World Cup Bid Puts U.S. Soccer in Focus

Now that the United States has the World Cup in 1994, what does it mean for American soccer in 1988, 1989 . . . even beyond ‘94?

“The eyes of the world will be on us, it’s that simple,” says Paul Stiehl, director of World Cup USA ’94. “We will be the focal point for soccer and that brings instant respect to the sport here and for American soccer abroad. Any potential future failures will be highlighted and so would any progress.

“It’s a self-perpetuating thing from the time we got the bid. People will be talking about soccer in America, and wanting to get involved. We have lots of hard work coming up to get ready.”

Some of that work will be focused on developing professional soccer in this country. Not since the North American Soccer League folded in 1985 has there been a nationwide outdoor league with any clout. Indoor soccer might be headed toward extinction, too, with the Major Indoor Soccer League in dire financial straits.

“A professional league would greatly help the World Cup and soccer in the U.S.,” Stiehl says. “Where can a player go to when he finishes college? He has to turn to the indoor game or to club teams or try to go overseas, where he is overmatched.”

Just as U.S. teams always have been overmatched.

“From a player viewpoint, getting the Cup is essential to the development of world-class teams,” Stiehl says. “The U.S. team gets significant exposure at the national level and is a popular opponent for overseas teams. They all will want to come here to play exhibitions and to see where the Cup games will be held and to work out. They’ll all want to play the U.S. team and that is something we’ve lacked for so long.

“That kind of competition will make for a significant improvement in the quality of American soccer. We have the size, speed and talent but it is very immature and unrefined. My feeling is you improve more rapidly playing against the best competition than against equal competition.”

Some U.S. soccer officials hope that securing the World Cup will lift soccer into the mainstream of sporting life.

“The World Cup could bring an increase in the number of players and that also might, by virtue of more public awareness, lead to more adults in the sport,” says Larry Austin, the USSF’s national youth administrator. “The number of kids playing will continue to increase, with or without the World Cup.”

Austin estimates that five million U.S. youngsters play soccer in some organized league. The growth has been steady since 1973.

“In the late 1970s and early 80s, our membership skyrocketed,” he says. “It grew by more than 100,000 kids a year. In the past year, it was up 75,000, which is not as much as in those boom years but certainly not peanuts.”

The key for American soccer is to have the resources and the programs for young players to move up. Austin’s group operates recreational and all-star programs through state soccer associations, plus the Youth Challenge Cup tournament to determine under-16 and under-19 national champions.

“We also have regional tournaments for those ages and under-14 and under-12,” he says. “And there is the Olympic development program to identify the best players for training, first at the state and then at the regional level. This leads to the U.S. national youth teams.”

Those teams have fared well in recent international competitions.

Not insignificantly, the World Cup will attract major corporations as sponsors of U.S. soccer.

“From a funding viewpoint, for the USSF the visibility of hosting the most prestigous and popular sports event in the world will attract corporate sponsors,” Stiehl explains. “We must have those sponsors to develop the programs we need to keep pace with the growth of the sport, top to bottom.

“The funding has to start where it will do the most good, by funding programs that have a payoff in eight to 10 years. It may be difficult for some corporations to understand at first, but the future for the U.S. is the kid of today. If those young players and their teams get the support and financial backing needed, they are the ones who will eventually win the World Cup for us.

“It won’t happen in ’94 -- we’re not asking for any miracles, and for the United States to do anything in that World Cup would be a miracle -- but the entire youth movement will prosper from us having the World Cup tournament.”

The USSF already has enlisted some heavy hitters from the corporate world, with millions of dollars invested in American soccer.

“We told them, ‘We don’t want you for 52 games for the Cup itself. We want you for six years, for the buildup and to be involved in the development of the game as well as the World Cup tournament,’ ” Stiehl says. “I think once they’ve experienced being involved in it, they won’t ever want to leave.

“We specifically want them in particular programs. We don’t have the financial resources to run all of them on a par with what the soccer powers do, unless we get corporate support.

“I’d love to have twice as many sponsors as we had for the bid.”