FIFA, world football’s governing body, wrapped up a site tour of potential venues for the 2026 World Cup to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico on Monday with a stop in Toronto, saying the cities will decide on April. can be expected to be in .
After inspecting 22 cities and 23 venues, the FIFA delegation will now submit a report from which 16 hosts will be chosen, although FIFA’s Chief Tournament and Events Officer Colin Smith suggested that the numbers were not written in stone.
Smith said after a lunch-time media conference on the top floor of the Toronto hotel overlooking Canada’s national stadium BMO Field, “When the bid was submitted the 16 was referred to and we have taken note but ultimately it Depends on FIFA.” “We will finish these visits and then we will decide on the most suitable number to host the tournament.
“We have not yet determined the exact time (of the venue announcement), but I suspect it will be higher in April than in March.
Toronto and Edmonton are the two Canadian cities bidding for the Games while Guadalajara, Monterrey and Mexico City are Mexico’s candidates.
With the 2026 World Cup expanding to a record 48 teams, the combined bid calls for Canada and Mexico get 10 games each, with the rest going to the United States.
Possible US locations are Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York/New Jersey, Orlando, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle and Washington, DC.
The FIFA delegation looked at everything from infrastructure to heritage projects to stadiums and practice facilities.
“Overall we are absolutely pleased with the quality of the productions,” said Smith. “It’s been a very competitive process, which is going to make our decision more difficult.”
Vancouver, the venue for the 2015 Women’s World Cup final, has expressed interest in World Cup action of late, but CONCACAF president and FIFA vice-president Victor Montagliani threw cold water at the suggestion on Monday.
“I know the Premier of British Columbia (John Horgan) had expressed some interest and that is great,” said Montagliani, who is headed by Joe Smith, Toronto Mayor John Tory and Lisa McLeod, Ontario’s Minister of Heritage, Sports. had joined the table. Tourism and Culture. “But right now we are working with the players that we have, not the players who are not in the team.”
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