FIFA: North America World Cup bid outscores ‘high risk’ Morocco
FIFA inspectors warned voters deciding the host of the 2026 World Cup that Morocco’s plans pose a “high risk” to the tournament due to a lack of infrastructure, while awarding North America’s bid a significantly higher score in an evaluation report.
The destination of the soccer showpiece will be decided by up to 207 football nations in a public vote on June 13 that contrasts with the secrecy surrounding previous tainted World Cup decisions.
The report puts pressure on the FIFA Congress to follow the verdicts from inspectors, who marked the joint bid from the United States, Canada and Mexico as 402 out of 500 and flagged Morocco’s proposals on stadiums, accommodation and transport as high risks in a score of 275 out of 500.
The five-man FIFA-appointed task force said it “considers it its duty to emphasize the significant overall risk” of a country needing to build so many key assets, concluding that the bids are “almost opposite ends of the spectrum.”
The 2026 World Cup is the first tournament FIFA has confirmed will expand from 32 to 48 teams — putting increasing demands on the stadiums and facilities required to stage 80 games.
“The amount of new infrastructure required for the Morocco 2026 bid to become reality cannot be overstated,” the bid evaluation task force said.
No part of North America’s proposals was called high risk and FIFA said it “has a clear lead” to advance the governing body’s mission to “push new boundaries in terms of sports-related technology and engagement” since stadiums and hotels already exist.
“FIFA (could) focus on a number of exciting initiatives relating to sports science, fan engagement, multimedia interaction and other new forms of digitalization,” the report said.
The U.S., which hosted the 1994 World Cup, would host 60 games in 2026, including everything from the quarterfinal stage. Mexico, which was the sole host in 1970 and 1986, would have to settle for 10 games, like Canada.
The North Americans scored the only maximum five mark from FIFA for its ticketing and hospitality plans, which helped drive a forecast revenue for the tournament of $14.3 billion, “significantly higher” than Morocco’s $7.2 billion.
However, the lowest mark out of five for either bid in each of nine categories is 2.0 for the American’s projected organizingcostswhichweredrivenup by having 16 stadiums instead of the minimum 12.
In 20 categories evaluated for risk, the North American bid had three medium-risk areas — government support, human rights and labor standards, and organizing costs — and 17 low risk.
Morocco had the three high-risk sections, 10 medium risk — also including human rights and labor standards — and seven low risk.
FIFA ordered more rigorous inspections after criticism of the 2018-2022 World Cup votes in 2010 when Russia and Qatar won despite being judged the riskiest by a task force. Morocco could have been disqualified if it had scored less than two out of five in the overall average scoring, and less than. two on key measures including stadiums.
The FIFA Council has to approve both candidates at a June 10 meeting in Moscow. The final vote at the FIFA Congress is three days later and the inspection scores can be ignored when making their decision.