Editing 1994 FIFA World Cup (section)

===Bidding process===
Three nations bid to host the event: United States,&nbsp;Brazil, and&nbsp;Morocco.<ref name="FIFA Voting" /> The vote was held in Zurich on July 4, 1988 ([[Independence Day (United States)|Independence Day]] in the United States), and only took one round with the United States bid receiving a little over half of the votes by the [[FIFA Executive Committee]] members.<ref name="FIFA Voting">{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/fifafacts/mencompwc/51/97/81/fs-201_13a_fwc-bidding.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120722021820/http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/fifafacts/mencompwc/51/97/81/fs-201%5f13a%5ffwc-bidding.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 22, 2012 |title=FIFA World Cup host announcement decision |website=FIFA.com |publisher=[[FIFA|Fédération Internationale de Football Association]] |page=2 |access-date=January 30, 2013}}</ref> FIFA hoped that by staging the world's most prestigious tournament there, it would [[Soccer in the United States|lead to a growth of interest in the sport]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jul/04/usa-world-cup-94-inside-story |title=How USA was chosen to host World Cup 94: the inside story of a historic day |first=Michael |last=Lewis |author-link=Michael Lewis |date=July 4, 2015 |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=October 8, 2020 }}</ref>

An inspection committee also found that the proposed Brazilian stadiums were deficient, while the Moroccan bid relied on the construction of nine new stadiums. Conversely, all the proposed stadiums in the United States were already built and fully functioning; U.S. Soccer spent $500&nbsp;million preparing and organizing the tournament, far less than the billions other countries previously had spent and subsequently would spend on preparing for this tournament.<ref>{{Cite news |title=History's made, now work begins: U.S. soccer savoring '94 World Cup bid |last=Czuczka |first=Tony |date=July 5, 1988 |work=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]] |agency=Associated Press |page=D2}}</ref> The U.S. bid was seen as the favorite and was prepared in response to losing the right to be the replacement host for the [[1986 FIFA World Cup|1986 tournament]] following Colombia's withdrawal.<ref>{{Cite news |title=U.S. Soccer officials expect to land 1994 World Cup |last=Cress |first=Doug |date=March 13, 1988 |work=[[The Seattle Times]] |page=D12}}</ref>

One condition FIFA imposed was the creation of a professional soccer league – [[Major League Soccer]] was founded in 1993 and began operating in 1996.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/posteverything/wp/2018/07/04/does-the-united-states-really-deserve-to-host-another-world-cup/ |title=Does the United States really deserve to host another World Cup? |first=Michael J. |last=Agovino |newspaper=Washington Post |date=July 4, 2018 |access-date=October 8, 2020 }}</ref> There was some initial controversy<ref name="auto">{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1988/07/05/us-to-host-1994-soccer-world-cup/4289e86b-3288-4308-9ad5-f0b57dbc9089/ |title=U.S. to host 1994 Soccer World Cup |first=Robert J. |last=McCartney |date=July 5, 1988 |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=October 8, 2020 }}</ref> about awarding the World Cup to a country where soccer was not a nationally popular sport, and at the time, in 1988,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-world-cup-usa-94-americas-passing-interest-1423009.html|title=Football / World Cup USA '94: America's passing interest|date=June 15, 1994|website=The Independent}}</ref> the U.S. no longer had a professional league; the [[North American Soccer League (1968–1984)|North American Soccer League]], established in 1967, had folded in 1984 after attendance faded.<ref name="auto"/> The success of the [[1984 Summer Olympics]] in Los Angeles, particularly the [[Football at the 1984 Summer Olympics|soccer tournament]] that drew 1.4&nbsp;million spectators throughout the event, also contributed to FIFA's decision.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/05/sports/us-awarded-94-world-cup-tourney-in-soccer.html |title=U.S. Awarded '94 World Cup Tourney in Soccer |date=July 5, 1988 |newspaper=New York Times |first=Michael |last=Janofsky |access-date=October 8, 2020 }}</ref>

The United States had previously bid to host the [[1986 FIFA World Cup]], after Colombia withdrew as the host nation in November 1982 because of economic concerns. Despite a presentation led by former [[North American Soccer League (1968–1984)|North American Soccer League]] players [[Pelé]] and [[Franz Beckenbauer]], as well as former [[United States Secretary of State]] [[Henry Kissinger]], the executive committee selected Mexico.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1988/07/10/how-the-us-won-the-world-cup/04eff69a-2e1b-470a-bda6-37573ef66cf9/ |title=How the U.S. won the World Cup |newspaper=Washington Post |first=Steve |last=Berkowitz |date=July 10, 1988 |access-date=October 8, 2020}}</ref> There were proposals by [[FIFA]] to introduce larger goals and breaks after every quarter instead of just at halftime in order to appease U.S. television advertisers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/2006/12/10/sports-broadcasting-televisions-tech_cx_pm_games06_1212soccer.html|title=This Game Is Brought To You By ...|first=Paul|last=Maidment|website=Forbes}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1990/07/16/new-offside-rule-is-designed-to-spruce-up-game/593a171e-0e07-47db-a642-35f76fdc7da4/|title=New Offside Rule Is Designed to Spruce Up Game|date=July 16, 1990|newspaper=Washington Post}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-02-26-sp-1120-story.html|title=The president of soccer's governing body wants...|date=February 26, 1990|website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> These proposals were met with resistance,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-10-09-sp-2337-story.html|title=European Soccer Chief Opposes Rule Changes : World Cup: International federation has been debating reforms in advance of 1994 competition in U.S.|date=October 9, 1990|website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> and ultimately rejected.