United States can cope with 64-team World Cup – head of tournament task force

By Jamie Gardner, Press Association Chief Sports Reporter, Miami

The United States can handle a 64-team World Cup and could consider bidding again for the finals in 2038, according to the head of the current tournament’s American task force.

The US is co-hosting the current finals with Canada and Mexico, and with Europe, Africa and South America involved in hosting 2030 and Saudi Arabia taking it to Asia in 2034, the door could be open for a fresh North American finals in 12 years’ time.

Andrew Giuliani, the executive director for the White House Task Force on the World Cup, said it was too soon to make a definitive decision on bidding again, but believes the US has all the attributes to do the job again in the near future.

He told the Press Association: “This is what I’ve spoken about with President Trump, with so many of our cabinet secretaries, I think there’s no better country that’s positioned to host a World Cup than the United States, and I think we’re seeing that on social media.

“I think we’re seeing that with all the fans that may be interacting with the US for the first time, or the first time in a long time, that the US truly is extremely welcoming, that we have such an incredible infrastructure.

“We have the stadiums built, so for the US, compared to other host nations, where it costs tens and tens of billions of dollars, you know, it cost us a couple billion.

“When you think that this World Cup may at some point expand out to 64 teams, I think the United States can handle it.

“Look, let me make sure we get through this World Cup on July 19th before we make our pitch for 2038 or other ones, but there’d be nothing more gratifying as somebody who went to a couple World Cup matches as an eight-year-old in 1994 to be able to see this come back to the United States again, you know, in the coming decades.”

Concerns were expressed by human rights groups pre-tournament about the impact of the Trump administration’s immigration policies on domestic and visiting fans, but the mood around the host cities has generally been one of positivity so far.

Giuliani said he was delighted with how the first weeks of the tournament had progressed, adding: “It’s so wonderful to see the world’s love affair with the United States of America over our 250th birthday. It’s been very gratifying.”

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed the intention is for President Donald Trump to attend the final in New Jersey on July 19. He has not attended any matches to date, but Giuliani did not rule out him putting in an appearance before the last game.

“One thing I’ll tell you about my boss, and the 47th president – I’ve known him for, geez, close to 30 years now at this point – he likes a cliffhanger,” Giuliani said.

“He likes to keep you on the edge of your seat. So, all I would just tell people is, tune in, and we’ll see some surprises, I’m sure.”