2007 : 4 villes québécoises candidates !

[Bxl Boy]

The Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) has received 11 letters of intent, from 11 cities across Canada, to bid to host a venue for the 2007 FIFA World Youth Championship. Including Edmonton and Toronto, which have already been pre-determined as the two major venues, a total of 13 cities are interested in hosting the Championships.

A total of six cities will co-host the Youth Championship, including Edmonton and Toronto, as well as four additional cities to be selected on May 4, 2005.

Letters of intent have been received from Calgary, Hamilton, Laval, London, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City, Sherbrooke, Vancouver, Victoria, and Winnipeg.

“I am absolutely delighted with the response we have had to date from cities all across Canada to our call for letters of intent to host the FIFA World U-20 Youth Championships in 2007,” stated Andy Sharpe, President of The Canadian Soccer Association and Chair of the National Organizing Committee. “To have this type of response from all across the country has exceeded our most optimistic projections. We are most encouraged by not only the quality of organizations we are dealing with but also their intent to stage the best ever Youth Championship in FIFA history in Canada in 2007 as well as creating a series of legacies for the sport of soccer to enjoy following the conclusion of this Championship.”

To host the Championship, all sites must present a stadium which has a minimum 10,000 seating capacity combined with an optimal natural grass playing surface or a FIFA Recommended artificial grass playing surface. All sites now will have until April 20, 2005 to submit their actual detailed bid proposal which will include all details regarding stadium, training facilities, hotels, organizing committees as well as all financial provisions.

The next step for the bid applicants is to submit their official bid by April 20, 2005. The National Organizing Committee, consisting of the CSA’s Executive Committee as well as IMG Vice President Kevin Albrecht will then meet on May 2-3 to receive presentations from all bidding cities. CSA will announce the winning four cities on May 4, 2005.


Venues

Calgary: The City of Calgary is interested in hosting a site for the World Youth Championships and is in the process of determining which stadium will be refurbished in order to meet FIFA's stadium requirements. Calgary has hosted several major sporting events including the 1988 Winter Olympics.

Edmonton: Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium is Canada's largest soccer-friendly stadium with a capacity of 60,000 spectators. In 2002, Edmonton and the Commonwealth Stadium hosted the inaugural FIFA Under-19 Women's World Championship. The city drew record crowds as Canada played the United States in front of 48,000 spectators, in the final on September 1, 2002.

Hamilton: Hamilton has hosted several sporting events over the years including the 2003 (and 2006) Bell Canadian Open, the 1986 World Junior Hockey Championships, and international soccer tournaments such as the 1993 World University Games (women's soccer). Hamilton has the support of Tourism Hamilton and McMaster University.

Laval: The Corporation Complexe Multi-Sport de Laval Inc. and Tourism de Laval wish to be selected as a site for the 2007 FIFA World Youth Championship. Laval will have to build a new stadium in order to meet FIFA's requirements for this event.

London: London has submitted a letter of intent with support from the City of London to be handled by the 32 Panel Sports Corporation and the London Gryphons of the W-League. 32 Panel Sports Corporation, the owners of London Gryphons Soccer team, are in the process of constructing a soccer-specific stadium in London to be ready for use in late 2006.

Montreal: This bid is supported by the Montreal Impact of the USL First Division. The organizers hope to create a legacy by building a soccer-specific stadium, stimulating further interest in professional soccer and high-level competition, and taking the opportunity to exhibit excellence in hosting such a major event.

Ottawa: Ottawa’s Frank Clair Stadium, with its artificial FIFA recommended surface (FieldTurf), has a capacity of 28,000 spectators. The letter of intent is supported by the City of Ottawa, Ottawa Tourism, The Eastern Ontario Soccer Association, The Ottawa Fury Soccer Club of the W-League, and the CFL’s Ottawa Renegades Football Club. Ottawa has hosted numerous women’s soccer events including friendlies against Brazil and England in 2003 averaging 18,000 spectators.

Quebec City: Quebec City, in conjunction with the Université Laval and the Association Règionale de Soccer de Québec, submitted a letter of intent. The city plans to host games at the PEPS Stadium located at the Université Laval. The stadium is equipped with an artificial surface, currently holds 10,000 spectators and can be expanded to 14,000 with temporary seating, and has successfully staged Montreal Impact games in the past.

Sherbrooke: The City of Sherbrooke and the Université de Sherbrooke have submitted a letter of intent. In 2004, the University hosted a Montreal Impact game with an attendance of 10,000 spectators and was also host to the World Junior Athletics Championship in 2002. The natural grass stadium located at the Université de Sherbrooke can hold 12,000 spectators.

Toronto: A major factor in FIFA awarding this event to CSA and Canada was the recent decision by the Governments of Canada, and Ontario on May 21, 2004, to financially support the development of the new Toronto stadium with a joint $35 million contribution to this project. The only condition cited in the awarding of this grant was the requirement by FIFA to stage the World Youth Championship in Canada in 2007. The 25,000 seat stadium on the York University campus will be built, and will serve as a world-class venue for Canadian soccer for decades to come. Toronto will be the main site headquarters for the Championship and will host the most number of matches (minimum of eleven, including the official Championship opening ceremonies and opening game featuring the Canadian National Youth team).

Vancouver/Burnaby: Vancouver has been a popular city for hosting international events including the 2002 FIFA Under-19 Women's World Championship and most recently, two 2006 FIFA Men's World Cup qualifying matches in 2004. Vancouver is the home of the Whitecaps FC of the USL First Division and W-League. Stadium options include Swangard Stadium which has a capacity of 7,000 which would have to be upgraded to hold a minimum of 10,000 fans, or any other stadium project still to be developed.

Victoria: Victoria has hosted several CONCACAF tournaments in conjunction with the CSA, and in 2002, were one of the three cities to host the very successful 2002 FIFA Under-19 Women's World Championships. Centennial Stadium, at the University of Victoria, would be the stadium holding close to 6,000 spectators. Stadium seats would have to be added as a result of FIFA's requirement for a minimum capacity of 10,000.

Winnipeg: Winnipeg hosted the 1999 Pan American Games with great success. Winnipeg is looking to build a new stadium. A $10 million indoor/outdoor soccer facility is being proposed by the Winnipeg Soccer Federation. It would be a combination indoor fourplex with all the amenities, as well as an outdoor 10,000 seat stadium with a third generation artificial turf field. Details of the proposal are being worked out between the City of Winnipeg and the Winnipeg Soccer Federation.

[penz]

Un stade de 10 000 places à LAVAL?

Je suis sans mots. Pour trois matches de la CMJ 2007? Et après, on fait quoi avec? On parle de 10 000 places, c'est pas rien. Qui va remplir les 10 000 sièges après la CMJ?

J'ai hâte de voir la suite des événements...

[Y]

Il faut que les villes avec des équipes pros soient favorisées, question de joindre l’utile à l’agréable. Surtout Montréal, qui a besoin d’un stade. Avec Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto et Montréal, je crois que Ottawa (ce qui serait bien pour nous également) doit être l’une des villes. Et l’autre ? Calgary, non, et pas une troisième ontarienne. Ce sera donc entre Winnipeg, Victoria et une deuxième ville au Québec. Avec les résultats à Sherbrooke et Québec quand l’Impact y joue, ça pourrait aider…


Imaginez : Montréal, Sherbrooke (ou Québec), Ottawa et Toronto… 4 sur 6 à portée de la main…

[Daniel]

Je verrais bien le projet de stade à Winnipeg qui fait en sorte qu'il y ait une présence des Prairies dans le tournoi.

Québec au PEPS? Oubliez ça! Sherbrooke, c'est encore possible et Laval, s'ils arrivent à se trouver un club de la USL pour y jouer, reste une petite possibilité (à moins que l'Impact ne construise sont stade là... beurk!).

Je m'attends à Montréal, Toronto, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Vancouver (mais ils devront refaire Swangard) ainsi qu'Ottawa (capitale nationale, stade de 30 000 prêt). Winnipeg serait le plus incertain, à mon avis, même si les infrastructures de Vancouver sont insuffisante pour le moment et que Swangard n'a jamais tenu 10 000 personnes...

Et dire que y'avait un stade de 30 000 à Victoria en 1994...

Dommage de ne pas voir Halifax, mais ça simplifie l'organisation.

[Daniel]

On voit beaucoup de trucs pratiquement inventés (14 000 pour le soccer à Québec, 12 000 comme capacité à Sherbrooke, la surface du PEPS comme "acceptable", etc.). De plus, on confirme les demi-finales à Toronto et Edmonton. Le plus que Montréal peut espérer c'est un groupe, un match de 2e tour et un quart. Soit 8 matches. À noter qu'on n'a pas parlé des matches simultanés à la fin du groupe; ça se fait à la CMJ?

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Interest grows in '07 event

http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/article. ... 92443_5708

Edmonton and Toronto will be the main hosts in 2007, but four more cities will be selected to host tournament games.

TORONTO (CP) -- In the wake of the world aquatic championships being taken away from Montreal, the Canadian Soccer Association proudly showed off 11 cities Thursday who are looking to play host to the world.

The bidding cities want to join Edmonton and Toronto as host cities of the 2007 world under-20 soccer championships in Canada. Of those 11, four will be chosen.

Letters of intent have been received from Calgary, Hamilton, Laval, London, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City, Sherbrooke, Vancouver, Victoria and Winnipeg.

"I don't think in our most optimistic projections anybody would have suggested we would have 13 cities in total going after these six spots," said a delighted Kevan Pipe, chief operating officer of the Canadian Soccer Association.

The 11 cities have plenty of work to do before April 20 when they must submit their full proposal, which includes everything from budget and organizing committee information to stadium, training and hotel facilities.

The CSA will announce the winning four cities May 4.

Geography will not be an issue, said Pipe. Neither will size of venue, although FIFA requires a minimum capacity of 10,000, plus a natural grass or acceptable artificial surface.

Most of the bids involve building or refurbishing facilities.

Ottawa, however, has 28,000-seat Frank Clair Stadium ready to go. Quebec City has a facility at the University of Laval that has a FIFA-recommended artificial surface that has accommodated as many as 14,000 for soccer. And Sherbrooke has a 12,000-capacity natural grass stadium that was used for the 2002 world junior track and field championships.
Others are in the blueprint -- or blue-sky -- stage.

Montreal is promising a soccer-specific stadium in a bid supported by the defending A-League champion Impact. Vancouver would need to upgrade Swangard Stadium or act on Whitecaps owner Greg Kerfoot's desire to build a new facility.

Both would be attractive options if they deliver on their promises.

Hamilton is looking at a site at McMaster University while Winnipeg has already announced plans to investigate building a new facility. Calgary is looking at refurbishing a site -- not McMahon Stadium.

Laval needs a new venue. London already has plans to build a soccer-specific stadium. Victoria would need to expand Centennial Stadium at the local university. .

Pipe says "absolutely" there is enough time before the championships for cities to build venues.

"To develop a 10,000, 12,000, 14,000-seat stadium, you can easily get that done within a year. Now the challenge is of course the financing, the site preparation so on and so on." .

Commonwealth Stadium will serve as home for the tournament in Edmonton while the planned new outdoor stadium at York University will be the focal point in Toronto, where the tournament will be headquartered. Both cities will host a first-round group, plus round-of-16, quarter-final and semifinal games.

Canada will kick off the 52-match tournament in Toronto on July 1, 2007. Initial plans called for Edmonton to host the championship game July 22 with the bronze medal match in Toronto, but now the CSA says the final will be either Edmonton or Toronto.

Each of the six host cities will play host to a first-round group. Two will finish with a round-of-16 game and two more will wrap up with quarter-final matches.

The under-20 tournament, formally known as the World Youth Championship, is second only to the men's World Cup in terms of size of FIFA tournaments. It is a high-profile event in the sport because it showcases future stars. Graduates include Michael Owen, Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry, Luis Figo and Diego Maradona.

Canada reached the quarter-finals of the last tournament, in the United Arab Emirates in 2003. That tournament averaged 5,738 spectators a game, although the average over history for the event is 15,476.

The Netherlands is hosting this year's championship.

The world aquatic championships slated for Montreal this summer were pulled because of a roughly $10-million shortfall in sponsorship revenue on the event's $36.5-million budget would be met.

Pipe says that won't happen here. The Youth Championship has a total budget of about $30 million with FIFA paying a little more than half. The CSA budget is built around a breakeven scenario.

The CSA borrowed from Hockey Canada in preparing for the tournament, using paperwork and frameworks Hockey Canada came up for bid cities after the world junior hockey championships.

[Bxl Boy]

Aux Pays-Bas cet été, il y aura aussi 6 stades
Chaque groupe est associé à un stade pour les deux premiers matches
Le troisième match de chaque groupe se joue à la même heure que l'autre
Un dans le "stade du groupe", l'autre dans celui le plus proche
Je pense qu'il va falloir aussi tenir compte de ça dans l'organisation pour ne pas balader trop certaines équipes entre leur 2e match de groupe et leur 1/8e de finale

[Daniel]

Et dire que Victoria avait ceci il y a dix ans...

[Y]

Encore une piste, un stade non fermé, des estrades bizarres, bof, moyen...

[Daniel]

Encore une piste, un stade non fermé, des estrades bizarres, bof, moyen...

Mais au moins un stade d'une certaine envergure sur la côte Ouest.

[Daniel]

"Adames said the four cities selected will get five dates to cover four doubleheaders and one elimination game."

Ça semble croche comme math...

[Y]

Je parlais pour le soccer, sinon, oui, il est (était) bien !

[Bxl Boy]

Si vous viulez vous prononcer sur la ville au Québec qui devrait recevoir le tournoi en priorité, répondez au sondage du site http://www.quebecsoccer.com/

[Bxl Boy]

Pensez à aller voter

[massimo]

http://www.totalcampo.com/Indoor/Offside08-03-05.htm

Ca nous donne une perspective plus local, sur ce qui ce passe.[/url]