The U.S., Canada and Mexico on Wednesday won the right to jointly host soccer’s 2026 World Cup, which will be the first time the event has been held on the continent since 1994.
The united bid faced only one challenger, Morocco, which lost by a vote of 134-65, the New York Times reported.
“Thank you for the incredible privilege,” U.S. Soccer President Carlos Cordeiro told the FIFA members in a short speech after the vote. “Football today is the only victor.”
This is the first time all three countries will be hosting the World Cup, but the majority of the matches will be held on U.S. soil. Out of the 80 matches, 60 will be in the U.S., 10 will be held in Canada, and 10 will be held in Mexico.
The bid pledged there would be record crowds, record revenues, and possibly a record of $11 billion in profit for the world soccer’s governing body, FIFA.
Mexican President Pena Nieto said when talking about the 2026 World Cup that the three North American countries are “deeply united” by soccer.
#BREAKING World Cup 2026 award is recognition that Mexico, US and Canada are ‘deeply united’ by football: Mexican President Pena Nieto pic.twitter.com/JoboRuEfuX
— AFP news agency (@AFP) June 13, 2018
President Trump praised the move by the North America trio, saying the effort to win the bid was a “great deal of hard work.”
“The U.S., together with Mexico and Canada, just got the World Cup. Congratulations — a great deal of hard work!”
The U.S., together with Mexico and Canada, just got the World Cup. Congratulations – a great deal of hard work!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 13, 2018
President Barack Obama famously lobbied to let the U.S. host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022, but failed to convince FIFA to send the games to America.
The U.S., Canada, and Mexico were able to offer FIFA a ready-made World Cup infrastructure with 23 stadiums that are already built willing to be potential hosts, and many of the infrastructure already in place such as training sites, hotels, airports, and rail lines.
The U.S. hosted the World Cup in 1994, Mexico hosted in 1970 and 1986, and Canada has never hosted the event.
