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   1999 FIFA WOMEN'S WORLD CUP ANNOUNCES VENUES; OPENING        GAME AT GIANTS STADIUM, FINAL AT ROSE BOWL

CHICAGO (Wednesday, November 19, 1997) - The 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Organizing Committee announced its venues and allocation of games today at a press conference at The Supper Club in New York City. Seven communities were awarded games of the third Women's World Cup, with the Opening Game at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. and the Final Game at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles, also site of the 1984 Olympic Soccer Final and the 1994 World Cup Final.

Women's World Cup also announced that the U.S. Women's National Team would play in the Opening Game doubleheader; and provided the U.S. team advances to the semifinal round of the tournament, it would appear at six of the seven venues. The USA will also play first-round matches in Chicago and Boston. If the USA reaches the quarterfinal stage, the Americans would play in Washington, D.C. If the U.S. team advances to the semifinal, they would play at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto, and in the Third Place/Final Game doubleheader at the Rose Bowl. While Portland is the only venue that does not have the possibility of hosting a U.S. game during the World Cup, a "send-off" match before the World Cup is planned for Spring '99 at Civic Stadium.

All first-round matches and quarterfinal games will be played in double-header formats. The Final Game will also be played as a double-header with the Third-Place Game, while the two semifinals will be stand-alone matches. Following are the venues and the allocation of games:

Venue

Stadium

Games

Total Games

Boston, Mass.

Foxboro Stadium

2 First-Round Doubleheaders 1 Semifinal

4 1

Chicago, Ill.

Soldier Field

2 First-Round Doubleheaders

4

Los Angeles, Calif.

Rose Bowl

Final and Third Place Games

2

New York/New Jersey

Giants Stadium

2 First-Round Doubleheaders (Opening Game & Ceremonies)

4

Portland, Ore.

Civic Stadium

3 First-Round Doubleheaders

6

San Francisco Bay Area (San Jose)

Spartan Stadium Stanford Stadium

1 First-Round Doubleheader 1 Quarterfinal Doubleheader 1 Semifiinal

2 2 1

Washington, D.C.

Jack Kent Cooke Stadium

2 First-Round Doubleheaders 1 Quarterfinal Doubleheader

4 2

Civic Stadium and Giants Stadium currently feature artificial turf surfaces, but both will be converted to natural grass for Women's World Cup games. Some of the stadiums may be downsized with draping, banners and other decorative elements to create more intimate environments.

The 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup will feature 16 teams, up from 12 nations that participated in the 1991 Women's World Cup in China, won by the USA, and 1995 Women's World Cup in Sweden, won by Norway. As host, the United States gains an automatic berth, with the remaining 15 spots contested through qualifying around the world. European qualifying is currently underway with the remaining confederations - Africa, Asia, North and Central America and the Caribbean, South America and Oceania soon to follow suit. The 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Final Draw will be held in December of 1998 at a site yet to be determined.

Tickets are tentatively scheduled to go on sale in March of 1998 to the U.S. Soccer family and later in the Spring and Summer to the public. The 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Organizing Committee has set up a toll free phone number -- 1-888-4-WWC-INFO - for event information. Fans who call will be added to a priority list so they may purchase Women's World Cup tickets prior to general public sales.

Following is a summary of the eight 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Stadiums:

Foxboro Stadium
Boston, Mass.
Games: 5
Capacity: 58,868
Downsized: 22,385
Field Size: 71 x 116 yds.

Soldier Field
Chicago, Ill.
Games: 4
Capacity: 65,080
Downsized: 24,000
Field Size: 68 x 110 yds.

Rose Bowl
Los Angeles, Calif.
Games: 2
Capacity: 98,000
Downsized: N/A
Field Size: 72 x 116 yds.

Giants Stadium
New York/New Jersey
Games: 4
Capacity: 77,716
Downsized: 25,576
Field Size: 68 x 116 yds.

Civic Stadium
Portland, Ore.
Games: 6
Capacity: 27,396
Downsized: N/A
Field Size: 70 x 110 yds.

Spartan Stadium
San Francisco Bay (San Jose)
Games: 4
Capacity: 30,011
Downsized: N/A
Field Size: 70 x 110 yds. (Widened)

Stanford Stadium
San Francisco Bay
Games: 1
Capacity: 85,429
Downsized: N/A
Field Size: 75 x 120 yds.

Jack Kent Cooke Stadium
Washington, D.C.
Games: 6
Capacity: 80,593
Downsized: 28,167
Field Size: 70 x 110 yds.

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