Now that the 2011 Canada Winter Games are over, looks like we can look forward to hosting the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. Thought we should make a new thread so discussion doesn't get lost in the the Stadium thread.
Halifax one step closer to hosting 2015 Women's World Cup
Zimbabwe withdraws bid, leaving Canada as only candidate
By The Canadian Press
Tue, Mar 1 - 10:14 AM
ZURICH, Switzerland — Zimbabwe withdrew its bid to host the Women's World Cup in 2015 leaving Canada as the only candidate, FIFA said on Tuesday.
Canada's bid must be evaluated and approved by the FIFA executive meeting when it meets on Wednesday and Thursday. Halifax has been cited as a host city.
Canadian sports minister Gary Lunn met with FIFA President Sepp Blatter on Monday to promote his country's bid.
``We support Canada's bid for Women's World Cup in 2015,'' Lunn said in a statement on FIFA's website. ``The Canadian Soccer Association has put in considerable work and has the total support of the government.''
If successful, Canada also would stage the Women's Under-20 World Cup in 2014 as a test event.
Canada previously hosted the men's U20 World Cup in 2007. Its women's team also has qualified for the 16-team 2011 World Cup kicking off on June 26 in Germany.
Zimbabwe officials acknowledged last month that their infrastructure was ``the barest minimum'' to stage the tournament, but hoped FIFA would show the same faith it had in South Africa to organize a successful men's World Cup last year.
FIFA's ruling executive panel will decide the hosts of five other age-group tournaments this week.
Ghana and United Arab Emirates are competing to host the men's U17 World Cup in 2013.
The UAE also has bid for the U20 event in 2013, against Turkey and Uzbekistan.
Turkey and Uzbekistan also seek hosting rights for the women's U17s in 2014 with Costa Rica and Ghana.
Wales is bidding for both tournaments in 2015: Against Chile for the U17 finals, and against New Zealand for the U20s.
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Front/9020019.html
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