US Soccer president Sunil Gulati has denied a since-retracted report that FIFA has asked the United States to form an organizing committee for the 2022 World Cup, currently scheduled to be held in Qatar, according to The New York Times and other media outlets.
The rumor appeared to start yesterday afternoon with a post on Twitter from Jorge Ramos of ESPN Deportes stating that "FIFA has asked the US to get plan ready to host the World Cup in 2022, replacing Qatar."
Ramos deleted the tweet and, late last night, posted a rebuttal from US Soccer Director of Communications Neil Buethe:
Gulati told TheNew York Times that, “They haven’t asked us, and I cannot imagine it happening anytime soon."
Qatar and the United States were the final two countries of the five candidates to host the World Cup, with Qatar getting 14 votes to the United States' eight in the fourth round of voting on Dec. 2, 2010. FIFA and Qatar have come under heavy criticism due to allegations of corruption in the awarding of the tournament and for human-rights violations associated with the preparations for the tournament.
