NEW YORK – Commissioner Don Garber says that Major League Soccer would seek to become one of the top leagues in the world by 2022 if the USA is voted host of the FIFA World Cup.

The announcement of the hosts of both the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments will be made on Thursday morning at 10 a.m. ET (Fox Soccer Channel, ESPN, ESPN Deportes, Univisión & CNN International).

“We have a very specific goal,” Garber said. “If we get the World Cup, we want to be one of the top leagues in the world by 2022."

The MLS Commissioner believes that the unprecedented 12-year plan that can be created around a 2022 World Cup would allow the league to generate serious momentum in its quest to be among the world’s best.

Garber indicated that the standard would be determined by the quality of play, the size of the fan base, the television audience and the overall interest and awareness in the sport.

“If we get the World Cup, we have a 12-year plan,” he said. “And that's not just by our own measure, but how we're perceived by the rest of the world.”

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