U.S. Will Keep Grip on Cup : Soccer: Officials deny reports in Europe that 1994 championships might be moved.

Despite speculation in Europe that the 1994 World Cup might be moved from the United States, the top official of the U.S. Organizing Committee reaffirmed Wednesday that the world’s biggest sporting event will be held in this country as scheduled.

Committee President Scott LeTellier said: “There is no truth to the reports whatsoever. There is no basis in fact. It’s so far-fetched.”

Paul Breitner, a member of the 1974 West German World Cup champion team, wrote in the mass-circulation West German newspaper Bild that he was told by a member of the U.S. Organizing Committee that the decision to step down has already been made.

Breitner’s comments came two days after a news conference in Italy, during which concern was expressed about the extremely low U.S. television ratings for the 1990 World Cup.

LeTellier said the concerns regarding the low television ratings were understandable, but he stressed that FIFA, the international governing body for soccer, wants the World Cup to be held in the United States.

“There are a number of reasons FIFA wants the event here,” he said. “One is because they want to rectify the incredible gap between rights fees awarded to the Olympic Games and the World Cup. Another reason is that they would like to see soccer popularized in a nation that hasn’t taken to it as much as the rest of the world.”

Reuters reported that Breitner wrote, without qualification: “The U.S. will give up the 1994 World Cup this year.” He said the unnamed official told him that soccer is neither well-known nor well-liked in the United States, and organizers would have difficulty finding sponsors for the quadrennial event.

His column ended with the suggestion that West Germany, which won the World Cup by defeating Argentina, 1-0, Sunday in Rome, would be a logical country to take over when the United States backs out.

There was similar speculation earlier this week in the English newspaper, Today, with Rodney Marsh of the Tampa Bay Rowdies claiming that there is doubt the United States will host the ’94 World Cup.

Marsh, who has represented England in international soccer, was quoted as saying: “There must be serious question marks over whether the U.S. can continue to host the event. In any case, to have the greatest sports event in the world not covered on TV in the host country would reduce it to the category of fishing, and that can’t be good for the game.”

There is a precedent for a World Cup host nation to relinquish the event. The 1986 World Cup, which was to have been staged in Colombia, was moved to Mexico when, in 1983, the political situation in the South American country deteriorated to such a degree that it was clear Colombia could not stage the tournament.

For the United States, at least, it is not the first time such speculation has surfaced, and given the intense international interest in holding the World Cup, it is not likely to be the last.

“You learn to be an optimist in this job, I’ll tell you,” LeTellier said.