At a downtown press conference Monday, it was announced that the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team would play a third round qualifying match for the 2018 World Cup in St. Louis at Busch Stadium. “We don’t really care who it is in St. Louis – it’s the USA that we’ll be cheering for that day”, says St. Louis Cardinals’ Vicki Bryant.
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In addition to No. 64 Trinidad and Tobago, the group will include 105th-ranked Guatemala or No. 107 Antigua and Barbuda, and 135th-ranked Aruba or No. 115 St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The U.S. has not played an global match in St. Louis since a June 1997 game against Paraguay in suburban Fenton, Mo. It will be the first World Cup qualifier played in the St. Louis area since the USA’s 0-0 tie with El Salvador in 1989, which was also played at Busch Conference & Sports Center.
United States Soccer Federation Secretary General Dan Flynn speaks…
“We know the support will be incredible”.
The Americans play at Aruba or St. Vincent on September 2, then close the fourth round at home against Trinidad on September 6.
St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay says this establishes St. Louis as a world soccer venue.
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The US women’s national team visited Busch Stadium for a pre-Women’s World Cup friendly vs. New Zealand on April 4, a 4-0 win that drew a crowd of 35,817, their largest-ever gate for a USWNT home friendly. “We’re extremely excited to be the host for this match and are wanting ahead to displaying that we have now…” The match will be played November 13, 2015 against the victor of the Third Round Qualifying match between St. Vincent & The Grenadines and Aruba. The layout was smaller the recommended field size because the stadium configuration couldn’t be changed with the baseball season beginning.
