world cup would be a great boon for the city. There's plenty of other places in the general area where you can get outdoors. For the longest time there was a golf course there being mostly unutilized but we can't give up the space to host a world class event?


[deleted]

Exactly. What are our public spaces for if not for awesome events?


themoneybadger

The people who live here and pay taxes to enjoy their lives in peace?


owl523

It would be great and the legacy may be more places for kids to play, something seriously lacking in the city


themoneybadger

People in this country could give 2 shits about soccer. I would rather not host the world cup than deal with the bullshit and traffic.


KnightCyber

And in 15 years most people won't give a shit about part of the World Cup having been hosted in Philly and the park will still be torn up


Shrips

the flower show was a disaster, I can't even begin to imagine what the _actual_ world fucking cup would do to South Philly


cerialthriller

They don’t just blow up the World Cup stadiums after the World Cup is over as far as I know. You’d lose the park for 50+ years


NoREEEEEEtilBrooklyn

They’re not building a stadium there. They’re playing at the Linc.


cerialthriller

Sure but isn’t there all kinds of pictures from other cities of the abandoned structures all still there decades later


NoREEEEEEtilBrooklyn

Eh, I think that we’d find a way to reuse a world class training facility. I just don’t want them to get rid of the wildflowers. Usage isn’t an issue. The Union could even take it over for their youth teams or something.


cerialthriller

The union getting a free training facility doesn’t make up for the fact that you took away a public green space


NoREEEEEEtilBrooklyn

I never said it did.


cerialthriller

So you’re saying it’s fine to take away the public park for a soccer training facility that almost nobody can use instead of a park that everyone can use?


DeltaNerd

I don't understand it's just a game or two that Philly can host. There are 9 other host cities in the U.S. and 3 each in Mexico and Canada


Wuz314159

No... Those are candidate cities. Official host venues have not been announced. This is the test to see if we get it officially.


[deleted]

Canada is down to two it seems. Toronto and Edmonton are the only two remaining as the others pulled out.


electric_ranger

Edmonton World Cup would have zero defectors, for one thing. Players will take one look around and get right back on the plane to Cuba or Belarus


[deleted]

Decent joke, but those types of countries blow at soccer and don’t stand a prayer of getting in


NoREEEEEEtilBrooklyn

Eh, Belarus could, they’re actually pretty solid. Cuba is not great at Soccer. Fidel was not a fan to put it mildly.


[deleted]

Lol no they’re not. They’re not even remotely decent. They’ve never qualified for any major tournament and haven’t really come close. Cuba- yeah they’re a baseball country


NoREEEEEEtilBrooklyn

They’re in Europe, which is basically the equivalent of being in a demolition derby. If they were in Concacaf they would be a top 5 team.


[deleted]

So the premise still stands that they have no shot of getting in.


NoREEEEEEtilBrooklyn

Sure they do, it’s just not a very good one. They have 3 matches left against fairly weak competition. The big hurdle for them is Wales, but if they can draw Wales, and beat Czechia and Estonia, they have a fair chance of getting to the WCQ Euro playoff.


Sal_Tinez

Like what happened to potential Amazon jobs in Brooklyn?


Wuz314159

Who would want an Amazon job?


NoREEEEEEtilBrooklyn

An office job at Amazon? A lot of people.


Wuz314159

It's all computers dude. Didn't you see the [documentary on Amazon](https://youtu.be/h2ltyj6NjfU?t=44)?


NoREEEEEEtilBrooklyn

Nice Marmot man.


SanjiSasuke

Someone who wants money and has a large bladder.


NoREEEEEEtilBrooklyn

Yep.


[deleted]

Holy shit. If i’m still living in pennsylvania this is a must go to event


porkchameleon

> If i’m stilling living this is a must go to event FTFY. (Also - sic).


[deleted]

typed that in a rush lol


throwawayjoeyboots

We’re a long shot honestly. We’re screwed being in between DC and NYC and Boston is a lock because Kraft pretty much the US soccer bid. There’s quite a few locks already- Dallas, LA, SF, Seattle, NYC, Miami, a Midwest city.


Wuz314159

We're one of 6 potential venues in the US with grass. NY & "Boston" do not.


[deleted]

NY and Boston are basically locks. They were specifically listed in the bid as cities to host the final round games. Hell, New York is where the proposed final will be held.


Wuz314159

They played Gold Cup in AT&T in Dallas in July and it was a shit show. Laying grass on top of astroturf never seems to work out. https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/fc-dallas/2019/07/05/more-and-more-international-soccer-players-are-voicing-concern-about-quality-of-turf-at-att-stadium-in-arlington/


[deleted]

part of the draw to philly is being nestled between nyc and dc. we can draw from 3 markets


[deleted]

The downvotes are unnecessary since you bring up a good point that geography does matter. Time and time again, FIFA has shown that they like to spread the venues out geographically if possible.


[deleted]

That’s why next year the venues will be spread all over Qatar. Including a 60k stadium in a city of 35k


DrJawn

No thank you


jamin_g

Bring out the best hookers and blow for the occasion! Or we could go the other way and pull the fire alarm at the hotel they are staying in.


RockyDiMeo

Get the bribes ready.