San Diego is vying to become one of about a dozen U.S. cities to host the World Cup should this nation be selected for the 2018 and 2022 soccer tournament.

In a press conference Nov. 16, Mayor Jerry Sanders said the city is lobbying the U.S. Bid Committee, the group that was launched to bring the World Cup here, to include San Diego as one of 12 to 18 cities to host the games that occur in June and July.

The world governing body for soccer, FIFA, will decide on the host nations for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup in December 2010.

Next year’s World Cup is set for South Africa, and in 2014 it will be held in Brazil.

The 1994 World Cup was held in this country, but San Diego was not a host city then.

Other nations vying for future World Cup games are England, Russia, a combined Spain-Portugal, a combined Belgium-Netherlands, Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Qatar, and South Korea.

According to a report from the U.S. Bid Committee, the 2006 World Cup in Germany had an overall economic impact of $6.2 billion over three years. The event drew some 2 million tourists to Germany, who spent about $766 million, the report said.

— Mike Allen