U.S., Canada and Mexico to host 2026 World Cup

[Pete]

This is a pretty big deal.

http://www.espn.com/soccer/fifa-worl...a-hosting-vote

[PaddyShack]

Yeah, I am hoping Dallas and KC get to host, looking forward to seeing some matches.

[Pete]

Thanks to the success of the MLS, we now have much better soccer facilities than all the converted football stadiums when we last hosted in 1994.

Although I know they still plan to use the Medowlands for the final.

[PaddyShack]

Well if you look at the short list of destinations, Chicago didn't make the list. So it will be interesting to see which cities get the green light. I know a number of MLS stadiums are not big enough by FIFA standards, so I wonder if any MLS stadiums will see expansions.

[OKCretro]

Yea most of the MLS stadiums are in the mid 20's, i bet they use NFL stadiums.
Didn't go but i remember the Cotton bowl in dallas hosting several games.

They are adding more teams in 2026 so there will be a bunch more games.

Guessing most of the teams will want to play in USA or Canada over Mexico.

[PaddyShack]

Looks like there will be 10 games in Canada and 10 games in Mexico with the rest played in the U.S.

[benjico]

Well if you look at the short list of destinations, Chicago didn't make the list. So it will be interesting to see which cities get the green light. I know a number of MLS stadiums are not big enough by FIFA standards, so I wonder if any MLS stadiums will see expansions.

Chicago removed themselves from the bid list. Didn't want to deal with FIFA.

[FighttheGoodFight]

Can't wait! Going to be awesome to see some soccer back in Dallas. I remember 94 and the Cotton Bowl games!

[PaddyShack]

Chicago removed themselves from the bid list. Didn't want to deal with FIFA.

I don't doubt that they didn't want all of the extra expense that FIFA demands on host cities.

[d-usa]

MLS stadiums may be good enough for group games. But knockout stage games will end up in football or dual purpose stadiums.

[Pete]

I bet some MLS teams will use the opportunity to expand their stadiums.

[BoulderSooner]

I bet some MLS teams will use the opportunity to expand their stadiums.

Only mls stadium to be used are the ones that play in nfl stadiums. Atlanta and Seattle.

The rest will be in nfl stadiums and maybe rfk. The sites have already been narrowed to 17 and 10 will host games all are nfl stadiums plus the rose bowl and fedex field and camping world stadium. The smallest at 60k.

Only one mls only stadium made the previous cut. Utah at 48k.

[d-usa]

With 48 teams, I could see some of the MLS cities and stadiums getting picked as training facilities and “home” bases for different teams.

[PaddyShack]

FIFA requires that a venue hosting the opening game and the final must have a net capacity of at least
80,000. For the other group matches, last 16, quarter finals and the match for third place the requirement
is at least 40,000, and FIFA requests a net capacity of at least 60,000 for venues hosting the semifinals.

Most MLS stadiums are only about half the requirement. There are 6 current MLS stadiums with 40K+ capacity, however they are not soccer specific, either NFL or NLB shared stadiums. Of the soccer-specific stadiums in MLS, Stubhub Center, home to LA Galaxy, is the largest with 27K.

[BLJR]

Yes. That was incredible. Do you think it will end up at Cotton Bowl or Jerry World???

[d-usa]

http://www.playthegame.org/fileadmin..._4_FIFA_WC.pdf

Some of the requirements for World Cup games.

[d-usa]

Most international games have been at Arlington, with mixed reviews. The field is pretty tight on there, and the quality of the grass has been mixed. They might actually decide to step up their game for a WC though.

[FighttheGoodFight]

Most international games have been at Arlington, with mixed reviews. The field is pretty tight on there, and the quality of the grass has been mixed. They might actually decide to step up their game for a WC though.

I think they will. This will be a huge event and Dallas would love the tourism dollars I'm sure.

[BoulderSooner]

Yes. That was incredible. Do you think it will end up at Cotton Bowl or Jerry World???

the cotton bowl is not a finalist

[shawnw]

Will OKC have it's MLS-spec stadium built by 2026? Not because we'd get to participate in anything, but to benefit from the boost in soccer popularity in the US that will happen during the lead up to the world cup.

[d-usa]

I would hope that cities like ours would plan to benefit from the upswing in Soccer that will come with this. Just look at what hosting the last World Cup did for soccer in the US.

[PaddyShack]

Will OKC have it's MLS-spec stadium built by 2026? Not because we'd get to participate in anything, but to benefit from the boost in soccer popularity in the US that will happen during the lead up to the world cup.

I'm pretty sure we will be hearing about stadium location and maybe some preliminary design elements by the end of this year. The Energy FC brought in a senior executive well known for helping clubs in building soccer-specific stadiums and working through all of the hurdles. My hope is we see a mostly, if not all, privately funded option.

[shawnw]

Nice. Glad to hear things are on the move and that if we don't make 2026 it won't be for lack of trying.

[PaddyShack]

Nice. Glad to hear things are on the move and that if we don't make 2026 it won't be for lack of trying.

Well one does have to think of the costs of being a host city. Which could definitely eat into those tourism dollars. I think if we got our facilities together with enough housing we might be able to qualify as a home base for a national team. With our central location it would be easy for teams to travel, though we might need to figure out any travel issues for the teams who would play in Mexico or Canada.

[Johnb911]

I'm from Kansas so I still follow a lot of KC sports and development talk. Thought this was a pretty good article about where KC stands in regards to its chances of becoming a host city. One thing it has going is the brand new national training center which by all accounts is fantastic. Also speaks to some of their own civic inferiority complex (it's not just OKC!)

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt...213111079.html

I believe JerryWorld is aiming to have a quarter or semifinal match, which honestly would surprise me. I went to a Club America-Chelsea match there when the place first opened and the field was awful. Subsequent matches I've seen on tv haven't changed my mind. For the World Cup, you've got to have a grass field, and it can't just be patchwork sod (IMO). Got to be like the NFL stadium in Phoenix with the roll-out grass field.

There will be a lot more teams in the 2026 tournament than the current 32 team setup, so there might be some outside chance that a team wants to base here, or at least maybe play a warmup friendly before the games start, but I'd be pretty surprised (pleasantly surprised!) if that happened.