The United Bid of Canada, Mexico, and the United States was selected to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ earlier today by the 68th FIFA Congress in Moscow. Kansas City is one of 23 Candidate Host Cities in the United Bid.
Fan Celebration: Kansas City is invited to celebrate today’s announcement and have a beer on Sporting KC, No Other Pub and Anheuser-Busch from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at No Other Pub (1370 Grand Blvd.) in the Kansas City Power and Light District.
“The United Bid’s successful effort in bringing the 2026 World Cup to North America is a monumental breakthrough for soccer in the United States, Canada and Mexico,” said Cliff Illig, Sporting Kansas City owner. “As a result of these three nations and countless individuals collaborating to deliver an excellent bid, we are now in position to elevate and advance the sport like never before. We are proud of Kansas City’s involvement in the United Bid and look forward to 2026 with tremendous excitement. This is a reward for our unwavering belief and commitment to the growth of soccer, and we will continue to make major strides over the next eight years to ensure that we stage an unforgettable World Cup.”
Today's vote, which occurred a day before the start of the 2018 FIFA World Cup™ in Russia, also marks the first time three nations have been selected to co-host a FIFA World Cup™ and the first time the FIFA World Cup™ will be played in North America in 32 years. The United Bid offers FIFA and its 211 Member Associations unity, certainty, and opportunity as they prepare to host the largest FIFA World Cup™ in history, which will be expanded to a 48-team format.
With the FIFA Congress decision to award the 2026 FIFA World Cup™, to the federations of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, the three nations will jointly manage preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ until FIFA establishes their operations to manage the competition. Among other decisions, FIFA will make the final selection of host cities for the 2026 competition from the 23 candidates proposed in the United Bid.
Each of the United Bid's 23 proposed stadiums are fully built, occupied, and operational, ensuring long-term use following the 2026 FIFA World Cup™. In addition, the United Bid has 150 existing world-class training facilities, millions of hotel rooms, and advanced infrastructure.
The United Bid is expected to generate more than $14 billion in revenue and $11 billion in profits for FIFA, which will be shared with the 211 FIFA Member Associations, helping further develop and expand the game of football across the globe.
2026 FIFA World Cup Facts and Figures:
Number of Teams: 48
Number of Matches: 80
Number of Players: +1,100
Candidate Host Cites: 23
Proposed Training Sites: 150
Projected Revenue: $14 billion
Projected Profit: $11 billion
Projected Economic Impact: $5 billion
Projected Ticket Sales: 5.8 million
