BLOG: Could upcoming World Cups say ‘sweet home Chicago’?

By Mike Buda

2010 World Cup, I am over you and you are dead to me.

We are eight and even 12 years away from the 2018 and 2022 World Cups and I couldn’t be more excited and depressed at the same time.

FIFA officials are using their time this week to inspect the U.S. to see if they are up for the challenge of hosting the month long spectacle. It’s not like there was a cup here in ‘94, but I digress.

There is one major rule that factors into the final decision and that is the order of hosts by continent.

Leading up to 2018, the order since the U.S. hosted in ‘94 has been France (Europe) in ‘98, Japan/Korea (Asia) in ‘02, Germany (Europe…again) in ‘06, South Africa (Africa) in ‘10 and Brazil (South America) in ‘14 and that leaves one continent: North America (Oceania doesn’t count).

The other bids include Belgium/Netherlands, England, Russia, Portugal & Spain, Australia, Japan, Qatar and South Korea. By cancelling out the European nations and the countries who have hosted within that time frame, this leaves us with Australia and Qatar. The realm from down under has a legitimate shot at being one of the two final picks, but Qatar should probably go back to pearl-snatching before proposing a bid without any stadiums.

With those competitors out of the way and North America being worthy of hosting, it leaves three countries. Canada didn’t even bother putting together an application and Mexico has dropped out of the running.

The US is the clear victor.

Besides the great news of America rightfully deserving one of the two bids, the one single fact that tears me apart at night and gives me nightmares is that this so-called bid does not include the great city of Chicago. Chicago, the city that hosted numerous matches during that ‘94 cup. Chicago, one of the most amazing cities in the world.

And who gets to see a game instead? The bid includes Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle, Tampa, and Washington DC with Los Angeles, Seattle and Washington, D.C having multiple stadiums.

How can cities like Kansas City and Tampa get bids when they lack the ability to sell tickets to their own home teams?

If it weren’t for the Blackhawks, the city of Chicago would be in flames right about now after the devastation of the 2016 Olympic bid and now this blasphemy.

But there is one man, and one man only to take your hatred out on Chicago and that man goes by the name of Bill Clinton. Clinton is the President of the dual bids and he is approver of this sickening list of host cities.

Overthrowing Clinton is a must at this stage to sneak Chi-Town into that bid before FIFA comes to their decision in December.

Let the revolution begin.