The United States, Canada, and Mexico will host the 2026 World Cup after beating Morocco in the voting held in Moscow, Russia.

On Wednesday, June 13, the united bid of the three North American countries won 134 to 65 against Morocco.

According to US Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro, hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup is a rare and important moment to show that everyone can be united through sports. Cordeiro also thanked the FIFA-member associations who supported the North American bid.

Cordeiro says the key to their success was the united move between the three countries and members of the CONCACAF region. With the hosting bid now in its hand, Cordeiro said they are excited about the opportunity and the chance to lay out the path for future generations.

For Steven Reed, president of Canada Soccer, hosting the FIFA World Cup is an extraordinary honor and privilege for their association. The three North American countries are ready to serve as stewards that will usher in the largest FIFA World Cup in history, Reed added.

Decio de Maria, president of Mexico Football Federation, said they would use the event to unite the world around football. The event will also serve as a new and sustainable blueprint that can be used for future FIFA World Cups.

Why North America Won?

Under the scheme, the three countries will jointly conduct preparations for the event until FIFA establishes its operation and take over the running of the competition. FIFA will also have the final say in the host cities for the 2026 competition, as proposed by the three North American Countries.

The North American countries convinced voters that they would be able to host the event effectively. When it comes to profit, they promised around $11 billion of profit and over $14 billion in revenue. Those numbers, if reached, will surpass previous World Cup records.

North America Has Enough Infrastructure

The North American countries also showed that they have the necessary infrastructure to host the 48-team tournament. They have 23 potential stadiums that can swerve as venues, 17 of which are ready for the event while six will require renovations, which will be finished well before the tournament.

In addition, the North American countries have 150 world-class training centers for participants and enough hotel rooms for the influx of sports enthusiasts from different parts of the world. Based on the proposal, 60 of the 80 games will be played in the United States while Canada and Mexico will host 10 games each.

Related