COLUMBUS, Ohio - Columbus Crew General Manager Mark McCullers announced today that The Crew will host viewing parties in Crew Stadium's Huntington Club for the first three U.S. Men's National Team World Cup Qualifiers.
The first viewing party will take place on Wednesday, February 9, at 2:30 p.m. (ET) when the U.S. opens final-round qualifying in Trinidad & Tobago. The game will be shown live on ESPN2 and admission to the viewing party is free.
After Trinidad, the U.S. faces a double-dose of qualifiers at the end of March. Following a trip to Mexico on March 27, the USA will open its home schedule of final round qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday, March 30, at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala. Kickoff against Guatemala is set for 8 p.m. (ET), and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN2.
The match against Trinidad & Tobago is the first of 10 games in the final round of qualifying from Feb. 9 - Oct. 13, 2005. The USA, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama and Trinidad & Tobago are competing for three automatic berths to the World Cup finals in Germany. The fourth-place finisher will face the fifth-place team from the Asian Football Confederation in a home-and-home series to determine the last entrant into the tournament.
MNT FIFA World Cup Qualifying Schedule - Final Round
Feb. 9 Trinidad & Tobago Queen's Park Oval; Port of Spain, Trinidad 2:30 p.m. /ESPN2
March 27 Mexico Estadio Azteca; Mexico City, Mexico 1 p.m./Telemundo
March 30 Guatemala Legion Field; Birmingham, Alabama 8 p.m./ESPN2
June 4 Costa Rica TBD (Home)
June 8 Panama TBD (Away)
Aug. 17 Trinidad & Tobago TBD (Home)
Sept. 3 Mexico TBD (Home)
Sept. 7 Guatemala TBD (Away)
Oct. 8/9 Costa Rica TBD (Away)
Oct. 12 Panama TBD (Home)
