Washington, D.C., launched its bid Tuesday to be one of the host cities when the 2026 World Cup comes to North America.
“With our deep soccer roots and diversity, the culture of our city gives us the foundation to successfully highlight FIFA World Cup 2026, and leave a lasting impact on the future of the game,” D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid, a native Washingtonian and co-chair of the bid committee DC2026, posted on Instagram.
The 2026 World Cup will be a unique experience with an estimated 10 host cities across the United States plus six more venues split between Mexico and Canada. Sixty of the 80 games will take place in the U.S., including the quarterfinals, semifinals and the final.
Washington was a host city for the 1994 World Cup.
“D.C. is a world-class experience for visitors of all ages across the globe, with world-leading mobility infrastructure, culturally diverse neighborhoods and attractions, and importantly a proven track record in hosting some of soccer’s most globally recognized moments,” EventsDC chairman Max Brown told The Washington Post.
Neighboring Baltimore has also thrown its hat in the ring, along with Atlanta, Boston, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York/New Jersey, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle. Potential sites for the 10 games in Canada are Edmonton, Montreal and Toronto, while Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey could host the 10 games in Mexico.
Final selections are not expected until 2021.
(Field Level Media)
