Ahead of this yr’s World Cup event, set to start on Nov. 20 in Qatar, soccer fans worldwide are questioning what the following one will appear to be in 2026.
Set to be hosted by three international locations for the primary time, the 2026 World Cup will probably be held within the U.S., Mexico and Canada. Spanning 16 cities and with 48 groups (for the primary time) set to play, plans for the event have been effectively underway for the reason that three North American international locations, often known as the “United 2026,” started their bid in 2009 to host the World Cup.
FIFA hopes that the collaboration between america Soccer Federation, the Canadian Soccer Affiliation and the Mexican Soccer Federation will beckon a brand new chapter for “the world’s primary sport,” channeling a world method that spreads the event’s wealth and inspiration.
Right here’s what to know:
Who’s internet hosting the following World Cup?
Inside the three international locations, the event will traverse 16 cities. Two cities in Canada will host video games, three in Mexico and 11 within the U.S.:
- Boston, U.S.
- Atlanta, U.S.
- Dallas, U.S.
- Guadalajara, Mexico
- Houston, U.S.
- Kansas Metropolis, U.S.
- Los Angeles, U.S.
- Mexico Metropolis, Mexico
- Miami, U.S.
- Monterrey, Mexico
- New York/New Jersey, U.S.
- Philadelphia U.S.
- San Francisco Bay Space, U.S.
- Seattle, U.S.
- Toronto, Canada
- Vancouver, Canada
Matches will happen in main stadiums inside the cities, together with the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, Azteca Stadium in Mexico Metropolis and BC Place in Vancouver.
“At this time is a historic day for everybody in these cities and states, for FIFA, for Canada, the usA and Mexico who will placed on the best present on Earth,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino stated the host cities had been introduced on June 16 this yr. “We stay up for working along with them to ship what will probably be an unprecedented FIFA World Cup and a game-changer as we try to make soccer actually world.”
Infantino stated that the logic behind choosing a various set of 16 cities to host the matches is to make soccer extra accessible for youngsters elsewhere, to generate billions in income throughout these places and to understand “goals for tens of millions of individuals.” Increasing the variety of groups enjoying within the recreation from the same old 32 to 48 for the primary time can also be a part of that technique.
How will it work?
The 2026 World Cup will happen in June and July, however with a lengthier timeframe than typical to accommodate the additional groups and subsequent matches. FIFA remains to be planning the logistics of methods to stage the 80 matches that the 2026 World Cup will encompass throughout its many venues.
Soccer’s governing physique has made it clear that it desires the event to be as seamless and to restrict journey for groups and guests as a lot as doable. Sixty video games will probably be within the U.S., together with 10 in Mexico and 10 in Canada. Moreover, FIFA hopes to coordinate regional teams of cities to make journey between matches simpler, in keeping with NBC Sports activities.
The 48 qualifying groups will probably be cut up into 16 teams of three. Every workforce will play two matches towards different groups of their group, reasonably than three matches like in earlier World Cups. The primary and second place winners will transfer on to the following spherical between 32 groups. From there, the video games will ultimately be narrowed all the way down to 16 groups and observe the same old World Cup process to get to the ultimate. It has not been formally introduced the place the ultimate will probably be held but.
Because the first World Cup in 1930, host international locations have robotically certified as contributors. In August, FIFA confirmed that the three host groups will probably be assured to play within the event. The one different occasion of a number of international locations internet hosting the World Cup collectively was in 2002 with Japan and South Korea. FIFA tailored its qualifying components to pick out a number of further groups from every league for the bigger enjoying pool.
“This has at all times been a FIFA World Cup of three international locations, and that undoubtedly can have an incredible affect on the entire area and the broader soccer neighborhood,” FIFA vice chairman and Concacaf president Victor Montagliani stated in an announcement this June.
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