FIFA tells North America to prepare for blockbuster World Cup in 2026
Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Dallas, Atlanta, Houston, Boston, Philadelphia, Miami, and New York/New Jersey will host games in the United States, which hosted the tournament in 1994.
As the host cities for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico were revealed on Thursday, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said that soccer will be the most popular sport in North America by then. In a special occasion at the Rockefeller Centre in New York, FIFA revealed the 16 communities that were victorious from the 22 proposals submitted — 11 in the United States, three in Mexico, and two in Canada.
However, there was no indication of where the first game or the championship game would be held. As fans in the newly-appointed host cities cheered, Infantino confidently proclaimed, "By 2026, soccer or football would be the number one sport in this area of the world."
What they said:
"It was the most competitive process for a FIFA World Cup," Infantino said. "We'll have the world come here, and it'll be an amazing event."
He also stated that no decision has been made on the location of the final.
"There are still some conversations to be had, and we will undoubtedly select the finest cities for the opening and closing ceremonies, but every match in this World Cup will be a final," Infantino added.
Countries Participation
Six cities were left out: Cincinnati, Denver, Nashville, Orlando, Washington, DC/Baltimore, and Edmonton. Outside the arena in New York, cheering supporters waved American, Canadian, and Mexican flags, with US national team member and Chelsea striker Christian Pulisic, 23, among those in attendance for the announcement.
Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Dallas, Atlanta, Houston, Boston, Philadelphia, Miami, and New York/New Jersey will host games in the United States, which hosted the tournament in 1994. Mexico will host events in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey, while Canada will host the men's tournament for the first time in Vancouver and Toronto.
World Cup to Canada
A private watch party was held at Levi's Stadium in San Francisco, while New York City Mayor Eric Adams was slated to attend a watch party in Liberty State Park in New Jersey. Jonathan Osorio, a member of the Canadian national team and a Toronto native, said he could never have envisioned seeing a World Cup in his own country as a youngster.
"It's incredible - the World Cup is finally coming to Canada... it's an incredible achievement for the entire country," he remarked.
Overview
On-screen messages from celebrities such as Michael Buble (representing Vancouver), Magic Johnson (representing Los Angeles), Patrick Mahomes (representing Kansas City), F1 driver Sergio Perez (representing Guadalajara), and Gloria Estefan (representing Miami) celebrated the inclusion of their hometowns.
The 2026 World Cup is likely to break attendance records, which peaked at 3.6 million in 1994 when the event was staged in the United States. It will also be the first time that the tournament will feature 48 teams, up from the 32 that will compete in Qatar this year. "It'll be fantastic to be a part of it (the Qatar World Cup) and then have one in this nation," Pulisic added.
