A delegation from soccer's global governing body is scouting out Halifax as a possible host city for the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2015.

Halifax is one of seven Canadian cities hoping to score a role in the tournament, but only six will be chosen. Moncton has also expressed its interest in hosting the event, but unlike Moncton, Halifax does not boast a stadium. However, Halifax Mayor Peter Kelly is pushing for council to approve plans to build one. 

"We had the opportunity to receive an excellent presentation on that stadium," Peter Montopoli, a spokesman for the Canadian Soccer Association, said on Sunday. "We also visited two training fields; in addition, there was a hotel inspection."

Mayor Peter Kelly says the tour is a great way to show the association what Halifax has to offer.

"We want them to be able to choose us with confidence," said Kelly, despite the fact that Halifax does not have a stadium.

But the association says their decision won't be shaken by the fact that Halifax lacks a stadium.

"We never viewed it as negative because we've worked with the city officials and the timelines that we put into place, so as long as the timelines will be respected, it's not a negative at all," said Montopoli.

Halifax is not the only city out of the seven that are interested that doesn't boast a stadium, as renovations at Ottawa's Landsdowne Park aren't scheduled to begin until the spring of 2012.

Both cities are required to have plans for their stadiums approved by the end of 2011.

Halifax is currently scouting out possible sites for the new stadium and the Huskies Stadium at Saint Mary's University is one possibility.

The stadium was built in 1970 and plays host to the Saint Mary's Huskies football team. It seats roughly 4,000 permanently, although with temporary seating it can fit 9,000 to 11,000 people.

Tens of thousands of soccer fans turned out to watch the American and Japanese teams battle it out at the FIFA Women's World Cup final match in Germany earlier this year and the new stadium would have to seat at least 20,000, which means the city would have to build upon the existing stadium at the university.

"I think it would be perfect," says Melissa Currie, a soccer player at the university. "We're right in the heart of the city. We already have the space and stadium, so we might as well just build on it."

Shannon Park - located just across the Halifax Harbour in Dartmouth - is also a popular location choice, as is a vacant lot in the Dartmouth Crossing shopping plaza.

Kelly said he would prefer to see the stadium go up on the Dartmouth side.

"The fact is that if you have the asset and you have the facilities, then you can capitalize on those facilities," said Kelly. "If you don't have them, it's all and only a dream."

The cities of Edmonton, Montreal, Vancouver, Winnipeg and Ottawa have also expressed interest in hosting the games. Only six will be chosen, but regardless of which city doesn't get selected, the World Cup will surely be on its way to the Maritimes in 2015.

The Canadian Soccer Association plans to award hosting rights by the middle of next year.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Garreth MacDonald