FIFA president Gianni Infantino got his wish for a 48-team World Cup in 2026 and now he wants a co-hosted tournament. That increases the likelihood that the USA will share the 2026 hostingrights with Mexico and Canada.
And in an interview with Reuters’ Simon Evans, Canadian Victor Montagliani, the Concacaf president,
FIFA has every interest in having a co-hosted World Cup. A 48-team World Cup otherwise limits the number of countries who can host the tournament on their own to about a halfdozen. In Concacaf, the United States is the only country that could realistically organize the tournament on its own.
A co-hosted tournament in 2026 within Concacaf also eliminates thepossibility of a contested race. We all know what happened in 2010 when Russia and Qatar were awarded the hosting rights to the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Of the 24 executive committee members who weresupposed to vote, two were suspended for asking for bribes before the vote took place, and 14 others have since been banned for life or in some manner disciplined.
All these years later,the bidding races for the 2006 and 2010 are being investigated. The bidding contest between Japan and South Korea for the 2002 World Cup was so contested that when it came time for a vote in 1996 FIFAdecided to have these rivals co-host the tournament.
There is nothing like that bitter feeling among the three North American rivals. U.S. Soccer and Montagliani’s CSA are connected viaMLS, the NASL, USL and NWSL. The Mexican soccer federation has close commercial ties in the United States. All three federations must present — usually — a united front in the face of the strengthin numbers of Concacaf’s Caribbean bloc.
The lingering question about a North America-hosted World Cup is what is the impact of Donald Trump‘s election as U.S. president. Not forthe first time, Montagliani said he is not concerned.
“Not withstanding some of the politics that is occurring in this part of the world, Trump has been pretty consistent in his supportof global events and sport throughout his career as a businessman. I am not sure I would see that necessarily changing now that he is a president,” he said. “It is important, if we are going to dosomething like this, that we get it right from a football and administration end before we start worrying about anything above that. But I am also confident that a World Cup, the only thing of itskind would, no pun intended, trump politics.”
It remains to be seen when the USA, Canada and Mexico might come out in favor of co-hosted tournament. Given the chaotic nature to the startof the Trump administration, now is probably not the time.
Originally, FIFA was supposed to decide the 2026 World Cup host in May at its congress. FIFA delayed the bidding after theZurich arrests of May 2015. Concerns that the U.S. government would not fully support a U.S. bid because of the FIFA scandals were a real issue.
It would be no surprise if FIFA held offpromulgating the bidding rules until later in the year when questions about USA-Mexico relations die down or are at least clarified and the Trump administration is in a position to focus on secondaryissues like a North America World Cup.
The 2026 World Cup is still nine years out — plenty of time for everyone to get their ducks in a row.
It’s laughable to even consider that the Trump administration may be in a position to focus on the World Cup later this year. It would be a minor miracle if they’re ready to focus on national security by then.
In any regard, the US should prepare a bid to host it alone. Just in case.
I think the best strategy is to keep Trump as far away from this bid as possible.
Does it need to be pointed out that Trump will not be President in 2026? So, while there may be concerns about things happening now, by 2026 a new administration will be in place, it might even be two removed if Trump only serves one term.
Why not go to an NCAA March Madness format with regional centers then a Final Four or Final Eight?
We don’t need a co-host. If there is one let it be Canada. Mexico has had two of their own. Three countries would be way too much grief for fans, not that FIFA would care.
I think FIFA and the US could improve their standing in world football if both supported a CONCACAF program to help build one world-class facility per country in marginalized locations like Haiti and Honduras (along with a modern wastewater plant to support local sanitation). We don’t need to host–Canada would be a good candidate as well, if they can plant enough sod pitches.
The host for 2026 will be decided in 2020 when Trump will still be serving his current term.
If it will mean more jobs for Americans right now then trump might be interested. If not then no.
What;s the point of building world-class facilities in venues where they would stand empty the rest of the time after the World cup was over? Didn’t anyone pay attention to the Brazilians criticizing both the Olympics and WC for wasting billions of $$$ on facilities that could have otherwise been spent on things that could have made a real long term difference for their citizens (like water-treatment facilities).
FIFA should have their own program that takes 10 or 20% of their profits and spends it on necessary development in underdeveloped member countries. Better use of money than bribing themselves.