Chivas USA announced that forward Ante Razov, the club's all-time leading scorer and an MLS Original, yesterday underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his right ankle to remove bone spurs. Razov, Major League Soccer's second all-time leading scorer, also signed a new contract with the club.

After a week of indoor fitness work with nary a ball in sight, D.C. United's players gratefully returned to the RFK Stadium auxiliary turf field for drills and small-sided games on Friday.

A few months removed from a remarkable run to the MLS Cup, there is a tangible buzz around the New York Red Bulls in their first week of training camp. After getting a taste last year, the club was anxious to return to camp, to build on last year's unprecedented success.

FC Dallas announced Friday that the team has signed forward Sean Bucknor. Per league and team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

D.C. United have announced midfielder Marcelo Gallardo has been granted a release from his contract with the club.

It is no stretch of the imagination to say the Los Angeles Galaxy could reach new heights this season.

After much speculation about his future with FC Dallas, Hoops midfielder Dax McCarty has returned to Frisco, participating in his first training session of 2009 on Thursday evening after missing the first week of preseason practice.

Midfielder Herculez Gomez was acquired late in the 2008 season and quickly became a mainstay on the right wing for the Wizards during their strong push for the playoffs.

Find out what the print and blog worlds are saying about all things D.C. United in the newest edition of the D.C. United Newsstand.

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U.S. Soccer confirmed one of the worst kept secrets in North American soccer when it announced Thursday it will bid to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup. President Sunil Gulati is confident of a successful bid, and the way the process will play out should help the U.S. significantly.

Here is how Yahoo! Sports sees things panning out in the hardest-fought race for hosting rights in World Cup history.

Feb. 2, 2009: Registration for applications to host the World Cups close and the field is finalized. Twelve bids are expected.

Through 2009: Momentum shifts further towards Europe for the 2018 tournament. Failure by a European nation to win the 2018 rights means it would be 16 years between World Cups in that continent, not something FIFA would be in favor of. Also expect some regional dilution of bidding nations. From Asia, Indonesia and Japan may drop out. In CONCACAF, Canada and Mexico may withdraw.

Late 2009: England emerges as a clear favorite for 2018, forcing the leading bidders from CONCACAF and Asia to shift their focus toward 2022. The weakest of the European bids, either Holland/Belgium or Russia, could pull out of the running.

May 14, 2010: The deadline for submission of full bids sort the men from the boys. Nations that have been unable to secure sufficient funding for infrastructure and stadium works should give up now. To avoid voting embarrassment, China may drop out if it feels it has little chance of success. FIFA may also take steps to encourage no more than two competing bids from one continent by staging an elimination process.

Summer 2010: By now it is clear that 2018 is a straight fight between England and Spain/Portugal. England's history and stadiums (the 2012 Olympic stadium will be almost finished) puts it in a strong position, despite the English FA's often clumsy handling of soccer politicking. Spain/Portugal remains in with a strong chance thanks to its support from the South American block. The 2022 hopefuls and their confederations begin to try to cut some deals that will help them in the second stage of the selection process.

December 2010: Decision time. The first round of voting sees little popular support for any bid except England and Spain/Portugal. England seals the nomination as early as the second round and earns the right to host for the first time since 1966. Attention then shifts to 2022, which by now has boiled down to the United States and Australia. Qatar still has hope, but this is not its time. African nations are eligible to bid for 2022, yet none are expected. The U.S. should be too strong for the Aussies, who will surely host a World Cup some time in the future. This time, though, the lure of established infrastructure and the prospect of the best-attended and profitable World Cup in history is too strong, especially in these tough economic times. The U.S. wins a one-sided vote after two rounds and the planning for USA 2022 begins.

So what are your thoughts on how the bidding process will play out? Who will host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups? And who should?

Share your thoughts and comments below.