Host cities for 2026 world cup to be confirmed by the end of year

FIFA has announced it now plans to select the host cities for the 2026 World Cup by the end of the year.

The 23 candidate host cities for the showpiece event – which is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico – are expected to be cut to 16 venues.

In an updated timeline, FIFA and the host associations will aim to have targeted virtual discussions with each candidate host city beginning in April.

FIFA then plans to start visiting each venue in person starting in early July and aims to have the host cities appointed by the FIFA Council in the last quarter of 2021.

This entire process is dependent on the Covid-19 pandemic, which has severely disrupted international travel and public gatherings.

“In keeping with FIFA’s policy of following the recommendations of the health authorities in the context of the pandemic, the visits will only take place if the health and safety situation in the host countries allows FIFA to do so,” the governing body said in a statement.

Last summer, FIFA confirmed that Chicago and Vancouver were out of the running to be host cities.

The remaining US candidate cities are Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, DC.

The Canadian bidders are Edmonton, Montreal, and Toronto, while the Mexican ones are Gaudalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey.

As part of its bid, Baltimore-Maryland 2026 has announced the launch of the ‘International Football Development 2026’ (IFD26) initiative as part of its commitment to creating strong local and international soccer legacies. 

Baltimore-Maryland 2026 is partnering with regions across the world to offer support where sports development resources may be limited, beginning with Benin.

Benin and Baltimore-Maryland 2026 will collaborate and share knowledge, building on the West African country’s passion for soccer and developing its women’s and youth programs to empower all areas of the game.