Actor Morgan Freeman joins bid committee trying to bring 2018 or 2022 World Cup to US

Freeman joins US World Cup bid committee

IRENE, South Africa — Actor Morgan Freeman, who portrayed Nelson Mandela in the movie “Invictus” about the 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa, has joined the committee trying to bring soccer’s World Cup back to the United States in 2018 or 2022.

Freeman won the Academy Award for best supporting actor in 2004 for “Million Dollar Baby.”

“I have seen the power that sport, and in particular soccer, can have on individuals around the world,” Freeman said Thursday.

FIFA’s executive committee will select the 2018 and 2022 hosts on Dec. 2.

The U.S., which staged the tournament in 1994, is competing with Australia, England, Russia, Spain-Portugal and Netherlands-Belgium for both tournaments. Japan, Qatar and South Korea are bidding for 2022 only.

Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger also are on the committee.