The World Cup will not be coming to Denver in 2022.
FIFA chose Qatar to host the event in 2022 during a news conference Thursday in Zurich. The Middle Eastern country won over bids from the U.S., Japan, South Korea and Australia. Denver was one of 18 U.S. cities that could have hosted matches had America captured the World Cup Tournament.
“It’s a huge disappointment,” said former United States Soccer Federation president Bob Contiguglia, who now resides in Denver. “We put a lot of work into it. The Federation put in $10 million. We have people exhausted from traveling all over the world. It’s a setback, and we go on.
“It’s not the end of the world, but it’s a disappointment.”
Also Thursday, FIFA awarded the 2018 World Cup to Russia. Contiguglia initially took that as a positive sign for the U.S. bid, but ultimately, 1994 will remain the only time the World Cup has been played on American soil.
“I thought Russia getting it to me looked like it might have broken up some of the alliances, but obviously not,” Contiguglia said.
He anticipated the U.S. would bid to host the World Cup in 2026.
“I’m sure we will,” Contiguglia said. “We were looking at (the 2022 bid) as a second tipping point after the ’94 World Cup. But our sport is so strong in this country and our progress has been so great that it would have been the icing on the cake.”
Denver’s inclusion in the U.S. bid would have been the latest in a line of hosting major sporting events. The city hosted the 1990 Final Four, the 2008 Frozen Four, and is preparing to host the 2012 women’s Final Four. It also was awarded the 1976 Winter Olympics, but turned them down after voters rejected a bond to finance the games.
“We have to take the opportunity to put Denver forth on a global stage,” said KieAnn Brownell, president of the Metro Denver Sports Commission. “I think the most important thing on these bids is that we’re winning from the process, not just from hosting.”
Brownell confirmed that Denver would try to be included in any future U.S. bid for the World Cup.
“We’d certainly like to compete and be a part of that if they want to bid again,” she said.
Ryan Casey: 303-954-1983 or rcasey@denverpost.com
World Cup sites
Future
2022: Qatar
2018: Russia
2014: Brazil
Past
2010: South Africa
2006: Germany
2002: Japan, S. Korea
1998: France
1994: United States
1990: Italy
1986: Mexico
1982: Spain
1978: Argentina
1974: West Germany
1970: Mexico
1966: England
1962: Chile
1958: Sweden
1954: Switzerland
1950: Brazil
1938: France
1934: Italy
1930: Uruguay
