Saturday, June 21, 2003
The Americans will open at RFK Stadium on Sept. 21.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
RFK Stadium, long considered the unofficial home of U.S. national teams, will host the American women's opener of the World Cup.
The Americans, the defending champions, will play on Sept. 21 in Washington. The tournament actually begins with doubleheaders the previous day in Philadelphia and Columbus.
Those cities will be the sites for the next two U.S. team games: Sept. 25 at the new Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, and Sept. 28 at Crew Stadium in Columbus.
Should the Americans advance by finishing in the top two in Group A, they will play their quarterfinal at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., on Oct. 1. The semifinals are set for PGE Park in Portland, Ore., on Oct. 5.
As previously announced, the final will be at the new Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., on Oct. 12 .
"We will play on real turf in stadiums designed for soccer," Dr. S. Bob Contiguglia, president of U.S. Soccer, said Monday in announcing the tournament schedule.
"We are having sports authorities and mayors and cities across the country trying to get into and be gracious hosts for the Women's World Cup," U.S. coach April Heinrichs added.
Only the U.S. women's opening-round schedule is set because the tournament field has not been completed and the draw has not been held. The World Cup was moved from China because of the SARS virus, and the United States became the host on May 26.
Originally scheduled for Sept. 23-Oct. 11, the 16-team tournament now will run Sept. 20-Oct. 12.
All games will be part of doubleheaders. Starting times and television broadcasts will be announced shortly.
Previous sellouts
Four years ago, the most successful Women's World Cup began in Giants Stadium with a sellout as the Americans defeated Denmark. It concluded with another sellout, 90,125, as the United States beat China in a penalty-kick shoot-out for the title.
None of the 1999 venues will be used this time, although games were played in '99 at the old Foxboro Stadium and at the Portland stadium before it was extensively renovated. Gillette Stadium opened last year on virtually the same site.
"We believe very strongly that although one way to look at this is by numbers in the stadium, the other is what is right for the athletes and right for the spectators," Contigulia said. "Most important is to have an environment where the athletes can perform at the highest level."
Already qualified for the tournament along with the United States are China, Australia, Canada, Norway, Germany, Sweden, Russia, France, Nigeria, Ghana, Brazil and Argentina.