Why the USMNT coming to Jacksonville is a big deal

The U.S. men's soccer team is 6-6-2 all time against African teams. One of those wins
was a 1-0 victory over Algeria during the 2010 World Cup. (Photo by Will Brown)

By Will Brown

The North American and African champions will meet for an international soccer game… in Jacksonville. If that is not is not enough to pique one’s interest in the world’s game, there is not much that will.

The BBC was the first to report that the U.S. men’s soccer team will host Nigeria June 7 at EverBank Field.

Nigeria may be ranked No. 47 in the latest FIFA World Rankings, but they are not a team to be taken lightly. The Super Eagles will likely bring players who have suited up in the Premier League, Champions League and some of Europe’s elite leagues this season.

Historically, the United States’ record has been spotty against African teams with a 6-6-2 record. However, it’s one thing to get results so-so teams like Algeria (2-1 at the 2010 World Cup), South Africa (1-0 in 2010) Tunisia (1-1 in 2000) and another to beat one of the continent’s giants like Ghana, Nigeria or Cote d’ Ivoire. 

Playing a fellow World Cup participant, especially one from Africa, in the humidity will may be a psychological aide to the US when it plays Ghana June 16 in its first game of the 2014 World Cup.

This will be the fifth World Cup the United States has participated in what some have dubbed a “Sendoff Series”, but the first time one of those matches will be held in Florida. The USMNT is 7-3-2 in these exhibition games.

Clint Dempsey will lead the U.S. men's national team out onto
the field June 7 against Nigeria as part of the squad's
Sendoff Series for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
(Photo By Will Brown)

Wins against Uruguay in 2002 and Australia four years ago, both of whom were World Cup teams that year and this year, preceded the Americans getting out of the group stage. A scoreless draw against Scotland in 1998, a World Cup participant that year, was the precursor to a tournament where the Americans lost all three games.

A win this June over Nigeria may mean two things: firstly, the World Cup may be a good one and secondly the city’s record for hosting men’s national team matches would remain undefeated.

The U.S. men’s national team is undefeated in Jacksonville with a 3-0-1 record. The last of those contests was a 2012 friendly against a Scotland that drew 44,438 fans.

Are soccer crowds like this in Jacksonville's future?
(Photo By Will Brown)

Should Jacksonville draw a similar crowd this June — and there is no reason to assume it won’t considering U.S. men’s national team match held here drew a larger crowd than the previous one — it would be bigger than 10 of the 11 World Cup tune-up games played on American soil.

Columbus, Ohio; Carson, Calif. and Washington D.C. are all cities the U.S. men’s national team has frequently visited because of the combination of big crowds and great results. Jacksonville may eventually join that group if the Stars and Stripes can produce a victory over Nigeria on the road to Brazil.