[jdl22]

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the usa will likely win a world cup in the next 50 years. they actually do pour a lot of resources in the game. also, it is the 2nd highest played sport for american youth behind basketball. there is a ton of money poured into olympic and world cup development squads. this has been going strong since about 1990 and look at how much the usa has improved in world competition.

so, really, you both are right and wrong. doug is wrong bc the usa DOES pour cash into soccer but it is not even close to a power.....yet.

rick is wrong bc if the usa continues to improve it will certainly compete and, with all the luck involved in soccer, will likely take a cup. also, america has the advantage since it will host a few cups and more than any other nation in the upcoming competitions.

edit: i should note that rick is correct in that usa will NEVER dominate soccer. they may win a cup but they will never be considered the best or the favorites.

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If we're talking about the next fifty years there is no way the US will host 3 of them. We're much more likely to host none. The next two are spoken four. For the ten after that I think all these countries are more likely to host before the US than after:
- China
- England
- Spain
- Italy
- Argentina
- Brasil
- some other African country
- Sweden or Norway

I would say there are a few other countries like Turkey or Greece that could eventually table a solid bid that could rival the US. Although Blatter said he doesn't want to do joint bids anymore I could see The Netherlands and Belgium joining as they did for Euro 2000. Also, the 1938 cup could well be in Uruguay who hosted first, but I'm not sure they have the stadia.

So I would put it at about even odds that the US will host 1 world cup in the next 12, hosting 2 is extremely unlikely and 3 is pretty much not going to happen.