Reports that Livestrong Will Host World Cup Qualifier vs Costa Rica

The United States open the last round of World Cup qualifying in early February in Honduras.  The USA's first home game of the Hex takes place in late March on the 22nd.  The venue for the game has not been officially announced yet.  Unofficially though, reports out of Costa Rica are that the United States will play the qualifier at Livestrong Sporting Park in Kansas City, KS.

LSP had hosted the United States last World Cup qualifier of the last round against Guatemala with a sell out crowd of 16,947 (reduced capacity per FIFA).  The pro US crowd and comments from US coach Jurgen Klinsmann had firmly put KC in the position of hosting a game in the Hex this year.  The game would be the third straight year that KC has hosted the US team, as the US played Guadeloupe in the Gold Cup in KC as well.  Rumors and hopes were that KC would get high profile US vs Mexico game instead of Columbus, OH, where the last 3 World Cup qualifiers against Mexico has taken place.  If this report is true though KC will be hosting Costa Rica for the second time in World Cup qualifying.  The last time KC hosted Costa Rica was in the qualifying for the 2002 World Cup, when 37,319 showed up at Arrowhead to watch the US win 1-0.