United States, Canada, Mexico to host 2026 World Cup
Three North and Central American countries will host the first 48-team World Cup.
The decision was made by FIFA on the afternoon of June 13, during a general assembly meeting in Moscow, one day before the 2018 World Cup opened.
The alliance of the three countries of the United States, Canada and Mexico won overwhelmingly against its competitor Morocco, with 134 and 65 votes respectively.
The Ghana Football Association was the only association that did not participate in the vote due to its earlier dissolution.
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FIFA President congratulates the winning side. Photo:EPA |
The 2026 World Cup will be the first football world finals to be hosted by three countries. Previously, in 2002, Japan and South Korea were the first two-country alliance to host the biggest tournament on the planet.
The defeat to the North and Central American nations was Morocco's fifth failed bid to host the World Cup, having previously failed to win the bids in 1994, 1998, 2006 and 2010.
The 2026 World Cup will also be the first tournament to feature 48 teams in the final round. According to a decision made by FIFA in January 2017, the participating teams will be divided into 16 groups. The top two teams in each group will advance to the knockout stage. In total, the 2026 World Cup will feature 80 matches, 25% more than the current 32-team version.
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Leaders of the US, Mexico and Canada congratulate each other. Photo:AFP |
The 2026 World Cup will be Mexico's third time hosting the world's biggest tournament. They previously hosted the 1970 and 1986 World Cups. For the United States, it will be their second time, after hosting the 1994 World Cup. For Canada, 2026 will be their first time.
Of the three hosts of the 2026 World Cup, only Mexico qualified for the 2018 World Cup. As the host of the tournament in eight years, Canada will make its second appearance at the world football finals.
Also at the meeting on June 13, FIFA announced plans to host 80 matches of the 2026 World Cup. Accordingly, 60 matches will take place in the United States. The remaining two countries will each host 10 matches. From the quarter-finals onwards, all matches will take place in the United States. The final will take place at MetLife Stadium, with a capacity of 85,000 seats.
