The group hoping to bring the 2026 World Cup to North America has defended its decision for a 60-10-10 split in games.
The plan calls for the U.S. to stage 60 games, including all games from the quarter-finals. Canada and Mexico will each stage 10 matches.
Carlos Cordeiro, president of the U.S. Soccer Federation, called it B次元官网网址渢he most optimal mix of cities and matches.B次元官网网址� And he said the bid is not anticipating that the world governing body of soccer will make any changes to its proposal, assuming it wins.
B次元官网网址淭he split of matches that we have proposed to FIFA frankly reflect the resources of the three countries,B次元官网网址� Cordeiro told a media conference call Monday. B次元官网网址淲e in the United States are blessed with some very substantial resources in terms of stadium infrastructure, cities and so on. And that reflects the 60 matches we have on the table.
B次元官网网址淏ut at the end of the day there is a reason why FIFA has encouraged joint bids and we do think that our joint bids taken together provide for a vastly superior bid than our competition.B次元官网网址�
馃嚛馃嚜 Germany's World Cup winning goal in 2014.
B次元官网网址� FIFA World Cup (@WorldCupHQ)
The so-called unified bid is up against Morocco to stage the menB次元官网网址檚 soccer showcase. A decision on the winning bid will be made June 13 at the FIFA Congress in Mexico.
The North American group presented its bid book to FIFA on Friday in Zurich.
Steven Reed, president of the Canada Soccer Association, downplayed the decision by Vancouver to withdraw as a candidate host city because it could not agree to FIFAB次元官网网址檚 demands.
B次元官网网址淚 think weB次元官网网址檙e still really excited about that the candidate host cities that we have,B次元官网网址� said Reed, referencing Edmonton, Montreal and Toronto.
B次元官网网址淚 guess to be perfectly honest I would be disappointed in that itB次元官网网址檚 my back yard and IB次元官网网址檝e lived there for most of my life,B次元官网网址� added Reed, a native of North Vancouver, when asked again about Vancouver missing out.
Chicago and Minneapolis also pulled out at the last minute.
The 2026 World Cup will feature a newly expanded format with 48 teams and 80 games, up from 32 and 60 respectively.
9鈨�2鈨� DAYS TO GO! 馃弳馃嚪馃嚭
B次元官网网址� FIFA World Cup 馃弳 (@FIFAWorldCup)
There's been 92 馃嚜馃嚫 goals at the so far, but only one produced a reaction quite like this.
H/T: 馃槈
Cordeiro also cited the B次元官网网址渙pportunity for record revenuesB次元官网网址� with all games sold out and some 5.8 million tickets sold, making for ticketing revenue of more than US$2.1 billion.
The North American bid features 23 candidate host cities B次元官网网址� including the three in Canada and three in Mexico. That list will be likely be reduced to no more than 16 by FIFA should the North American bid prevail.
Mexican Football Federation president Decio De Maria said it will be easy for those living in the north of Mexico to attend games in the southern U.S.
B次元官网网址淚 think it is the same for Canadians,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hey can attend easily the games that are going to be in the north of the U.S.B次元官网网址�
De Maria called that mobility B次元官网网址渁 rich powerful tool of our bid.B次元官网网址�
The three executives were in Kuala Lumpur where they were presenting their bid to Asian soccer officials. They have already visited officials in South America, Africa and Europe.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e not taking any vote for granted,B次元官网网址� said Cordeiro.
The U.S. soccer boss said he was not concerned that the North American bid might be affected by anti-Trump sentiments around the globe.
B次元官网网址淲e believe strongly that this decision will be made on its merits,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淟ook, this is not geopolitics,B次元官网网址� he added, when pressed on the matter. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e talking about football and fundamentally, at the end of the day, whatB次元官网网址檚 in the best interest of football and our footballing community. And weB次元官网网址檝e had no backlash.B次元官网网址�
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
