Long before American soccer had celebrity fans like Drew Carey, Spike Lee or Kobe Bryant, there was Dr. Henry Kissinger. Long before it was fashionable to follow soccer, Kissinger was America's most famous soccer fan. His appointment to the USA Bid Committee marks the third time in the last quarter century he has been involved in a U.S. effort.

U.S. STADIUMS. Concacaf's decision to play the 2009 Gold Cup in 13 different U.S. cities over 13 dates is an ambitious undertaking -- it's a record for a continental championship and one less than Spain 1982's World Cup record for a single host -- but it says a lot about the availability of U.S. stadiums for its World Cup 2018/2022 bid effort.