The Home Depot Center in Carson will host the Women's World Cup final on Oct. 12, U.S. soccer officials formally announced Thursday.

In addition, officials hope to schedule a Sept. 1 exhibition involving the U.S. team at the Home Depot Center in preparation for the fourth Women's World Cup, which is scheduled to run from Sept. 20 through Oct. 12.

The Home Depot Center was one of six venues chosen for the tournament. All are either MLS or WUSA home facilities.

The other stadiums include Columbus Crew Stadium in Ohio, Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., and PGE Park in Portland, Ore.

Schedules will be announced at a later date.

"There were a number of important drivers in finalizing these six venues as hosts,' said U.S. president Dr. Bob Contiguglia. "First, we thought it was important to balance WUSA market representation with that of MLS and the soccer community as a whole.

"In that regard, recognizing soccer-specific stadiums in Columbus and the Home Depot Center was also high on our priority list, and we believe showcasing our National Training Center in Carson was also very, very important.'

Contiguglia explained further why the Home Depot Center was chosen over the Rose Bowl, which hosted the 1999 Women's World Cup final.

"Clearly the Home Depot represents our future,' said Contiguglia. "For anyone who was there last weekend, it was a no-brainer to say where the final should be. Using soccer-specific stadiums is the direction we're taking, and the Home Depot symbolizes that.'

FIFA had requested that stadiums have a capacity of at least 30,000, but U.S. Soccer Secretary General Dan Flynn said FIFA accepted the Home Depot, despite having only 27,000 seats.

U.S. women's team coach April Heinrichs toured the Home Depot Center a few weeks ago and was hoping the new stadium would be chosen.

"It's a state-of-the-art facility that helps inspire the players and the fans,' said Heinrichs. "I was also hoping FIFA and U.S. soccer would choose it because it helps establish that this is not the same as 1999, that this is 2003.'

U.S. Soccer, which is organizing the event after FIFA, the world soccer governing body, switched it from China because of the SARS virus, hoped to have the host team open at Giants Stadium. When that could not be arranged, the New Jersey site was dropped from the tournament altogether.

"Availability was a major issue for the New York venue,' Contiguglia said.

"I am frustrated, disappointed and very angry,' replied George Zoffinger, chief executive of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority. "To have the Women's World Cup without the premier venue in the Northeast not involved is a travesty.'

FIFA also insisted on less travel for the teams than four years ago. By choosing these six sites, U.S. Soccer secretary general Dan Flynn said the number of team movements would be cut from 42 to about 30. The tournament also will move from east to west, thus limiting cross-country trips.

Playing the final on a Sunday afternoon opposite NFL games did not seem to faze tournament organizers. With the World Cup originally scheduled for China, most games would have been televised in the early morning. Now, the games will go up against a busy calendar that also includes college football, the baseball pennant races and playoffs, and the start of the NHL season.

"The broadest window happens to be on Sunday,' said MLS commissioner Don Garber, whose group controls the television rights that were sold to ABC and ESPN. "The most limited is Sat urday by college football. We are very comfortable, particularly for the final. We have our piece of real estate. It is somewhat of a different market. This is a huge event and has global proportions.'

Tickets will go on sale soon, and with only 27,000 available in Carson, they aren't expected to last long.

"It's going to be a hot ticket,' said Heinrichs. "I'm not a ticket person, but I would bet that once the tickets go on sale, they're going to go fast and they're going to be in demand.'