2026 FIFA World Cup (USA/Mexico/Canada)

[MJWalker45]

With the host cities announced, I figured separating the discussion from the 2022 tournament was for the best.

https://www.espn.com/soccer/fifa-world-cup/story/4686699/world-cup-2026-host-cities-revealedwith-11-venues-in-us3-in-mexico-and-2-in-canada

This will be the first tournament with 48 teams, and a total of 80 games to determine the champion. Unlike 2022, this will be played over the summer in North America. The biggest "shock" appears to be that Washington D.C/Baltimore wasn't given games, but according to some of the people that wear aware of what was offered in the D.C. bid, they were not willing to add as many extras for FIFA than the other bids in their area. The issues with FedEx Field and Daniel Snyder probably didn't help them either. Of the stadiums that will be used, Atlanta will have the youngest facility and Mexico City (Azteca) will have the oldest. The one advantage that this tournament has over more recent ones is that the stadiums are already built and have all hosted some of the best club teams in the world. So costs are already lower than for Russia, Brazil, Qatar and South Africa in regards to improving and creating new infrastructure. 

 

Most interesting to me is where the 48 countries involved will be based across the country. I'd expect MLS will be shut down for the entire first month of the tournament, if not the entire tournament, instead of just the group stages like they normally are since they may be giving up their training facilities to US Soccer and FIFA. USL Championship and USL One and Two could take advantage of new visitors to show off their product as well as a kind of doubleheader at the stadium , using their scoreboards as a giant television. It should be interesting as well to see how FIFA hands out the automatic positions for each confederation. UEFA currently gets 11 spots, but I'd expect them to get at least 16 spots in the new format, 6 for CONMEBOL and probably 4 spots for Concacaf, only because three teams are hosting the tournament instead of one or two at most. Oceania will probably still get screwed and have to go to the playoffs instead of getting a full spot. CAF will possibly move from 5 to 8, and the AFC from 4 to 6/7. 

 

Also, the set up is 16 groups of 3. So as long as you win one or those two games you're likely making the group of 32 knockout rounds. I think going by ranking could make life easier for the draw, but I wonder if they come up with some rule that UEFA can't have three teams in a group. They also won't give up the ability to milk a fashion/variety show out of picking where the 48 teams play and who they'll play.

 

[Crabcake]

Definitely bummed that D.C./Baltimore didn’t get picked but having Philly, New York, and Boston eases the blow. This is all assuming, of course, that I don’t have to take out a loan for the worst seat in the house to watch Ecuador-Zimbabwe. 

[Seadragon76]

The format for 2026, in terms of qualifying, the slots go like this:

 

Asia - 8

Africa - 9

North America - 6

South America - 6

Oceania - 1

Europe - 16

 

This means that Oceania, for the first time ever, will have an automatic spot in the World Cup. In terms of automatic spots, it is assumed that the three host nations will get them.

 

Now, if you have noticed... the math seems off. The numbers add up to 46. So, where's the final two slots?

 

That is where a playoff tournament comes in. There will be six teams - 1 from each region (except Europe) and 2 from North America - with the seeded teams (seeds come from the FIFA World Rankings) awaiting the winner of the play-in games.

[nickp91]

No DC but the stadium situation is nightmare

[DG_ThenNowForever]

9 minutes ago, nickp91 said:

No DC but the stadium situation is nightmare

 

Absolutely. Audi is too small, FedEx is in the middle of nowhere and a dump, and Baltimore isn't where Bob Kraft is. Or where the nation's capital is, for that matter.

 

While I think the northeast corridor is overrepresented, I think the committee mostly got it right. If I had my way, I'd get rid of Levi Stadium and Boston for Denver and Baltimore, but I don't feel especially strong about that. And while I'd say pick one of two for the Texas stadiums, they are really good multi-purpose stadiums and close to Mexico, so it makes sense.

 

The more I look at that map, the more it's a miracle Seattle's included. It's going to be so awesome.

[DEAD!]

11 minutes ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

 

Absolutely. Audi is too small, FedEx is in the middle of nowhere and a dump, and Baltimore isn't where Bob Kraft is. Or where the nation's capital is, for that matter.

 

While I think the northeast corridor is overrepresented, I think the committee mostly got it right. If I had my way, I'd get rid of Levi Stadium and Boston for Denver and Baltimore, but I don't feel especially strong about that. And while I'd say pick one of two for the Texas stadiums, they are really good multi-purpose stadiums and close to Mexico, so it makes sense.

 

The more I look at that map, the more it's a miracle Seattle's included. It's going to be so awesome.

I  think Seattle  was a natural choice. The decision to select Vancouver probably helps out with the logistics.

I think Santa Clara was chosen because of its proximity to VISA who has long been a FIFA sponsor. 

[Digby]

Seattle's kind of far out, but in tandem with Vancouver it makes for a nice "pod" (to the extent that's possible here) which I think FIFA likes to minimize travel strain. Denver didn't have that, especially without a Vegas or Phoenix bid which would have (relatively) eased the isolation, so that was probably points off.

 

I guess an ideal distribution in the Northeast would be Baltimore/DC, New York and Boston... but, Boston and Philly are both more touristy and affluent markets than Baltimore is (plus Gillette will be almost a brand-new stadium by 2026). It's a real shame the DC market itself has two giant stadiums in a race to see which one decays to dust first. 

[Dilbert]

DC merged their bid with Baltimore. The issues with FedExField and Dan Snyder were DCs issue so the games were gonna be played in Baltimore at M&T Bank Stadium with the fan fest events in DC. While not having the nations capitol hosting is a bummer this was the right move.  Each venue has its own pros and cons, some outweigh the others but even then some .

 

Baltimore/Washington: Pro: other than Washington being the nations capitol, nothing really special, Baltimore really had no chance even when Washington merged their bid, Con: Games in Baltimore while fan fest activities would be in Washington a little over and hour away, Dan Snyder, FedExField issues

Pasadena- Pro: Outdoor LA area venue, previously hosted World Cup games, Con: older venue, competing against SoFi, suburban LA

Orlando- Pro: good soccer market, Con: older venue, near Miami bid

Denver-Pro: Only Rocky Mountain area bid, larger city than KC, Con: close to KC bid. Honestly I would have picked Denver over KC and give Boston or Phillys bid to Cincinnati

Cincinnati-Pro: okay Im biased, its my home, hot soccer market, Venue upgrades were coming, Cons: competing against KC for a midwest spot, no Hunt family here

Nashville- Pro: hot soccer market, possible new venue in time for the games but Nissan still very well usable, Con: close to Atlanta bid

 

 

Boston- Pro: Bob Kraft, Con: Not located in Boston proper

Kansas City- Pro: Hunt family, Con: Oldest venue selected

San Francisco- Pro: West Coast, Con, Not in San Francisco proper

Miami- Pro: recently renovated stadium, heavy Hispanic market, Con: located in suburban Miami

Seattle- Pro: Hot Soccer market, Drew Carey, West Coast, Con: Close to the Vancouver bid

Philadelphia- Pro: East Coast market, Con: Near New York and Boston bids.

Los Angeles-Pro: West Coast, New venue, hot soccer market, second largest US market, Con: in suburban LA

Atlanta- Pro: Hot soccer market, Arthur Blank, Con: Indoor venue I guess

Houston- Pro: 4th largest US market, large Hispanic population, Con: indoor venue I guess, close to the Dallas bid

Dallas- Pro: One of the largest venues, Jerry Jones, Con: not in Dallas proper, indoor

New York- Pro: largest market, Con: in New Jersey

 

My issue is many of the venues are located in suburban areas with little to no reliable public transportation. The Northeast is a bit crowded with NY, Philly and Boston. New York was getting in either way though. Two Texas bids may be a bit much. Rocky Mountain and Great Lakes area not represented. Kansas Citys venue is the oldest and may be near the end of its useful life. I would have taken out Boston or Philly and given that spot to Cincinnati, and given Houstons spot to Denver.

 

[DG_ThenNowForever]

2 hours ago, Digby said:

Seattle's kind of far out, but in tandem with Vancouver it makes for a nice "pod" (to the extent that's possible here) which I think FIFA likes to minimize travel strain. Denver didn't have that, especially without a Vegas or Phoenix bid which would have (relatively) eased the isolation, so that was probably points off.

 

The two markets absolutely helped each other out. Vancouver being the only really suitable western Canadian option helped out quite a bit too; FIFA had to go with Vancouver for western Canada, and Seattle is right there, has a stadium, public transportation, and the hotel economy to support major tourism.  Denver/Seattle/Vancouver could have been kind of a "pod," but maybe more so culturally and vista-wise and less so geographically.

 

@Dilbert raises a good point on public transportation access. It's kind of there for MetLife, not at all there for Gillette and Lego Stadium, and I'm pretty sure not for the Texas options. Others I can't speak to. Get ready for lots and lots of shuttles, I guess.

 

Kind of a shocker Vegas and Phoenix aren't there. But then I guess the southwest would have been dramatically overrepresented.

[MJWalker45]

23 minutes ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

 

The two markets absolutely helped each other out. Vancouver being the only really suitable western Canadian option helped out quite a bit too; FIFA had to go with Vancouver for western Canada, and Seattle is right there, has a stadium, public transportation, and the hotel economy to support major tourism.  Denver/Seattle/Vancouver could have been kind of a "pod," but maybe more so culturally and vista-wise and less so geographically.

 

@Dilbert raises a good point on public transportation access. It's kind of there for MetLife, not at all there for Gillette and Lego Stadium, and I'm pretty sure not for the Texas options. Others I can't speak to. Get ready for lots and lots of shuttles, I guess.

 

Kind of a shocker Vegas and Phoenix aren't there. But then I guess the southwest would have been dramatically overrepresented.

For those less friendly public transportation areas, I'd expect them to set up temporary bus lines for the tournaments to run people into Foxboro and Santa Clara. For LA, I'd expect the fan zone will sit in the same area as the fan areas for the Super Bowl. Philly and Boston will have a preview of their areas with the 250th anniversary of the start of the Revolutionary War as I'd expect them to have rather large celebrations in their downtown areas, as will New York.

[GDAWG]

A couple of things:

 

- Is the MLS going to take a month long break due to the World Cup occupying some of the stadiums they are playing in?

- The North America World Cup bid doesn't have to worry about white elephants with their stadiums when it's over with.  2 MLS stadiums, 3 Liga MX stadiums and 11 NFL stadiums. Some countries have no idea as to what to do with their stadiums after their World Cups end because a lot of them were built largely for the World Cup.  That's not a problem at all for these stadiums.  We know what happens to these stadiums once the 2026 FIFA World Cup ends.  To be honest I find that to be boring as the unknown fate of venues after a World Cup and Olympics is what intrigues me the most.  

[officeglenn]

1 minute ago, GDAWG said:

- Is the MLS going to take a month long break due to the World Cup occupying some of the stadiums they are playing in?

 

Probably. It's not without precedent. Look at the European leagues that are all taking a month-long break in November-December this year so players can play in the Qatar World Cup.

[tigers]

Would of thought Ottawa or Quebec City could of got at least one game?

 

[officeglenn]

34 minutes ago, tigers said:

Would of thought Ottawa or Quebec City could of got at least one game?

 

 

They never even threw their names in the hat. Their outdoor stadiums aren't up to FIFA standards.

 

It was initially Vancouver (BC Place), Edmonton (Commonwealth Stadium), Toronto (BMO Field) and Montreal (Olympic Stadium), and it was only ever likely two would be chosen. Vancouver dropped out for a while, citing costs. That left Toronto, Edmonton and Montreal, and it was thought they were in that order as Olympic Stadium was in rough shape and needed too many renovations.

 

Montreal eventually dropped out altogether. But then Vancouver came back in, likely due to the influence of CONCACAF president and FIFA vice-president Victor Montagliani, who is from Vancouver himself. That pretty much killed Edmonton's chances, along with some pretty outlandish demands that the Alberta government tied their funding to (minimum five games, including two in the knockout rounds -- I don't think any of the host cities, save maybe Los Angeles or New York, are getting that many games).

[Brian in Boston]

4 hours ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

@Dilbert raises a good point on public transportation access. It's... not at all there for Gillette

There is public transportation access to Gillette Stadium. The Foxboro stop on the MBTA Commuter Rail's  Franklin/Foxboro line from Boston is a 5-to-7-minute walk from Gillette Stadium. Service to Patriots games and other special events at the Foxboro stop has been available for years. A daily commuter pilot program - subsidized by the Kraft Group - began in 2019, only to be put on hold within a year due to the COVID pandemic. The Foxboro stop can also be accessed - and has been - by special event trains running out of Rhode Island on the MBTA's Providence branch of the Providence/Stoughton Line.

I would be shocked if the Kraft family and the powers-that-be within Massachusetts state government don't already have the wheels in motion - no pun intended - to provide MBTA rail service to Gillette Stadium for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.       

[MJWalker45]

5 hours ago, GDAWG said:

A couple of things:

 

- Is the MLS going to take a month long break due to the World Cup occupying some of the stadiums they are playing in?

- The North America World Cup bid doesn't have to worry about white elephants with their stadiums when it's over with.  2 MLS stadiums, 3 Liga MX stadiums and 11 NFL stadiums. Some countries have no idea as to what to do with their stadiums after their World Cups end because a lot of them were built largely for the World Cup.  That's not a problem at all for these stadiums.  We know what happens to these stadiums once the 2026 FIFA World Cup ends.  To be honest I find that to be boring as the unknown fate of venues after a World Cup and Olympics is what intrigues me the most.  

I'd say at least a month off, if not off for the entire tournament. Normally they shut down just for group games, but in 4 years they may have the likes of Neymar, Ronaldo and Messi in the States and probably a few more senior players if the salary cap is significantly higher or removed. I could see Atlanta and Toronto being used up until the quarters, and Seattle could possibly be a semi-final location if they don't plan on having the Azteca involved past the first two knockout rounds. 

[Digby]

Foxboro has a commuter rail stop on stadium property just for the big special events — Patriots games, Beyoncé concerts, etc. (The Revs could benefit the most from it but don’t draw enough people to make it worth running, lol.) So that’ll certainly run for any WC26 games. 
 

It’s painfully slow, the trains are limited, and one of Gillette’s few advantages is having a nice tailgate, but there ya go. A nice thing is that this stop has access in both directions so they run trains from both Boston and Providence.

 

Philadephia and Atlanta at least have their own subway stops, which is nice for them.

[SeaTac]

If New York gets the final then I could see L.A. and Atlanta getting the semifinals. 

[tigers]

On 6/19/2022 at 6:20 AM, officeglenn said:

 

They never even threw their names in the hat. Their outdoor stadiums aren't up to FIFA standards.

 

It was initially Vancouver (BC Place), Edmonton (Commonwealth Stadium), Toronto (BMO Field) and Montreal (Olympic Stadium), and it was only ever likely two would be chosen. Vancouver dropped out for a while, citing costs. That left Toronto, Edmonton and Montreal, and it was thought they were in that order as Olympic Stadium was in rough shape and needed too many renovations.

 

Montreal eventually dropped out altogether. But then Vancouver came back in, likely due to the influence of CONCACAF president and FIFA vice-president Victor Montagliani, who is from Vancouver himself. That pretty much killed Edmonton's chances, along with some pretty outlandish demands that the Alberta government tied their funding to (minimum five games, including two in the knockout rounds -- I don't think any of the host cities, save maybe Los Angeles or New York, are getting that many games).

 

Thanks for the explanation, just thought it was super weird that Canada only got two spots.

[GDAWG]

I heard here locally on the radio that one team that will likely be affected by the 2026 World Cup games at the "House that Jerry Built" will be the MLB team the Texas Rangers.  Both their old stadium (which is now multipurpose use for football, rugby, soccer) and their new stadium are across the street from AT&T Stadium, so it will be hard to imagine any Rangers home games at the same time as the 2026 FIFA World Cup, at least in the group stages.  One of the hosts thinks it will result in the Rangers going on the road for a week or two.  On the rare occasions that the Cowboys and Rangers are playing at home on the same day (albeit at different times, especially if the Rangers have a mid afternoon game on Sunday and the Cowboys play on Sunday Night across the street) that area tends to get way too crowded.