CSA To Bid For FIFA Womens World Cup 2007

Edmonton, Alberta – The Canadian Soccer Association today announced it will prepare a formal bid to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2007. CSA President Andy Sharpe made the announcement at a media conference in Edmonton where Canada will play the United States in the final of the FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship, Sunday. During the conference, FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter commented on the tremendous success of the tournament and Canada’s ability to host a future FIFA event.
“What has happened in this country has been incredible,” said President Blatter. “The response of the public to this tournament has been extraordinary. In order to stage a successful tournament you need to have a quality organization and you need to have skill on the field. Canada has done a wonderful job on both sides and they have raised the bar for any other country to try to match.”
The tournament has been deemed an unqualified success with teams playing in front of record crowds in Victoria, Vancouver and in Edmonton with close to 200,000 spectators expected to attend the games. Tomorrow’s final (2:00 p.m. MT, live on Rogers Sportsnet) is a sellout (58,000) after organizers sold the last available ticket early Saturday morning.
The success of the tournament prompted the CSA Board of Directors to meet and immediately endorse a bid for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2007. An official letter of intent was delivered by President Sharpe to President Blatter, Saturday.
“With Canada playing in front of huge crowds and advancing to the final, this tournament has garnered unprecedented media coverage and exposure. It has been a great two weeks for the sport of soccer in Canada and enthusiasm for women’s soccer has swept the country,” said Sharpe. “We can think of no better way to keep this momentum going and we look forward to working with our sporting and governmental partners across Canada, in winning this bid and bringing the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2007 to Canada.”
President Sharpe also outlined the events the CSA will host in coming months and those which will be pursued in the coming years. Canada will host one of two groups in the 2002 Women’s Gold Cup with games in Victoria beginning October 27. Victoria will also be the site of the CONCACAF Under-17 Qualifying Tournament March 26-30, 2003. In addition to these tournaments, the CSA will present a bid to host a venue for the 2005 Men’s Gold Cup. There are no plans to bid for a FIFA World Youth Championship at this time.
The CSA also still intends to look at the possibility of hosting a future Men’s World Cup after 2010 and will continue to lay the groundwork for a potential bid in 2008.
The media conference was attended by President Blatter, President Sharpe, FIFA Vice President and Acting Tournament Chair Jack Warner, the Honourable Paul Devillers, Secretary of State (Sport), Government of Canada and the Honourable Anne McLellan, Minister of Health, Government of Canada and Tournament Honourary Chair.