On the Pitch
On the Pitch
26 USMNT Moments, Past to Present: The Bid That Changed Everything
The United States wins the bid for the 1994 FIFA World Cup on Independence Day
This is 26 USMNT Moments: Past to Present, a U.S. Soccer content series that covers 26 defining moments in U.S. Men's National Team history. From inspired victories to stunning goals, and the stars and hidden heroes who made them possible, each chapter reminds us that our dreams on the pitch are worth chasing. Together, they’ve built toward the biggest moment yet: the 2026 World Cup on home soil.
It’s fair to say that you can draw a direct line to the USA hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup from a highly successful 1994 tournament.
The skeptics abounded prior to the historic 1994 FIFA World Cup, but as a first-time host, the United States delivered.
That World Cup, featuring 24 teams, drew 3.5 million people, a record that – 36 years later – will finally be broken by this summer’s 48-team event.
That success was very much in doubt when representatives from the three potential World Cup host countries met in Zurich, Switzerland, in July 1988 to make their last pitches to FIFA. Joining the United States were delegations from Morocco and another from Brazil.
The U.S. and Morocco had never hosted the World Cup. Morocco argued the U.S. didn’t need to host it because it already had so many other sporting events. Brazil last hosted in 1950 but of course is one of the blue bloods of international soccer and would eventually host in 2014.
The final vote was pushed by FIFA from March 3 to July 4, obviously an important day in U.S. history.
The groups gathered at the Movenpick Hotel.
FIFA officials at 1994 World Cup Bid
The U.S. surely had issues to overcome.
First and foremost, it had no legitimate Division I professional league. Because of that, FIFA officials had doubts if the fans would come to the very large stadiums that were put forth to host.
Because the USA had no built-in soccer infrastructure, FIFA also had doubts about the broadcast logistics of the tournament.
Additionally, FIFA wasn’t sure if grass could successfully be laid on top of the artificial turf surfaces used by two of the nine U.S. potential host stadium sites.
The U.S. delegation, led by United States Soccer Federation Werner Fricker, spent $1.4 million on its bid, which included a 381-page document outlining every detail about the potential and logistics of a World Cup tournament on U.S. shores.
The document was especially thorough as the U.S previously bid to host the 1986 World Cup. That effort was rushed. Mexico was selected.
1986 USA World Cup Bid Rejection Newspaper
In 1987, U.S. President Ronald Reagan wrote a letter for FIFA President Dr. Joao Havelange assuring government support for another World Cup bid and the following year -- on July 4, 1988 -- the U.S. bid delegation arrived in Zurich for its final presentation to FIFA, led by Senior vice president Harry Cavan. Havelange was Brazilian and therefore did not participate in the final briefings or vote.
The final pitches started at 10 a.m. in the hotel’s Regulus Room. Each group was limited to 30 minutes.
Brazil won a blind draw and went first.
Morocco went second. It started at 10:40 a.m.
The U.S. started at 11:25 a.m. Its delegation included World Cup USA 1994 director Paul Stiehl, former U.S. Soccer President Gene Edwards, World Cup USA 1994 counsel Scott LeTellier and Rey Post of Eddie Mahe Jr. and Associates. Members of the group spoke for 20 minutes.
There was also a two-minute video from Reagan, who said, in part that, “The United States of America would welcome the opportunity to serve as the host country for the 1994 World Cup soccer tournament. First-class stadiums, hotel, transportation, communications, and other necessary physical facilities already exist within the United States to stage the tournament in a manner befitting its rich history and tradition.”
"We were all very satisfied,” Stiehl said. “I think we were able to optimistically read some of the faces."
USA delegation at 1994 World Cup Bid
FIFA’s executive committee told the delegation heads their decision at 1:05 p.m.
Fricker walked back to his delegation’s meeting room. He reportedly showed no emotion until the door closed. He then raised a thumb.
Cavan told the world at 1:21 p.m. The U.S. had received 10 votes. Morocco received seven and Brazil two.
"I think obviously it will have a tremendous development exercise on United States football," Cavan said. "I noticed this morning, if I am allowed to repeat something, I noticed the delegation of the United States used the word football. I was quite happy about that because I have for years been trying to get them to do it."
Well, that word didn’t quite stick in the USA, but the potential of the tournament for the growth of soccer in the USA and worldwide was too hard to ignore.
USA delegation celebrates winning 1994 World Cup bid
Part of the U.S. bid included a promise by the Federation that it would launch a professional first-division men’s soccer league.
The league, which ended up being Major League Soccer, played its first season in 1996. The launch was fueled by the passion for the sport shown during the 1994 World Cup. Some of the teams featured players from the USMNT’s World Cup squad, including Alexi Lalas, John Harkes, Cobi Jones, Tab Ramos and Eric Wynalda, who were important founders of the new league.
"When they said we had it, I knew our sport was reborn," said Jim Trecker, press officer for World Cup USA 1994, "and I knew our country was in for a treat beyond anyone's wildest dreams.”
And this summer, everyone will be treated to another remarkable soccer experience that will be like no other in the history of the United States and the world.
Doug Roberson is the owner and reporter for Soccer with Doug, a website focused on professional soccer in Atlanta. Doug has covered the sport in the city for the past 17 years. He also has the Soccer with Doug podcast.
