Joint North American bid expected for 2026 men’s World Cup
TRUMP’S PRESIDENCY IN U. S. ADDS SPICE TO POSSIBLE CONTINENTAL PARTNERSHIP WITH CANADA AND MEXICO
When Donald Tr u mp wa s j ust a presidential c andidate, there was a belief in soccer that the United States, Mexico and Canada would be a strong choice to team up for a North American bid to host the 2026 World Cup.
That still holds, even now the candidate is President Trump.
A widely speculated threeway hosting bid by Canada, the U. S and Mexico looks a good option for FIFA. It might yet be the only credible bid — albeit one needing federal governments’ support to keep teams, officials and hundreds of thousands of visiting fans safe and secure.
Those visitors — and likely some players — will be from countries that Trump’s administration says are today not welcome.
There is broad agreement in FIFA circles that a World Cup in North America is overdue.
In 2026, it will have been 32 years since the regional soccer body known as CONCACAF ( Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) last had its turn, at the U. S.-hosted 1994 World Cup. The four other continental confederations able to host will have all had at least one turn since then.
What’s more, FIFA has barred Europe and Asia from entering the 2026 race by a rule that encourages giving a fair shot to all.
South America and Africa can bid. But South American soccer leaders prefer a centenary World Cup in 2030 including original host Uruguay, and bidding experts say privately that Africa is not a realistic option this time round.
And now the 2026 World Cup will have 48 teams instead of 32, there is even more demand f or FIFAstandard stadiums, training camps, hotels and transport links for teams, officials and spectators.
The hosting rights are currently set to be decided by FIFA’s 211 member federations in May 2020 — during campaigning for the next U.S. presidential election.
Right now, there is no official 2026 World Cup bidding contest, but more should be known in May. FIFA has said it “defined a set of principles for countries to bid” with new emphasis on human rights compliance after consulting with a Harvard University professor. The rules should be announced around its annual congress, on May 11 in Manama, Bahrain.
Expect officials from the U. S., Canada and Mexico to be the centre of attention. It is for them to lead a member federation’s bid, not governments. Sti l l , FIFA will seek assurances that lawmakers will support staging a month- long tournament where federal planning and spending on security is vital.
The World Cup will be the most- watched sports event in 2026. The final draws a verified audience of at least one billion viewers to watch some of the game. If it is mostly hosted in the United States, it will set tournament records for attendance and commercial income for FIFA. Hundreds of thousands of visitors would travel to join Americans watching 48 teams play 80 matches over 32 days.
In the 12 host cities — perhaps eight or 10 in the U. S. if co-hosting is approved — and elsewhere, the opportunity to build a stronger soccer culture will be huge. The 2026 World Cup has seemed destined for the U. S. since the Dec. 2, 2010 loss to Qatar.
The U. S. could do it alone. It is unlikely Canada or Mexico could. Three- way co- hosting shapes as an appealing and more diplomatic path for the diverse FIFA membership.
The North American option is safe and bankable for FIFA, and a strong message was sent on Jan. 10. The U. S. and Canadian soccer presidents, Sunil Gulati and Victor Montagliani, were in the FIFA Council room deciding to expand to 48 teams. Mexico’s soccer president, Decio de Maria, also made the trip to Zurich, and took part in informal three- way talks. The signal was clear, and it helps that both Gulati and Montagliani are fluent Spanish speakers. No one is yet ready to confirm that threeway hosting is on, but no one will rule it out. Border issues and a big wall between the U. S. and Mexico, however, could be problematic for a co-hosted World Cup.
Of t he seven Muslimmajority countries subject to Trump’s executive order banning entry to the U. S., which might qualify for a 2026 World Cup? Iran and Iraq, maybe, on current form. Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Uzbekistan are also contenders for an expanded lineup. World soccer has had issues and found solutions to previous entry visa problems for fans and officials. For example, FIFA insisted Russia should ease its strict visa application process as a condition of hosting the 2018 World Cup.
Gulati and Montagliani have spoken cautiously about having faith in Trump’s support of sports. “We will work with him,” Gulati said. “A bid, if it should happen, relies heavily on co-operation with the government in a number of areas. I look forward to working with ( Trump). He is an avid sports fan.” Trump has offered backing for Los Angeles’ 2024 Olympics host bid, which is decided in September.