USA TODAY International Edition
Our view: Winning ‘NAFTA Bid’ shows virtues of teamwork
Script writers could not have come up with a World Cup more freighted with symbolism.
It starts with the absence of Team USA from this year’s global soccer tournament, which starts today in Russia. America’s failure to qualify seems sadly emblematic of a nation turning inward.
Fortunately, the symbolism doesn’t end there. Wednesday brought the welcome news that a joint bid of the United States, Canada and Mexico had won the right to host the 2026 World Cup.
Known formally as the “United Bid” (and informally as the “NAFTA Bid”), the effort showed the benefit of forming alliances to thwart anti-American sentiments. It also stands as a loud proclamation that the three countries can accomplish more by working together than by picking fights with each other.
At a time when the Trump administration has been insulting Canada and other trusted allies, U.S. Soccer Federation President Carlos Cordeiro and his counterparts were circling the planet, living out of hotel rooms, and gamely making the case that North America, not Morocco, should host the World Cup. As a result of the 134-65 vote in favor of the United Bid, the continent's economy — particularly its hospitality and airline sectors — will get a sizable jolt in the summer of 2026.
In raw dollars, the USA will be the greatest beneficiary, as the proposal calls for it to host 60 of the 80 matches, including all from the quarterfinals on. But Canada and Mexico are huge winners, too, because neither could realistically host the tournament alone without budget-busting construction campaigns, particularly as the World Cup expands from 32 to 48 teams.
Longer term, the Cup will be a showcase for the American way of doing sports. To this day, the 1994 World Cup held in the USA holds the record for ticket sales per game. The success of the 2026 bid was built partly on the understanding that it, too, would be a profit machine.
Mostly, the successful bid underscores the deep social, political, cultural and economic ties that make the three nations better and more economically competitive. While much has been made of jobs moving to Mexico, this is the downside of a story that has had many upsides for the USA.
It is impossible to isolate the effect of the North American Free Trade Agreement from other factors, such as the tech revolution. But most economists believe that NAFTA’s overall impact has been at least modestly positive. The 1994 trade pact could use some updating, but it should not be scrapped in favor of separate bilateral deals, as the Trump administration has been threatening to do.
The successful soccer bid also underscores what might be called North American exceptionalism. Nowhere on the planet do three large nations exist side-by-side with so little friction — at least until recently.
The United Bid was seen as evidence of how the United States, Canada and Mexico will remain together no matter what comes out of Washington.
The world has taken note of this. And so should President Trump.