World Cup Capsules: Mighty Herculez knows his odds are long
MEXICO CITY — Herculez Gomez grew up in Las Vegas, so he understands the odds are against him wearing the U.S. jersey when the Americans open the World Cup against England on June 12.
But he may be worth a bet. The Vegas kid is on a roll.
Gomez scored two more goals Sunday for Puebla in a 4-1 victory over Cruz Azul. He has 10 to tie for the league lead and is threatening to become the first American to finish as the Mexican first division’s top scorer.
He had eight goals in a 10-game stretch earlier in the season, mostly as a substitute coming off the bench.
"I know I’m the longest shot there’s ever been in the U.S., but I’ll take it. That’s all I can do," said Gomez, who has played only twice for the U.S. national team for a total of 67 minutes three years ago. "I know about odds, and I know the odds are stacked against me."
U.S. coach Bob Bradley is thin at forward. Two of his top three are sidelined — Charlie Davies (injuries from an October car crash) and Brian Ching (hamstring). Only Jozy Altidore seems certain to play, which makes it difficult to write off a striker such as Gomez who is scoring — and one named for the greatest hero of Greek mythology.
"A lot has to do with luck and timing," Gomez said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I’m going to do everything I can in my power to be ready if called upon."
It was Gomez’s father who named his son Herculez and spelled it with a "z" to match the "z" on Gomez.
"All the nurses thought he was crazy," Gomez said. "He just wanted to give my name a little ring."
His season hasn’t been a myth.
Gomez is tied for the scoring lead with Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez of Chivas Guadalajara, who is expected to move next season to Manchester United on a $9.1 million transfer, and Peruvian Johan Fano of Atlante.
Hernandez has finished his club season and is training with Mexico’s national team. Gomez’s club season might also be over.
Although he scored twice Sunday, Gomez also was given two yellow cards, which should rule him out of the regular-season finale Sunday at Toluca. Puebla is appealing the second yellow card, which Gomez got for simulation — or diving.
"I’m not holding my breath. You know how these things go," Gomez said. "But I think the league would like to see a race for the goal-scoring title."
The 28-year-old entered for the U.S. national team as a second-half substitute against Argentina and started in the game against Colombia at the 2007 Copa America. But he fell off the radar afterward playing with the Galaxy, Colorado and Kansas City. In Major League Soccer he was used mostly at outside midfield, where defense can count more than offense.
Since joining Puebla in January from Kansas City, he’s been playing up front, logging 758 minutes — mostly as a substitute — for coach Jose Luis Sola.
"I think the style of play suits me a little bit better here," said Gomez, who has had surgery twice in the last three years on his right knee. "To be quite honest, it’s been a while since I’ve played up top as a forward. That could be the reason. I know where I’m dangerous and where I can help a team out. I think my most dangerous place to be is in front of the goal."
Gomez, who was born in Los Angeles and moved to Las Vegas as a child, acknowledges his inconsistency hurt him in MLS and probably kept him from getting more chances with the national team. He and Landon Donovan led the Galaxy to the 2005 MLS Cup title. But that was as good as it got.
He scored 12 league goals that season with the Galaxy — one coming in the playoffs. In three more seasons in the MLS he scored only 11 league goals, all in the regular season.
"I started off showing a lot of promise, but I fell a little short of what people were expecting and so it was frustrating," Gomez said. "But I’ll be quite honest. I learned a tremendous amount playing in the MLS and I owe a lot to the MLS. I’m the player I am today because of the league."
Bradley must submit a 30-man preliminary roster to FIFA by May 11 and the 23-man final roster by June 1. U.S. Soccer Federation officials will say only they are aware of Gomez. Also vying for a look at striker is the Galaxy’s Edson Buddle, who has played only once for the U.S. national team and has scored all seven Los Angeles goals during a 4-0 start.
Asked for a comment, Bradley offered hardly anything.
"As a staff we are constantly monitoring and evaluating the fitness and form of U.S. players both here and abroad," the taciturn coach said.
In an interview last week, Donovan said that only about 15 spots on the U.S. roster likely were filled and suggested giving a wide look. He said the roster was less certain than it was ahead of the 2002 and 2006 World Cups.
"At this point, you would have to think everything is an option," Donovan said. "Clearly I’m not the coach and I don’t make these decisions, but I always err on the side of caution. And what I mean by that is you take the players that are one, playing, and who are playing the best at the time. And I always think that’s the best formula. Now, not everyone sees it that way, but that’s my personal opinion."
Gomez said he was grateful for the support.
"He is a great player," Gomez said. "For somebody like him to say that, it definitely gives you encouragement."
Gomez knows he will have to prove himself to Bradley, just as he’s had to win over skeptical fans in Mexico where he seen as the unproven "Gringo."
"I work hard every day to show the fans they didn’t make a mistake in bringing an American in here," Gomez said.
The U.S. opens a training camp on May 15 on the East Coast of the United States and has exhibitions against the Czech Republic on May 25 (East Hartford, Conn.) and against Turkey on May 29 (Philadelphia) before leaving for South Africa.
Gomez has become a minor celebrity in Puebla, located 70 miles east of Mexico City. His parents, Manuel and Juanita, attended Sunday’s game on one of their few trips back to their native Mexico. His girlfriend Kristiane Thompson also has been to Puebla to absorb the excitement.
He spoke glowingly of Bradley and said there would be "no hard feelings" if he isn’t picked.
"I have all the faith in the world in Bob," he said. "I think he’s a great coach. What I’m going through right now is something I am going to be telling my kids about when I’m older. It’s been such a great ride. It’s going to something for the rest of my life that will be hard to top."
Of course, pulling on the U.S. jersey in South Africa at the world’s most-watched sporting event would be even better.
"It felt amazing wearing it coming in against Argentina. That was incredible," Gomez said. "I can’t really describe what it would feel like to wear it in the World Cup, on the world’s biggest stage. For a soccer player, that’s the maximum goal."
ESPN bets on World Cup spurring U.S. soccer boom
NEW YORK — If U.S. soccer has developed over the years, American TV coverage of the World Cup has advanced even more.
At the 2002 tournament in Japan and South Korea, ABC and ESPN didn’t even bother to televise six of the 64 games live because of the 13-hour time difference. Four years ago in Germany, 20 matches were announced from U.S. studios in a cost-cutting move.
It’ll be different this time around in South Africa.
The Walt Disney Co. networks are sending 200 people from the U.S. and Europe to join 100 local hires — slightly more than the 292 staffers the BBC plans to send. "SportsCenter" will be broadcast live from Johannesburg on a set shipped in, and 250 hours of original programming — that’s more than 10 days of TV — are being produced.
"We’ve sort of pulled out all stops to make sure people pay attention this year, because we’re convinced when they pay attention, they’re going to fall in love with this," said John Skipper, ESPN’s executive vice president of content and acknowledged soccer supporter.
"This is important to our company around the world. We have the rights in Brazil. We have the rights in much of Asia. This matters to us on our ‘SportsCenters’ around the world. This is a global effort for our company. Within the United States, the amount of shoulder programming, promotional commitment we have to this is beyond any event we’ve done in the past."
Following criticism that Dave O’Brien, its lead announcer in 2006, lacked a depth of soccer knowledge, ESPN hired Sky Sports’ Martin Tyler, considered one of England’s top commentators, as its lead announcer starting with the U.S.-Australia exhibition on June 5. He’ll combine with Ian Darke, Adrian Healey and Derek Rae to give ESPN British play-by-play broadcasters for every match.
J.P. Dellacamera, the regular play-by-play man on U.S. national team telecasts, will be on ESPN Radio with Tommy Smyth.
"We spent a great deal of time listening to announcers and discussing the various attributes that each had and ultimately these were the people that we felt were best-equipped to present this event to the United States regardless of whatever accent they might have," said Jed Drake, an ESPN senior vice president who is executive producer of its World Cup coverage.
ESPN also is bringing in a large number of former players to cover the matches, with Ruud Gullit, Efan Ekoku, John Harkes, Alexi Lalas, Steve McManaman, Robbie Mustoe and Shaun Bartlett providing analysis along with Wigan manager Roberto Martinez. Former players Kyle Martino and Shep Messing will be part of the radio teams, and ESPN is placing correspondents with the national teams of the U.S., England, Mexico, Australia and South Africa.
Former American woman’s star Julie Foudy is among three general assignment reporters, and Sal Masekela, a son of South African jazz musician Hugh Masekela, will file culture and human interest stories.
Unlike most sporting events, the World Cup is on multiple networks in the U.S. While ABC/ESPN acquired rights to the 2010 and 2014 tournaments for $100 million, Univision Communications purchased Spanish-language U.S. rights for the two World Cups for $325 million. For 2002 and 2006, ESPN repurchased rights from Soccer United Marketing, a Major League Soccer affiliate that had bought them from FIFA.
Like ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2, Univision will broadcast in high definition on its main network, TeleFutura and Galavision, a total of 900 hours of coverage in all. Univision will be televising on Univision.com and Univision Movil, and next-day replays will be available on Univision On Demand.
In addition to its Hispanic audience, Univision expects to attract English-speaking viewers to its networks.
"Every World Cup we have been very fortunate to have very good reviews and been critically acclaimed for our coverage even by non-Hispanics," said Alina Falcon, Univision’s president of news. "It’s a phenomenon every World Cup that we do get non-Hispanics that do watch our coverage because they feel that it’s much more exciting the way we present the games and narrate the games."
Meanwhile, ESPN hopes its coverage, with burgeoning technology, will be omnipresent. Fifty-four games will be available on the Internet on ESPN3 (formerly ESPN360), with the exceptions being the ABC games blacked out because of affiliate issues. Matches will also be on ESPN Mobile. Both are important distribution complements because many games start on weekdays during work hours.
To help promote the World Cup and soccer in general, ESPN has vastly expanded the sport’s presence on its networks. It televised the 2008 European Championship — drawing 3.76 million viewers for the first U.S. network telecast of the final — added 48 live English Premier League matches to ESPN2 that it bought from Fox Soccer Channel, and purchased some rights to Spain’s La Liga from GolTV, coverage mostly on ESPN Deportes.
Although it did lose the European Champions League to FSC, it appears to be on the verge of gaining rights to the 2012 European Championship and it is expanding Premier League coverage to about 85 matches next season. In addition, it retains its MLS package.
World Cup ads started airing months in advance. ESPN thinks the tournament will dominate a time period when soccer overlaps the U.S. Open golf tournament, the NBA and NHL playoffs, and Wimbledon.
"It’s clear that there’s been a significant upgrade in the attention we pay to the world’s sport," Skipper said.
While Univision has the Spanish-language rights, ESPN found a loophole and will televise games on ESPN Deportes — in Portuguese. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, there were only 565,000 Portuguese-speaking people in the U.S. population.
"We certainly feel that there’s a limited audience out there for interest in Portuguese," Falcon said.
ESPN heads to South Africa finding that FIFA has loosened up. It used to be that ESPN was hugely dependent on the world feed, allowed only to add a single camera for World Cup games involving the U.S. national team. Now, Drake says ESPN is free to produce World Cup telecasts pretty much in the same manner it televises American sports leagues.
Ad sales have been strong, with FIFA partners Adidas, Anheuser-Busch, Hyundai and Sony buying time along with AT&T, Cisco, EA Sports, Heineken, M&M Mars and the U.S. Marines.
Anheuser-Busch and M&M Mars also bought time on Univision, joined by Allstate, Best Buy, Castrol, Coca-Cola, Comcast, Corona/Mondelo, Fujifilm, General Motors, Marriott, McDonalds, Miller, Nationwide, Nike, Paramount Pictures, State Farm, T-Mobile, Time Warner Cable, Unilever, Valvoline, Verizon, Volkswagen and Wal-Mart.
"Many of them are treating this like the big event that it is, and launching new creative and really activating brand in a very big way across all of our platforms," said David Lawenda, Univision’s president of advertising sales.
That’s a big change from the first U.S. World Cup telecast, when NBC rebroadcast the BBC’s coverage of England’s win over Germany in the 1966 final. As recently as 1978, the tournament wasn’t on U.S. TV at all, with closed circuit transmissions the preferred method.
ABC televised the 1982 final, and ESPN, PBS and the Spanish network SIN combined to broadcast the other games. Four years later, at the tournament in Mexico, only 22 matches were shown on U.S. English-language television — 15 on ESPN and seven on NBC.
Now, ESPN2 will go all soccer for 24 hours leading up to the opener. Even the pre-World Cup concert will be televised live on ESPN on June 10, with an edited version replayed on ABC the following night.
Drake said Skipper has pushed for all the resources.
"It’s really in some measure a reflection of his belief that this sport will become a major sport in this country, and I’m totally with him in that," he said.
-- Ronald Blum
Wasserman joins U.S. World Cup bid committee
NEW YORK — Casey Wasserman, whose Wasserman Media Group represents Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen, Andriy Shevchenko and Landon Donovan, has been added to the U.S. bid committee trying to win the right to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022.
WMG also negotiated the naming rights deal for Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium in London.
England, Netherlands-Belgium, Russia, Spain-Portugal, Australia and Japan also are bidding to host both World Cups. Qatar and South Korea are bidding for 2022 only.
FIFA’s executive committee will vote on Dec. 2.
Other U.S. board members include former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, boxer Oscar De La Hoya, comedian Drew Carey and director Spike Lee.
International news
Spain looks for World Cup breakthrough
MADRID — Spain heads to the World Cup coming off its first major title since 1964, confident its success will spur a long-awaited breakthrough on soccer’s biggest stage.
While injuries to Fernando Torres, Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas have created uncertainly in a team still basking in its 2008 European Championship victory, Spain is considered a 4-1 favorite to win the World Cup for the first time.
Yes, Spain, not Brazil, Italy, Germany or any of the seven nations that have won World Cup titles.
"There is a lot of pressure — particularly on our players in terms of their club football before the World Cup — but there is a lot of optimism in Spain," Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said. "It’s a nice moment for Spanish football.
"Let’s see if we can harness our Euro momentum and use it at the World Cup, even though we know it gets harder and harder to win because we’ll be up against more difficult rivals."
Spain is built around a Barcelona team that won a record six club trophies in 2009, so expectations are higher than ever.
"They have some absolutely fantastic players and there’s no doubt they play some lovely football. To my mind, Spain are the best team in the world today," said Argentina forward Lionel Messi, who plays for Barcelona. "No one looks as secure as them. They have so much confidence right now and that’s essential for any team going into a major tournament."
Confidence comes from having Torres, Iniesta, David Villa, Xavi Hernandez and goalkeeper Iker Casillas in the starting lineup. It doesn’t hurt that Spain received what appears to be a relatively easy draw, picked with Switzerland, Chile and Honduras in Group H.
"South Africa 2010 is our big chance, and we don’t want to waste it," Torres said. "Whoever we face in the round of 16 will be fearsome, whether we finish first or second."
Torres will miss the rest of Liverpool’s season following knee surgery last weekend, although he says he should be back for Spain’s exhibitions Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Poland ahead of its World Cup against Switzerland on June 16.
Iniesta has been hampered by muscle injuries. Fabregas fractured his leg while playing for Arsenal against Barcelona in the European Champions League on April 6 and also will be fighting to regain fitness.
Spain has lost just one game since a 1-0 exhibition defeat to Romania in November 2006 — a 2-0 setback against the United States at last year’s Confederations Cup. That ended an international record 15-game winning streak and a run of 35 unbeaten games that tied the mark Brazil set from December 1993 to January 1996.
"That defeat did us good by helping us realize that the road to the World Cup wasn’t going to be easy, but that we had to stay on track," Torres said. "And what better way to do that than winning 10 games in a row in qualifying. We’ve now recovered any confidence that we may have lost that day against the United States."
With Villa also up front, Spain’s attack is among the most feared in Europe. Villa is closing in on Raul Gonzalez’s record total of 44 goals for Spain. Villa has 35 goals in 53 international appearances, while Raul — who may be transferring to Major League Soccer in the next year or so, played 102 matches for Spain.
Xavi, Iniesta and Xabi Alonso anchor Spain’s midfield, while Marcos Senna’s unsteady form at Villarreal has left question marks over whether Del Bosque will pick the 33-year-old naturalized Brazilian, a key member of the Euro 2008 run.
Jesus Navas could replace oft-injured Santi Cazorla, although the Sevilla winger’s anxiety problems could result in his sublime mix of pace and skill being left at home. Victor Valdes should also be included after another impressive season, although Del Bosque will have to manage the Barcelona goalkeeper’s inclusion delicately since it could relegate backup Pepe Reina — a key locker room member — to third-choice.
Spain’s weakest link might be its back four.
Center back Gerard Pique is one of the best in the world at his position, but Spain’s defense can be shaky even with Carles Puyol and Sergio Ramos in the lineup. Left back Joan Capdevila also has had a poor season at Villarreal, with Real Madrid pair Alvaro Arbeloa and Raul Albiol inconsistent and several other options inexperienced.
But even if it all comes together for Spain, Del Bosque isn’t looking ahead.
"We can’t start thinking about a Brazil final because it will be very difficult and it would show a lack of humility," he said. "Every rival is going to make things difficult for us."
-- Paul Logothetis
AIDS activists use WCup to spread their message
JOHANNESBURG — For health workers, South Africa’s World Cup isn’t just about soccer. It’s the right time for action against the deadly scourge of AIDS.
As this soccer-mad nation celebrates the African debut of the sport’s biggest tournament, activists plan to take advantage of the spotlight to try and stop the spread of the virus — both now and in the future.
"We know when people are partying, sex happens," said Miriam Mhazo, whose independent Society for Family Health provides AIDS virus testing and counseling across South Africa.
A nation of about 50 million, South Africa has an estimated 5.7 million people infected with HIV, more than any other country. After years of official denial and delay, the government last year embarked on an anti-AIDS drive, vowing to halve new infections and ensure that 80 percent of those who need them have access to AIDS drugs by 2011.
By the time the monthlong World Cup ends on July 11, fans will have had scores of chances to be tested at mobile units parked in stadium car parks, help themselves from baskets of free condoms, and hear their soccer heroes talk about safe sex.
Right to Care, one of the nation’s largest private providers of AIDS treatment, counseling and testing, seized on an item that no South African soccer fan would be without: the plastic horns known as vuvuzelas.
The group’s vuvuzelas are bright red with a message in white to "make noise for HIV!" — a plea to break the silence and stigma surrounding AIDS. The blaring horn is perfect for the task.
Right to Care is selling its vuvuzelas for 20 rand (about $3), using the proceeds to fund AIDS treatment for the poor. The group’s mobile testing units will be at stadiums and other places fans gather.
Soccer stars also have been pulled in. David Beckham, after meeting HIV-positive pregnant women and new mothers at a Cape Town clinic in his capacity as UNICEF goodwill ambassador, said one of the counselors told him more men need to support their partners to get treatment and care.
"I hope that I can do my bit to help promote this message ... and that men out there hear this and do their bit," the trend-setting Beckham said.
UNICEF is just one of the U.N. agencies using the World Cup as a platform. For the tournament, the U.N. will debut a song performed by stars across Africa that will touch on a range of goals, including fighting AIDS, hunger and poverty. Kiyo Akasaka, the U.N. communications chief, said he hoped to hear soccer fans singing along before World Cup matches.
"We’d like to have a song like ‘We Are the World,"’ Akasaka said on a visit to South Africa. "The World Cup is a great opportunity. The people of the world will look at the people of Africa, of South Africa, through the global media. Whatever message is coming out of South Africa will be distributed so widely."
Mhazo said South Africans are "very celebrity conscious."
"You use celebrities to talk about important issues, and people stop and listen," Mhazo said.
Nike is working with Bono, who persuaded a range of major retailers to sell T-shirts and shoes and donate proceeds to AIDS and other global health projects. Nike’s contribution to the (RED) project, launched months before the World Cup, are red shoe laces.
"I think you’ll see those laces on the pitch," Charlie Denson, president of Nike, said in an interview in a Johannesburg Nike shop where the trendy decor included a clear plastic pot of condoms from which customers can help themselves.
FIFA is weighing in with Football for Hope centers, where young people will be drawn in by playing fields and after-school activities, and then be given sex education and AIDS prevention messages.
The South African government will distribute free condoms, some donated by Britain, at hotels where World Cup fans were expected to stay.
AIDS isn’t the only cause on the World Cup health agenda. Campaigners against malaria, which kills 1 million people a year, have persuaded FIFA to include in halftime entertainment at the stadiums a video message about using bed nets and donating to buy nets and malaria medication for impoverished Africans.
It’s not a competition among diseases, said Christina Vilupti-Barrineau, manager of the United Against Malaria campaign that brings together international aid, development and health organizations. Vilupti-Barrineau said that the overall goal is to strengthen health systems in Africa to better cope with malaria, AIDS and other crises.
And Herve Verhoosel, spokesman for the U.N. Roll Back Malaria agency, said football was key to the effort.
"FIFA has more members than the United Nations," Verhoosel said of the governing body’s 208 soccer associations, compared to the U.N.’s 192. "That shows you the power of FIFA, and the power of football."
-- Donna Bryson
New terminal at Joburg airport opens ahead of WCup
JOHANNESBURG — South Africa president Jacob Zuma opened a new terminal at O.R. Tambo airport Tuesday, calling it further proof that the country is ready to host the World Cup.
The Central Building Terminal cost $295 million, and Zuma said all transportation plans are on track 50 days before the tournament starts June 11.
"You can see that when we say we are ready for the tournament, it is not just rhetoric," Zuma said after a brief tour of the new building at Johannesburg’s international airport. "The infrastructure that has been created will be a lasting legacy for this country."
South Africa had hopes that 450,000 visitors would jet into the country with their foreign currency to enjoy the World Cup and the upgraded airports, new roads and stadiums, and the $202 million Gautrain light rail system that is still under construction.
Those figures, based on a 2003 study by local World Cup organizers, now appear optimistic. Some experts suggest the final figure could be under 300,000.
Regardless, Airports Company South Africa chief executive Monhla Hlahla said the investment was necessary to move South Africa forward after the World Cup.
"The infrastructure investments we are making, while they will accommodate the World Cup, it is infrastructure required for the economic development of South Africa," she said.
Zuma used his 20-minute address at the new terminal building to defend South Africa’s World Cup preparations. He said the tournament would have an economic impact of about $2 billion, of which about $270 million would find its way to low-income households.
"The fruits of the infrastructure development will be worth the wait," Zuma said.
Zuma leads a country that has a widening gap between rich and poor, and some have questioned how hosting the World Cup will benefit the average citizen.
Worries over fan safety also has plagued South African organizers since winning the World Cup bid in 2004. Zuma said both genuine and "alarmist" concerns had been raised, and that $175 million had been put aside for security measures.
"We took these into consideration years ago when we started our planning," he said.
As the country prepared for Wednesday’s 50-day countdown to the start of the tournament, chief local organizer Danny Jordaan said he was pleased with the progress.
"We’ve ticked off stadiums, we’ve ticked off base camps, we’ve now ticked off airports, and this is a big tick," Jordaan said. "We’ve ticked off training venues, even grass and tickets, and so the state of readiness is in a good shape."
-- Gerald Imray
Ronaldinho says he’ll play in World Cup
ROME — Ronaldinho thinks he can persuade coach Dunga to include him on Brazil’s World Cup roster. The AC Milan star played in the last two World Cups but hasn’t appeared for Brazil since a World Cup qualifier against Peru in April 2009.
In an article to be published on Wednesday in the weekly publication "Chi," Ronaldinho predicts he will be a member of the team and says Brazil will win its sixth World Cup title.
"I will go to the World Cup, and I will win it," Ronaldinho was quoted as saying. "Recently, I have had problems with the national team, but it hasn’t been my fault. I can’t imagine a World Cup without Ronaldinho on the field.
"It seems impossible to me when I think of not playing," he added. "I feel bad, really bad. Therefore, I can safely say I will make my country proud in the World Cup and, above all — with my teammates — I’ll win it."
Despite Ronaldinho’s good form with AC Milan, most observers doubt Dunga will select Ronaldinho, the 2004 and 2005 FIFA player of the year. Brazil was knocked out by France in the 2006 World Cup quarterfinals despite a lineup with many of the world’s top players.
"It’s not about big names anymore," Dunga has said repeatedly.
Dutch government backs World Cup bid with Belgium
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The Dutch government says it supports the country’s bid with Belgium to co-host the 2018 or 2022 soccer World Cup. Sports Minister Ab Klink said in a letter to Parliament Tuesday he is prepared to help foot the bill for the event.
Klink says he is "looking forward to organizing the World Cup in the Netherlands and Belgium."
The government has agreed to fund preparations in five cities earmarked to host matches — Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Eindhoven, Enschede and Heerenveen. FIFA is voting Dec. 2 on who will host the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.
England, Japan, Russia, the United States, Spain-Portugal and Australia are also bidding to host the tournament in 2018 or 2022. Indonesia, Qatar and South Korea are in the 2022 race.
