US, Canada and Mexico win joint bid to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup
- The World Cup is returning to North American soil.
- A joint-bid from the US, Mexico, and Canada, dubbed "United 2026," defeated Morocco's proposal in a landslide vote in Russia on Wednesday.
- The 2026 World Cup final will take place in the MetLife Stadium in New York City.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is heading to North America after a joint bid from the United States, Canada, and Mexico defeated Morocco in a landslide vote.
The North America proposal, dubbed "United 2026," was an overwhelmingly popular choice amongst FIFA nation members as it received 134 votes - significantly more than Morocco's 65 votes.
"Football is the only victor," US Soccer boss Carlos Cordeiro said, according to BBC. "We are all united in football. Thank you so, so much for this incredible honour. Thank you for entrusting us with this privilege."
Earlier in the year, there were fears that opposition to US President Donald Trump could endanger the US-led bid for the 2026 World Cup, but those fears were allayed at the 68th Fifa Congress in Moscow, Russia on Wednesday.
Here's a photo from the event:
President Trump tweeted his congratulations to those involved in winning the right to host the competition.
The 2026 tournament will be the first to feature 48 teams after FIFA approved expansion from the traditional field of 32 competitors.
There will be 16 host cities split between the US (10), Canada (three), and Mexico (three). 60 matches will take place in the US with the remaining 20 split evenly between Canada and Mexico. The MetLife Stadium in New York City will host the prestigious World Cup final.
Cordeiro claimed the 2026 World Cup will generate $14 billion in revenue - that is an $11 billion profit for FIFA.
The US hosted the World Cup in 1994, while the tournament was held twice in Mexico (1970 and 1986).