USA, CANADA AND MEXICO: world cup 2026 hosting talk

GENEVA (AP) — When Donald Trump
was just a presidential candidate, 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 now President Trump.
A widely speculated three-way 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 President
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 be 32 years since the
regional soccer body known as
CONCACAF 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 for FIFA-standard
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.
Here are some things to know about the
2026 World Cup, and how it could be
affected by President Trump, who will no
longer be president in 2026.
___
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
Right now, there is no official 2026 World
Cup bidding contest.
No FIFA invitation to potential bidders.
No American pledge to enter. No formal
deals to work with either or both of
Mexico and Canada.
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 center of attention. It is
for them to lead a member federation’s
bid, not governments.
Still, FIFA seeks assurances that
lawmakers will support staging a month-
long tournament where federal planning
and spending on security is vital.
In the most recent World Cup bid
contests, Russia’s then-prime minister
Vladimir Putin and Qatar’s then-Emir
were closely tied to their winning bids
and were in Zurich to celebrate.
Former President Bill Clinton lobbied in
Zurich to support the American 2022 bid
which lost a final-round vote to Qatar.
___
WHY DOES THE U.S. WANT TO BID?
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.
Ever since, CONCACAF leaders have said
the World Cup must eventually return to
the region. That feeling survived the
soccer body’s turmoil and rehabilitation
after many officials were removed by the
ongoing U.S. Department of Justice
investigation of bribery in international
soccer.
Three weeks ago, the prospect of
American-led hosting improved when
FIFA agreed to add 16 more teams in
2026. That extra organizational load can
be carried only by hosts with high-level
infrastructure, or willing to fund a multi-
billion dollar building spree.
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.
___
GOOD NEIGHBORS
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.
There is warmth across North American
soccer that is currently missing between
President Trump and Mexico’s President
Enrique Pena Nieto, who abruptly
canceled a planned visit to Washington
this week.
No one is yet ready to confirm that three-
way hosting is on, but no one will rule it
out.
“We will look at it. We have great
relationships with Canada and Mexico,”
Gulati said in October.
Border issues and a big wall between the
U.S. and Mexico could be problematic for
a co-hosted World Cup.
National security is always the
responsibility of major sports event hosts
and FIFA would not want two
administrations which are unable to
cooperate on World Cup projects.
___
VISA ISSUES
Of the seven Muslim-majority 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.
FIFA insisted Russia should ease its strict
visa application process as a condition of
hosting the 2018 World Cup. A law signed
last year calls for fans buying tickets to
get an ID number instead of a visa from
the government.
The FIFA meeting in May in Bahrain has
already been affected by visa problems.
The original venue of Kuala Lumpur was
withdrawn by Malaysia, citing problems
allowing entry to some delegates,
including officials from Israel.
___
TRUMP’S PERSONAL SUPPORT
Gulati and Montagliani have spoken
cautiously about having faith in Trump’s
support of sports.
“We will work with him,” Gulati said on
the sidelines of a U.S. vs. Mexico World
Cup qualifying match days after his
election. “A bid, if it should happen,
relies heavily on cooperation with the
government in a number of areas. I look
forward to working with (President
Trump). He is an avid sports fan.”
“A big sports guy and he’s proven that in
the past,” Canada’s Montagliani official
said at FIFA on Jan. 10 of the U.S.
President.
As president-elect, Trump offered
backing for Los Angeles’ 2024 Olympics
host bid which is decided in September.
When the U.S. last bid for the World
Cup, Trump was the long-time landlord
to CONCACAF in Trump Tower on Fifth
Avenue. The soccer body has since left
Manhattan for Miami.
Trump Tower also housed the now-
disgraced Chuck Blazer, then the most
senior American at FIFA during the
2018-2022 bidding, and the star
cooperating witness in the DoJ’s case that
rocked FIFA since May 2015.
One indicted suspect in the case still
resides in Trump Tower under house
arrest: Jose Maria Marin was chairman of
2014 World Cup organizing committee in
his native Brazil.