Fans of the World Cup fully support the United States’ bid to host the 2018 event.
“It would be huge,” said Louie Shapiro, 25, an Upper East Side resident. “So much has changed since [1994, when the United States last hosted the World Cup]. It’s become much more popular. Our team has improved over the years.
“I think it’d be really popular. I would be much more into it.”
That’s saying something considering Shapiro has been hitting various bars throughout the city to take in as many games as his schedule allows. Yesterday he was at Loreley, a German bar on Rivington Street, to watch Germany defeat Australia 4-0.
Natasha Wagner, 35, moved to New York from New Zealand eight years ago, and went to Australian pub Eight Mile Creek on Mulberry Street to cheer against the Aussies. Though she’s not a big “footie” fan, Wagner is in favor of the World Cup returning to America.
“I would be excited about having it,” Wagner said. “The expat community is more excited than people from here. The people who come to the games [at bars] have ties to other countries. It would be a good excuse to have their relatives come stay with them. It would be great for tourism.”
Wagner said she also sees some drawbacks to a New York-based World Cup.
“I don’t know how the infrastructure would deal with the World Cup,” Wagner said. “The [subway] system is under attack already. The Super Bowl is one thing. The Super Bowl isn’t the world. I know Americans call everything the World Cup, but this is actually the World Cup.”
Hosting the World Cup would not only boost tourism, but could lead to greater interest in soccer among Americans.
“A lot of people would visit the U.S. for the World Cup,” said Matthias Laubel, 26, visiting from Karlsruhe, Germany. “When we came here I thought nobody would be interested, but I see more people excited about World Cup [than I expected].”
Laubel and Julius Parrisius, 24, also from Karlsruhe, said they felt there should be more public viewing places rather than trying to cram fans into small pubs, which raises a potential issue for the U.S. bid.
Soccer fans are renowned for their devotion to watching matches on large screens in outdoor areas, but “there aren’t that many open spaces” in New York, Laubel said.
With Americans among the most prominent fans in South Africa, the 2018 bid is gaining steam.
Gabrielle Gazzola, from Queens, was at soccer hot spot Nevada Smith’s on Third Avenue yesterday and said she supports the bid. Michale Franklin, from Westchester, gave an enthusiastic, “Sure!”
Thiago Silva, 29, a native New Yorker of Brazilian decent, said, “The U.S. will always be a good venue. [But] in the U.S., it’s about money. In Brazil, it’s your passion. It’s for your country. Between ’94 and now, [soccer] has gotten bigger [in U.S.] because of the influence of foreigners.”
A good showing by the U.S. team this year could add some good will to the bid, but regardless of the team’s result, Shapiro said he thinks the U.S. bid is strong.
“The world knows how successful the World Cup can be here,” Shapiro said. “People you don’t think are supporters come out. It’d be one of the biggest World Cups ever.”
