Federal Agencies, Agency Memos & Announcements

DOS Cable on 1999 Women's Soccer World Cup

2/12/99 AILA Doc. No. 99022359. Admissions & Border, Business Immigration, Consular Processing, H-1B & H-1B1 Specialty Occupation, O & P Visas

R 120333Z FEB 99
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS
SPECIAL EMBASSY PROGRAM
INFO USINS WASHDC
UNCLAS STATE 026982

Visas

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CVIS, SCUL, KOLY
Subject: 1999 Women's Soccer World Cup

1. Summary: The United States will host the 1999 Women's World Cup from June 19 through July 10. Posts are requested to extend full consideration in the facilitation of visas for athletes, coaches, trainers, judges and others affiliated with the event. End summary.

2. The 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup marks the third women's world championship held under the auspices of Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). The United States won the inaugural women's world cup in 1991 in China, and Norway took top honors at the 1995 championship in Sweden. The finals of the 1999 games have been expanded from 12 nations to 16, making this Women's World Cup the largest women's sporting event ever held.

3. The first match of the 1999 Women's World Cup will be played on June 19 at Giant Stadium in New Jersey and the final match will be played July 10 when the tournament's two top teams meet in the championship match at the Rose

Bowl in Pasadena, California. Other sites hosting games will be Foxboro Stadium near Boston; Soldier Field in Chicago; Civic Stadium in Portland, Oregon; Spartan Stadium in San Jose, California; Stanford Stadium in suburban San Francisco; and Jack Kent Cooke Stadium near Washington, D.C.

4. The sixteen national teams that have earned places in the competition are: USA, China (PR), North Korea (DPRK), Canada, Japan, Brazil, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Russia, Australia, Nigeria, Ghana, and Mexico.

5. ABC will broadcast the entire 32-match tournament (64-hours of coverage). Press and media interest also is expected to focus on numerous issues collateral to the world cup itself (women's rights, doping, corruption in sports organizing bodies, political/military matters, etc.).

6. While no special visa processing procedures have been designated for the 1999 women's world cup, in view of the extremely high profile and scope of media coverage for this event, the Department requests posts' faciliation and expeditious processing of visa applications (and attendant SAO'S where required). Generally, "B-1/B-2" visas would be appropriate for players, coaches, and officials, etc., (See 9 FAM 41.31, Note 6.4). International media will require "I" visas. Posts may also encounter applicants who will require other classifications dependent on approved petitions from INS (primarily "H", "0", and "P"). All visa-related classification inquiries should be slugged for VO/L/A, with an info copy to VO/L/R, Attention: Ron Acker. All other issues not related to visas should be addressed to IO/PPC.

7. Minimize Considered.

Madeleine Albright