2026 World Cup Hosts?

With the next three World Cup finals to be held in Brazil, Russia and Qatar respectively, I'd thought I would take a look at the possibly hosts form the 2026 World Cup.

If following the same bidding criteria for the last few tournaments then any confederation that has hosted any of the previous two tournaments woun't be able to bid. That would rule out Europe and Asia from bidding. With South America very keen on bringing the 2030 centenary tournament to Uruguay & Argentina (joint bid that has already been announced) that leaves North America, Africa and Oceania as the main possible bidding confederations.

Mexico and Canada have already stated their intentions to bid with the United States likely to follow suit. A number of African countries could bid such as Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Nigeria, Ghana but there has to be huge question marks over them.

An interesting bid though could come from Oceania. Although Australia is part of the Asian confederation they could possibly get around this by putting forward a joint bid with Oceania's New Zealand. Fifa have said nations can put joint bids together but there must be one bidding committee (unlike 2002 when Japan and South Korea had a committee each). If this bid committee was based in New Zealand and therefore Oceania this could work.

As a cricket fan, the idea of a football world cup in Australia and New Zealand greatly appeals to me. The countries are also a lot safer and better to host football tournaments than some other host nations e.g. Russia and Qatar.

I could definitely see it going to United States which has obviously improved its football infrastructure over the past 20 or so years. Australia-New Zealand joint bid, if it could be put together would be a very good idea, would appeal to Blatter in hosting a World Cup in lots of different areas, not sure what their football infrastructure is like though, they obviously have a few good stadiums but do they have enough for a World Cup?

I would love to see it in USA personally. Would games kick off at like 1am? Like WWE PPV's?

I think the last time it was in America they had games kicking off at midday over there so it could be put on at sensible times for European viewers. Ludicrous decision because of the heat.

They shouldnt give it to the USA again.
No point holding it in a country where there is such apathy (and very often genuine dislike) towards the sport.

J.Benson II wrote:They shouldnt give it to the USA again.
No point holding it in a country where there is such apathy (and very often genuine dislike) towards the sport.

That attitude is changing though, as "soccer" is used as a sport for children as it doesn't require a lot of equipment and is simple a lot of children are growing up with "soccer" as the sport they love, the MLS is definitely growing and improving as well.

I think a joint bid from the USA and Canada maybe the ticket in 2026. That would target an audience of nearly 350 million people as apposed to 27 million from Australia and New Zealand.

When can England bid again? 2030?
(The 2034 World Cup will be in China).

Wellington wrote:When can England bid again? 2030?
(The 2034 World Cup will be in China).

I think FIFA rightly want a centenary world cup to be held in Uruguay and Argentina.

I just thought I would give this a bump up seen as the World Cup is on and with the Qatar controversy.

Think FIFA would be very happy with USA. South Africa-Brazil-Russia-Qatar might be good for 'bringing the tournament to the world' (and lining officials' pockets), but that's over a decade of pretty much non-stop controversy for various reasons. Going somewhere that has everything in place already would be ideal for them, plus the sponsors would love it.

Think theres a few countries in the mix for a 2nd WC for me before I go back to the USA which has yet to embrace Football.

Australia sounds pretty good to me.

GSC wrote:the USA which has yet to embrace Football.

Depends on where you look, Seattle have a higher average attendance than Everton.

Size of stadium and market differs largely

Think East coast attendance is a better gauge on MLS support as the West loves football more than the East.

2013 MLS average attendances - match day stadium capacity as five stadiums reduce capacity for MLS games

EAST
*Chicago - 15,228 - 20,000  
*Columbus - 16,080 - 20,145
DC - 13,646 - 45,423 cut to 19,467
*Houston - 19,923 - 22,000
*Montreal - 20,603 - 20,341 - Play two games a season at Olympic Stadium (66,308)
New England - 14,844 - 68,756 cut to 22,385
*NY - 19,461 - 25,189
*Philadelphia - 17,867 - 18,500
*Sporting Kansas - 19,709 - 18,467 - No explanation on why it's higher than capacity
*Toronto - 18,131 - 23,000

WEST
Chivas - 8,366 - 27,000 cut down to 18,800
*Colorado - 15,440 - 18,086
*Dallas - 15,373 - 21,193
*LA - 22,152 - 27,000
*Portland - 20,438 - 20,438
*Salt Lake - 19,218 - 20,008
San Jose - 12,765 - 10,300 - Played a game at Stanford (50,000)
Seattle - 44,038 - 67,000 sometimes cut to 38,500
Vancouver - 20,038 - 54,320 sometimes cut to 21,000

4th most attended sport in North America behind NFL, MLB and CFL. Also higher than the Championship.

* teams that play in a stadium built for football, known as soccer-specific.

Doesn't tell the whole story as raw numbers, the USA has a much higher population

Give it to Nigeria.

we all know fifa will go where they can make the most money, so it will be USA

I do like the idea of the World Cup in Canada. The stadiums of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Edmonton Eskimos, Saskatchewan Roughriders being used. Could use either the Montreal Olympic Stadium or Rogers Centre in Toronto or BC Place in Vancouver for the final.

Australia would be good, a it was for the Rugby.

I would like to see it in  USA again.

94 was a great world cup.

The americans were not up to speed with it, but in 20 years, they are a bit more with it now.
As has been said alot more kids playing it now.


The stadiums were great etc.
Plenty to do and see.

Everything already in place.

When did China get nailed on for the 2034 WC?

Give it to an independent Scotland.

GSC wrote:Size of stadium and market differs largely

Also interesting that Seattle carried on from the old Seattle/ franchise. I think it was a mistake on the MLS' part on giving a frachise to the Man City backed New York City rather than to.the New York Cosmos.

I voted for Australia / New Zealand. These countries have experience of hosting major international tournaments (The Olympics, Rugby and Cricket). Between them they already have modern stadia, efficient internal transport systems and sufficient hotel roomage to accommodate teams and fans. As sporting nations, they have great credibility.

The only problem with their bid would be the time difference between there and Europe, which would mean games being scheduled for early morning kick offs on TV, but we lived with it in 2002, we could do it again.

I'm not keen on a USA bid. The last one there was ok in footballing terms but most of the country didn't know the tournament was taking place in their country and when told, half of them didn't even know what the world cup was and the other half just shrugged their shoulders as if to say "so what?" and then promptly forgot about it. The USA are becoming a good footballing nation, but they don't love the game. It isn't in their DNA. They should stick to the world series and gridiron rugby.

Canada would do a good job and their northern summer climate would be conducive to European teams. That would be a good bid.

Mexico..? Nah. They've hosted the world cup twice already and although they did a passable job both times, the heat and altitude in which many games took place were a negative factor in my view.

Africa..? Other than South Africa, you must be joking. Apart from the obvious financial and logistical implications, the enormous security risks on a continent rife with tribal, religious, ethnic and any other division you can put a name too, it would be madness to put football players and fans at risk of terrorism, kidnapping or hijacking with only the tinpot, tuppeny ha'penny local forces to protect them. Utter madness. And besides all that, don't we all think there is enough corruption in football at the moment without throwing a bone like the world cup to all the corrupt administrators and bureaucrats that abound there..? Then again, knowing Sepp Blatter................

Nope, for stability, infrastructure, efficiency, honesty, sporting credibility and security, Aussie / Kiwi works for me.

It might not be going to Qatar.....pure corruption and needs to be given to another country once Blatter has been sacked!

Give it to Australia / NZ.

Does anyone else hate the word "Soccer"   

NickisBHAFC wrote:I would love to see it in USA personally. Would games kick off at like 1am? Like WWE PPV's?

It would be pretty similar to the current World Cup. Brazil and USA have similar time zones.

Of the five options, I'm ruling out Mexico as they've hosted twice before, and Africa due to it being such an unstable country in terms of hosting such an event.

Canada would be good, same with USA, but Australia/New Zealand makes sense as it's an area of the globe yet to host a World Cup, only issue would be time zones, matches kicking off in the early hours of the morning for European viewers, but to be fair football shouldn't rotate around whatever suits Europe.

Agree with The Forth Lion on all points.

Would love it to be Mexico again but I can't see that happening until 2030 or 2034.

It wouldn't be an African country as South Africa hosted the 2010 edition.

I'd plump for USA or Australia.

Kick of times would be awful in Australia. Won't be able to get drunk!

USA for me.