by Mark Silva
At this moment, we are told, President Barack Obama is lobbying the head of FIFA to schedule a World Cup soccer tournament in the United States.
And at this moment, we are told, FIFA president Joseph Blatter is lobbying Obama to attend next year's World Cup in South Africa.
"We'll use the opportunity of the meeting to advocate for the United States to host the World Cup in either 2018, or 2022," Josh Earnest, deputy White House press secretary, told Bloomberg News about the 2 pm EDT meeting in the Oval Office.
The international tournament is held every four years. Brazil will host the 2014 World Cup. Blatter expects a "big fight" over the chance to host the next championship.
At last month's G-8 summit in L'Aquila, Italy, Obama said it was his "goal" to travel to South Africa next June to attend the 2010 World Cup. While many of the White House's senior staff are urging the president to make that trip - wonder why? -- White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said that no final decision had been made.
If Obama is serious about securing the World Cup in 2018 -- as serious as he is about securing the summer Olympic Games for Chicago in 2016 -- perhaps the president can offer a venue as well that might give Brazil a run for its money in fan fervor:
In light of recent events: The site of the old Boston Garden.
Comments
After eight years of the BushCo thugs, it sure is nice to have the adults (Obama, Clinton etc) back in charge of things.
Posted by: former Republican | July 27, 2009 3:06 PM
We haven't hosted the Olympics yet and we're already on the World Cup? That was fast, and funny. I could have sworn that so far the only thing that the US has actually booked is a snail marathon. We all know which one-- and that ain't getting much traction.
Posted by: sueme | July 27, 2009 3:39 PM