North Texas might host a World Cup for the first time since 1994.
In a recent announcement on the organization’s venue selection process, FIFA confirmed Dallas as a finalist of 23 cities to host the 2026 World Cup games.
Due to the pandemic, the process of selecting the 16 final host cities has been delayed yet again, with the international governing body for soccer, hoping to make their decision in the final three months of this year.
Presently, 23 cities across the US, Mexico, and Canada, are in contention to host 2026 World Cup games:
United States: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York/New Jersey, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay area, Seattle, and Washington, DC.
Mexico: Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey.
Canada: Edmonton, Montreal, Toronto.
The US will host 60 matches, including the quarterfinals, semis, and finals, in 10 of the 17 cities listed above. Mexico and Canada will both host 10 matches.
If FIFA selects Dallas as a host, games will be played at the AT&T Stadium.
“We feel like we’re placed very well. We have great partners here who really understand what this FIFA World Cup could mean to this region, not only the economic impact that it could generate, the jobs it could generate, but the global media coverage and continuing to place the North Texas region on the international sports stage,” said executive director of the Dallas Sports Commission, Monica Paul.
Qatar is set to host the next World Cup games in 2022.
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