Will Baltimore Make The List? FIFA Plans To Announce 2026 World Cup Sites On June 16
CHICAGO (AP/WJZ) — FIFA intends to announce the 2026 World Cup sites during a news conference in New York on June 16.
Seventeen U.S. stadiums in 16 areas -- including M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore -- remain in the bidding for the first 48-team World Cup. Three stadiums each in Canada and Mexico are expected to be used.
The 2026 World Cup will be the first with three co-hosts. FIFA selected the bid as joint host in June 2018.
Sixty games are to be played in the U.S., including all from the quarterfinals on. Canada and Mexico are to host 10 games each.
In April, Baltimore and Washington D.C. merged their bids in the hope of landing matches at M&T Bank Stadium, home of the NFL's Baltimore Ravens, and a fan festival on the National Mall in the nation's capital, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said.
"I am extremely excited to join forces with the District of Columbia to strengthen our bid to host the FIFA World Cup 2026," said Scott. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bring another world-class event to Charm City. Mayor Bowser and I want to ensure we give our cities the best opportunity to win this major event which will provide massive economic boosts for both urban centers."
Washington organizers initially proposed hosting games at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland, home of the NFL's Washington Commanders. Opened in 1997, the field was among the older facilities that initially bid in 2017. It hosted matches during the 1999 Women's World Cup. D.C.'s RFK Stadium was the site of matches during the 1994 men's World Cup and is slated for demolition.
In September, representatives from FIFA and U.S. Soccer toured M&T Bank Stadium and other sports facilities in Baltimore.
The Maryland Sports Commission has led the charge to bring World Cup matches to Baltimore.
Prior to FIFA's visit last summer, the group touted M&T Bank Stadium's downtown location and the proximity of hotel rooms, training facilities and other atrractions.
"Situated just 10 miles from the BWI Marshall International Airport and with more than 10,000 hotel rooms within walking distance, the stadium and city plans are also consistently praised for offering a great fan experience and generating a real sports-mad city buzz," organizers said in a press release.
Scott, Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford and local sports apparel company Under Armour have all thrown support behind the bid.
FIFA's plan envisioned 16 total sites for the tournament. The organization targeted mid-May for announcing site selections, and then pushed that back a month.
Chicago, Minneapolis and Arizona dropped out in March 2018 because of what city officials said were burdensome financial demands by FIFA. At the time, Charlotte, North Carolina; Las Vegas; Salt Lake City; and Tampa, Florida, were cut.
Montreal dropped out last August after the Quebec provincial government withdrew its support. It was replaced in April by Vancouver, British Columbia, which made an initial bid in 2017, then said in March 2018 it had been rejected because it refused to comply with FIFA's requirements that include tax waivers and putting agreements under Swiss law.
The remaining areas and stadiums:
UNITED STATES
Arlington, Texas, AT&T Stadium; Atlanta, Mercedes-Benz Stadium; Baltimore, M&T Bank Stadium; Cincinnati, Paul Brown Stadium; Denver, Empower Field at Mile High; East Rutherford, New Jersey, MetLife Stadium; Foxborough, Massachusetts, Gillette Stadium; Houston, NRG Stadium; Inglewood, California, SoFi Stadium; Kansas City, Missouri, Arrowhead Stadium; Miami Gardens, Florida, Hard Rock Stadium; Nashville, Tennessee, Nissan Stadium; Orlando, Florida, Camping World Stadium; Pasadena, California, Rose Bowl; Philadelphia, Lincoln Financial Field; Santa Clara, California, Levi's Stadium; Seattle, Lumen Field.
CANADA
Edmonton, Alberta, Commonwealth Stadium; Toronto, BMO Field; Vancouver, British Columbia, B.C. Place.
MEXICO
Guadalajara, Estadio Akron; Mexico City, Estadio Azteca; Monterrey, Estadio BBVA.
