Atlanta is one of 18 cities that could host the World Cup if the United States is awarded the soccer tournament in 2018 or 2022, the U.S. Soccer Federation announced Tuesday.

“It’s a great day for Atlanta,” said Scott Moran, an Atlanta attorney active in efforts to get both the World Cup and a Major League Soccer team here.

The 18 cities, the maximum number allowed by FIFA, soccer's world governing body, will be included in the formal World Cup bid that the U.S. submits on May 14. FIFA is expected to announce a decision on the host country on Dec. 2. Australia, Great Britain, Japan and Russia are also expected to submit solo bids for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup while the Netherlands and Belgium are expected to submit joint bids.  Indonesia, Qatar and South Korea are bidding only for the 2022 tournament.

But Atlanta is not assured of hosting a match, even if the U.S. wins, Jurgen Mainka, director of communications for the USA Bid Committee, told GlobalAtlanta.

The World Cup will have nine to 12 venues, he said. That means as few as six or as many as nine U.S. cities could eventually be axed from the host list. That decision would be made by FIFA about four years before the tournament, he added. Assuming the U.S. is awarded the games in December, it would still be 2014 or 2018 before the city knows whether it will be a host.

Another question is which city would host the prized final match. That requires a venue that will hold at least 80,000 fans, said Mr. Mainka. The Georgia Dome, Atlanta’s proposed site for the World Cup will only hold 70,868.

“For a final, that wouldn’t qualify,” said Mr. Mainka.

However, there have been discussions of building a new stadium in Atlanta to replace the Georgia Dome, one that could perhaps hold the required 80,000 fans while also providing a venue for a Major League Soccer team.

Atlanta’s current professional soccer team, the Silverbacks, plays for the United Soccer League's First Division, a notch below MLS, which has attracted international stars such as David Beckham of the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Arthur Blank, co-founder of Home Depot Inc. submitted a bid in October 2008 for an MLS franchise but withdrew it because of the slowing economy. Atlanta could get another chance in 2013 when MLS is expected to add two expansion teams.

“It’s the big show,” Mr. Moran said of the World Cup. “Something like this can only help.”

Even with no replacement for the dome, Atlanta could still host several World Cup matches, just not the final, said Mr. Moran.

“Each one of these games is bigger than the Super Bowl,” he said.

Last summer, more than 50,000 fans attended an exhibition match at the Georgia Dome between A.C. Milan of Italy and Club America of Mexico City. A.C. Milan had just signed a U.S. player, Oguchi Onyewu, a move that Mr. Moran and others believe will help boost interest in soccer in the U.S.

A.C. Milan has some of the world's best soccer players including Ronaldinho of Brazil and Italian Andrea Pirlo.

A June exhibition match at the Dome between Mexico and Venezuela attracted an equally large crowd.  

Baltimore, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle, Tampa and Washington are the other U.S. cities chosen as host cities and will be Atlanta’s competitors if the U.S. is chosen for the World Cup.

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