JOHANNESBURG – The United States’ shock Confederations Cup semi-final win over Spain has sparked enormous interest from Americans in next year’s World Cup, FIFA revealed yesterday.
‘There is huge demand for World Cup tickets, already 93 000 have been sold and the response since last night’s victory has been incredible,’ the 2010 Local Organising Committee’s media officer Jermaine Craig told journalists at a Fifa briefing at Ellis Park.
‘There’s phenomenal excitement from the United States,’ he added.
Fifa head of media Nicolas Maingot believes Wednesday’s stunning 2-0 win over the European champions at Bloemfontein could have far reaching implications for the sport in the United States.
‘This result can have an impact on the development of soccer in the United States. Soccer is developing there for years and years and a result like this can only help,’ said Maingot.
World football’s governing body Fifa are hopeful that US President Barack Obama will attend the World Cup opening ceremony and first match.
The opening ceremony will be at the new 100 000-seat Soccer City stadium on the outskirts of Soweto. The match is likely to feature either hosts South Africa or defending world champions Italy.
– Nampa-AFP
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