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News > Sport

US, Canada and Mexico Plan to Bid for 2026 World Cup

  • CONCACAF is now being considered for two additional spots in the World Cup Finals by FIFA, to make it six.

    CONCACAF is now being considered for two additional spots in the World Cup Finals by FIFA, to make it six. | Photo: AFP

Published 9 April 2017
Opinion

CONCACAF has not hosted the FIFA World Cup since the tournament was played at nine U.S. venues in 1994.

According to an unnamed source, the U.S., Mexico and Canada are planning to announce a joint bid to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The World Cup is the most widely-viewed sporting event in the world. Soccer is arguably the most popular sport outside of the U.S.

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Reports are that the Confederation of North and Central America and Caribbean Association Football, best known as CONCACAF, decided to revisit the languishing bid. The organization is rumored to have been concerned about the probability of the proposal not being greenlit under a Donald Trump presidency, which has created an antagonistic relationship with Mexico. The country, which sits south of the U.S., is a CONCACAF heavyweight that carries great clout in any soccer-related proposal. Mexico is among an elite group of five countries that have hosted the premier soccer event more than once. In addition to the Latin American giants, Italy, France, Germany (once as West Germany) and Brazil are the only other countries to have done so.

The confederation decided to go ahead with the bid at yesterday's meeting in Aruba, according to the source – who was speaking on condition of anonymity –stating in a news release that the countries will be making a "historic announcement”.

The hosting rights are set to be decided in May 2020. CONCACAF has not hosted the World Cup since the tournament was played at nine U.S. venues in 1994. The region appears to be the leading contender for the 2026 gig, which will be the first-ever, 48-nation event – up from 32. "I think now that there is the potential of 48 teams then a three-nation tournament can happen," former U.S. forward and ESPN analyst Taylor Twellman said. "Does the U.S. need the other two? No, they don't but it does make for a unique opportunity for North America to host the tournament."

The North American bid appears very plausible, considering FIFA barred Europe and Asia from entering the 2026 race because those continents will have hosted the previous two tournaments. Additionally, South American soccer leaders are hoping to host a centenary World Cup in 2030. And experts have ruled out Africa as an unrealistic option.

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CONCACAF is now being considered for two additional spots in the World Cup Finals by FIFA, to make it six. Three of these six spots would automatically become host spots if the U.S., Canada and Mexico are awarded the gig. Currently, the region awards three automatic slots and a fourth by way of a playoff.

The U.S. has recently lost bids to host both the 2018 (Russia) and 2022 (Qatar) events. FIFA executive committee and president of the U.S. Soccer Federation, Sunil Gulat, said the U.S. would have to see changes in the bidding process before participating again.

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