2013 Confederations Cup venues announcement set

This could have been much more exciting news in our parts … but noooo.

The United States crapped out in efforts to reach the 2013 Confederations Cup, and in a big and hideous way.

The Confederations Cup is a quadrennial event held the year before a World Cup within the host country. It’s a mini-World Cup, on a far smaller scale, used in part as a trial run to help organize tournament infrastructure a year out.

Thursday, FIFA and the World Cup Brazil organizing committee will announce venues for the Confederations Cup.

The field for next year’s two-week tournament, beginning June 15, is set: Spain (pictured), Italy, Uruguay, Brazil (all former World Cup winners), Mexico, Japan and Tahiti. Africa’s, representative will be determined during the Africa Cup of Nations early next year.

The United States – which had such a great Confed Cup run in 2009 in South Africa –was in the running for the regional berth until June 25, 2011. That’s the day a young, dynamic Mexican side shredded the United States’ defense in a 4-2 statement before 93,000 at the Rose Bowl.

That was in the Gold Cup final; the 2011 Gold Cup served as CONCACAF’s 2011 Confederations Cup qualifier.