U.S. Soccer unveils six venues for 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup

12.06.03 - U.S. Soccer Federation unveiled six stadiums that will stage the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup in the United States later this year.

The six venues include four Major League Soccer stadiums and one from the Women's United Soccer Association: Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio; Home Depot Center in Carson, California; Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Washington, D.C.’s RFK Stadium; Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts; PGE Park in Portland, Oregon.

Specific information regarding the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup schedule and the number of matches in each city, will be announced in the near future. Ticketing details will also be announced shortly.

The announcement will be made once the proposed calendar of games is ratified by FIFA, however, the tournament dates are likely to be slated from 20 September – 12 October and the state-of-the-art Home Depot Center in Carson, California, just south of Los Angeles, will play host to the championship game.

So far 13 teams (of 16) have qualified for the 2003 FIFA Women World Cup.

Joining the defending champion and host will be automatic qualifier China, who was scheduled to stage the 2003 event, but FIFA relocated the tournament to the USA due to the SARS outbreak.

The remaining berths are as follows: CAF – Ghana, Nigeria; CONCACAF – Canada; CONMEBOL – Argentina, Brazil; OFC – Australia; UEFA – France, Germany, Norway, Russia, Sweden.

Two more teams will qualify out of the Asian Women’s championship that is currently taking place in Thailand from 10-22 June.

The final world cup berth will be determined in a home-and-home playoff between the third-place finisher from Asia and Mexico, who captured the bronze medal at the Women's Gold Cup, which doubled as the CONCACAF World Cup qualifier last year.

A look at the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup venues

Columbus Crew Stadium

Location: Columbus, Ohio

Capacity: 22,555

Field Surface: Natural Grass

Field Size: 75 yards x 115 yards

Tenant: Columbus Crew (Major League Soccer)

Inaugurated: 15 May 1999

Gillette Stadium

Location: Foxboro, Massachusetts

Capacity: 68,000

Field Surface: Natural Grass

Field Size: 75 yards x 115 yards

Tenants: New England Revolution (Major League Soccer), New England Patriots (National Football League)

Inaugurated: 11 May 2002

Home Depot Center

Location: Carson, California

Capacity: 27,500

Field Surface: Natural Grass

Field Size: 75 yards x 120 yards

Tenant: Los Angeles Galaxy (Major League Soccer)

Inaugurated: 7 June 2003

Lincoln Financial Field

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Capacity: 70,000

Field Surface: Natural Grass

Field Size: TBD

Tenant: Philadelphia Eagles (National Football League)

Inaugurated: August 2003

PGE Park

Location: Portland, Oregon

Capacity: 28,359 (With temporary bleachers added)

Field Surface: Artificial (Natural Grass to be added)

Field Size: 70 yards x 112 yards

Tenants: Portland Timbers (A-League/D2), Pacific Coast League Portland Beavers (AAA Baseball), Portland State University

Inaugurated: 1926

Renovated: 2001

RFK Stadium

Location: Washington, D.C.

Capacity: 53,000

Field Surface: Natural Grass

Field Size: 72 yards x 110 yards

Tenants: D.C. United (Major League Soccer), Washington Freedom (Women’s United Soccer Association)

Inaugurated: 1961


Source: Footballconfederation.com

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