FIFA WC USA-Mexico-Canada 2026

[Quaker2001]

I said it 4 years ago and I'll say it again.. look at the growth of interest in the World Cup here in the United States and now imagine putting that event in the United States. Little to no infrastructure to be built to get ready for the cup, stadiums all seating no less than 66,000 people, viewing parties and fan events all over the place, not to mention the TV revenue that would follow like never before. The United States will never be the cash cow for FIFA that they are for the IOC, but there is more potential here in this market than virtually any place in the world FIFA might be interested in going, save maybe for China because of the sheer number of people there. Let's not forget which World Cup still holds the overall attendance record and that was before the current expansion of the cup to 32 teams. I can only imagine how many records would be smashed if the World Cup came back now that it has become a mainstream event in the American sports consciousness.

[eternalcobi]

Lets consider China

Or perhaps the Philippines as Southeast asia is yet to put their first tack on the FIFA map

[binary]

if Qatar or another Asian country ends up hosting 2022, then obviously no Asian country could host in 26. However, if FIFA were to end up moving the cup (which in all likelihood, and if they know what's good for them, they will) it's possible FIFA keeps it in Asia or allows other countries to bid which provides an opportunity for both China or the US.

On a side note, I think to FIFA, the idea of a US or China world cup makes money signs appear in their eyes. They're the only two nations on earth that has virtually all the infrastructure built for a world cup, only 60k+ stadiums, as well as massive amounts of tv dollars from the respective population of each country coupled with international viewership.

[Athensfan]

I said it 4 years ago and I'll say it again.. look at the growth of interest in the World Cup here in the United States and now imagine putting that event in the United States. Little to no infrastructure to be built to get ready for the cup, stadiums all seating no less than 66,000 people, viewing parties and fan events all over the place, not to mention the TV revenue that would follow like never before. The United States will never be the cash cow for FIFA that they are for the IOC, but there is more potential here in this market than virtually any place in the world FIFA might be interested in going, save maybe for China because of the sheer number of people there. Let's not forget which World Cup still holds the overall attendance record and that was before the current expansion of the cup to 32 teams. I can only imagine how many records would be smashed if the World Cup came back now that it has become a mainstream event in the American sports consciousness.

All that was true prior to the vote for 2022. The current attention Americans are giving to the World Cup just makes it even more obvious.

However, this is FIFA we're talking about. They passed on the US for 2022. I can see them doing it again. The US should not try too hard to woo FIFA. The benefits of coming back to the US are so obvious that either FIFA will embrace them or they won't.

if Qatar or another Asian country ends up hosting 2022, then obviously no Asian country could host in 26. However, if FIFA were to end up moving the cup (which in all likelihood, and if they know what's good for them, they will) it's possible FIFA keeps it in Asia or allows other countries to bid which provides an opportunity for both China or the US.

On a side note, I think to FIFA, the idea of a US or China world cup makes money signs appear in their eyes. They're the only two nations on earth that has virtually all the infrastructure built for a world cup, only 60k+ stadiums, as well as massive amounts of tv dollars from the respective population of each country coupled with international viewership.

IMO, China really needs to qualify for a couple of World Cups before they host.

[binary]

IMO, China really needs to qualify for a couple of World Cups before they host.

To be fair they did qualify in 2002, and besides when the US was awarded in 1994, I dont think they had yet qualified for the 1990 not to mention the lack of any professional league.

[woohooitsme83]

I odd would it be if China was awarded (as host), but didn't qualify

(for the said WC)

[binary]

I odd would it be if China was awarded (as host), but didn't qualify

(for the said WC)

hosts are auto qualified......

[zekekelso]

However, this is FIFA we're talking about. They passed on the US for 2022. I can see them doing it again. The US should not try too hard to woo FIFA. The benefits of coming back to the US are so obvious that either FIFA will embrace them or they won't. IMO, China really needs to qualify for a couple of World Cups before they host.

How big are the bribes we are offering? The Chinese?

[Alexjc]

By 2026, China will have ascended to full Superpower status and will stand equal to America. The idea of China hosting 26 looks likely as much as the tournament could go to America.

I wonder if by then, Fifa would still be interested in the final new frontier and that would be Australia?

[Athensfan]

By 2026, China will have ascended to full Superpower status and will stand equal to America. The idea of China hosting 26 looks likely as much as the tournament could go to America.

I wonder if by then, Fifa would still be interested in the final new frontier and that would be Australia?

But doesn't it matter that there's precious little following of football in China and despite being the most populous nation on earth, their team sucks. I don't doubt they'll host, but it would be nice to see a modicum of investment and excitement in the sport first.

[binary]

But doesn't it matter that there's precious little following of football in China and despite being the most populous nation on earth, their team sucks. I don't doubt they'll host, but it would be nice to see a modicum of investment and excitement in the sport first.

first of all the worlds most populous nation does follow soccer, and their has actually been some investment in the sport ( http://thediplomat.com/2014/06/china-and-the-world-cup/ ).

Keep things in perspective here, its a marathon not a sprint. Thirty years ago, how popular was soccer in the US? Then we held the world cup, and that has gradually changed to where soccer has become somewhat prominent in american main stream media. Now imagine all those people gathering to watch a world cup multiplied several times. Add in plenty of egotistical venture capitalists willing to see the country succeed and what you have is the next money maker for FIFA.

[Team USA]

But doesn't it matter that there's precious little following of football in China and despite being the most populous nation on earth, their team sucks. I don't doubt they'll host, but it would be nice to see a modicum of investment and excitement in the sport first.

When the British Premier League was on Free TV 300 to 500 million people in China watched it over the whole season but then they sold the rights to Pay TV and viewership dropped

[woohooitsme83]

I think I read a story on how China would win the 2022 World Cup due to a wish granting mythical beast. (Which probably proves that there is probably quiet an interest in China)

My mom has certainly been following the Chinese broadcasters' coverage on the World Cup (and so has my other relatives who are actually in China).

You can't blame the Chinese for not showing much interest if their national team didn't make it.

If China were to host the World Cup, then that could act as the national team's motivation, or it could end up being an utter disgrace.

[dave199]

Canada is bidding to host the 2026 World Cup, and it could be worth billions

Canadian Soccer Association confident tournament will boost interest in sport, costs can be kept under control

Jul 7, 2014Murad Hemmadi 2

The Canadian men’s soccer team has only qualified for the World Cup once, in 1986. (Joshua Pearson)

The on-field magic in Brazil may be winding down, but the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) hopes that Canadian footy fans will soon be watching the sport’s best players a little closer to home. The CSA announced plans to bid for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in its four-year plan in January.

The men’s soccer team currently sits between Bahrain and Niger in the international rankings, but that’s precisely the point, according to the CSA’s strategic plan. Hosting the tournament, it hopes, will provide a boost to the sport’s national profile.

But hosting would be an expensive process: the bill for the 2014 edition has ballooned to an estimated $11.3 billion and the Samba nation’s citizens aren’t happy about it. Brazil defied expectations just by getting promised infrastructure ready (barely) in time.

READ: Seven international predictions for 2014: Brazil’s World Cup is a financial fiasco »

New stadiums and renovations accounted for much of that cost, with FIFA requiring at least eight 40,000-plus seater venues and one stadium with a capacity of 80,000 to host the tournament final. Canada’s largest venue is Montreal’s Olympic Stadium, and the city has expressed an interest in spearheading a 2026 hosting operation. But the CSA doesn’t see a need for a lot of new construction because many existing and planned CFL venues are expandable. “I believe we have enough there to put a successful bid together in the stadia that are currently available and maybe one more that would meet the highest needs of FIFA,” says Peter Montopoli, general secretary of the Association.

Canada will play host to the 2015 Women’s World Cup as well as the U-20 Women’s World Cup later this year, and successes with those events could pave the way for a shot at FIFA’s biggest prize. FIFA has yet to announce the timeline and requirements for a 2026 bid. Montopoli says he has been in contact with staff in the office of Minister of State (Sport) Bal Gosal to discuss the CSA’s plans; Gosal says he’s had no official contact yet, but that the federal government is open to the possibility of a bid.

Recent hosting choices have aroused significant controversy, with allegations of corruption and concerns over temperatures at the 2022 Qatar tournament. Those scandals, coupled with negative publicity around the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, could work in Canada’s favour, according to Robert VanWynsberghe, a professor at UBC. “I think what you’ll see is that the IOC and FIFA are going to go to more conservative hosts,” he suggested. “You might want to call it a Canadian hosting experience — kind of boring, but you can count on it.”

READ: Soccer in sun and shadow »

Would anyone come out to watch? Montopoli suggests that 300,000–500,000 fans would flood into the country to watch their teams compete, but VanWynsberghe says that number would be offset by the drop in regular tourists who don’t want to get caught up in the tournament. “The tourist piece I think is a bit of a red herring, it just doesn’t seem to work out,” he said.

And what about Canadians? With a team mired in the lower reaches of the FIFA rankings, there would seem to be little incentive to flock to stadiums to watch our boys in red be crushed by the opposition. There’s a huge appetite for soccer in this country, Montopoli counters. “Of all the 209 FIFA members in the world, we ranked number 10 in terms of number of tickets bought for Brazil 2014,” he notes. “The 10th spot would put us number one for non-participating countries.”

Montreal Impact take on Toronto FC in MLS play at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium, one of Canada’s largest sports venues (Abdallah)

The 1994 World Cup in the US is widely credited with a renewal in soccer interest that led eventually to the formation of Major League Soccer (MLS), and Montopoli points to a similar example closer to home. “The 2007 U-20 World Cup brought to our country a brand-new soccer-specific stadium [bMO Field], and in turn that stadium brought to us MLS professional soccer [in the Toronto FC franchise],” he explained.

READ: MLSE makes a strong statement naming Tim Leiweke new CEO »

Still, with players like Bosnia goalkeeper Asmir Begovic and Holland’s Jonathan de Guzman opting to represent the countries of their roots or professional clubs rather than wear the maple leaf, Canadian soccer would have to come a long, long way to make a competitive showing in 2026.

But Canadians should hope that a Canuck team on home soil would go all the way. There’s more than bragging rights at stake — according to Goldman Sachs, World Cup-winning nations experience an (admittedly temporary) economic boost in the aftermath of their triumph. And Montopoli estimates the economic impact of hosting would be “in the billions.”

A bid is still a few years away, and the CSA will have a lot of work to do to convince FIFA that a country that has only made it to one World Cup should be trusted with hosting it. In the meantime, Canadian soccer fans will just have to make do with watching their heroes on TV.

http://www.canadianbusiness.com/global-report/canada-soccer-fifa-world-cup-bid-2026/

Edited July 8, 2014 by dave199

[Rob2012]

But doesn't it matter that there's precious little following of football in China and despite being the most populous nation on earth, their team sucks. I don't doubt they'll host, but it would be nice to see a modicum of investment and excitement in the sport first.

Sounds like the US prior to 94.

[DamC]

USA 2022

China 2026

England 2030

Sounds like the logical way to go for the next World Cups. Except FIFA and logic just doesn't seem to work together...

[nykfan845]

Didn't realize Canada had such small stadiums.

[Faster]

Didn't realize Canada had such small stadiums.

We don't exactly need large stadiums. No use for excessively large stadiums that are population can't support.

[gotosy]

Budapest a candidate city for 2028 Olympics

Hungary is planning to apply to host the 2028 Summer Olympic Games here in Budapest, according to a report.

“Budapest can present a credible, competitive application for hosting the 2028 Olympics”, Zsolt Borkai the president of the Hungarian Olympic Committee told Hungarian business daily Napi Gazdaság today.

The deadline for submitting the bid to the International Olympic Committee is 2019, the president added. He also noted that it is a “major challenge involving the construction of several sports complexes and appropriate facilities for transferring millions of people on land, air and water.”

Borkai, who is also the mayor of Győr, said that his city would host the 2017 European Youth Olympic Festival, which could be the “dress rehearsal” for the 2028 Olympic Games.

http://www.bbj.hu/budapest/budapest-a-candidate-city-for-2028-olympics_81982

[gotosy]

Budapest a candidate city for 2028 Olympics

Hungary is planning to apply to host the 2028 Summer Olympic Games here in Budapest, according to a report.

“Budapest can present a credible, competitive application for hosting the 2028 Olympics”, Zsolt Borkai the president of the Hungarian Olympic Committee told Hungarian business daily Napi Gazdaság today.

The deadline for submitting the bid to the International Olympic Committee is 2019, the president added. He also noted that it is a “major challenge involving the construction of several sports complexes and appropriate facilities for transferring millions of people on land, air and water.”

Borkai, who is also the mayor of Győr, said that his city would host the 2017 European Youth Olympic Festival, which could be the “dress rehearsal” for the 2028 Olympic Games.

http://www.bbj.hu/budapest/budapest-a-candidate-city-for-2028-olympics_81982

oops having a prob with my PC, sorry wrong thread

[Athensfan]

Sounds like the US prior to 94.

As somebody who played soccer from the time I was 5 along with the vast majority of my classmates, I don't think that's quite accurate. The US wasn't a dead zone in 1994. "Dead zone" is probably a bit too strong for China, but there really doesn't seem to be much traction at the moment.

[Quaker2001]

USA 2022

China 2026

England 2030

Sounds like the logical way to go for the next World Cups. Except FIFA and logic just doesn't seem to work together...

If there was any logic on the part of FIFA, 2022 would have gone to the United States in the first place. Then 2026 could have been fought over by the AFC nations. And 2030 would set up for Europe with the 100th anniversary of the first World Cup. But yea, that would have made too much sense.

[Quaker2001]

As somebody who played soccer from the time I was 5 along with the vast majority of my classmates, I don't think that's quite accurate. The US wasn't a dead zone in 1994. "Dead zone" is probably a bit too strong for China, but there really doesn't seem to be much traction at the moment.

You almost need to think of it in terms of 1988, when the United States was awarded the `94 Cup. The NASL at that point was dead and buried. The last U.S. appearance in a World Cup was nearly 4 decades prior. Yes, participation in youth soccer here was probably at a decent level, but the sport on a higher competition and professional level was a complete non-entity here. So there are similarities between the 2.

Obviously the draw for China is like that with the Olympics.. it's the world's most populous nation and would not likely have any issues producing the necessary infrastructure. Certainly it's different in that China was already very successful in many Olympic sports before Beijing hosted, but the flip side of that is FIFA using a China World Cup as an opportunity to grow the sport there. In that regard, there's probably less interest and awareness now with China than there was in the late 80s in the United States, but all things considered, I'd have little issue with China being selected to host a World Cup.

[aldo]

Co-hosting is a lousy idea.

Forget Mexico. The security risks and economic conditions take them out of the running.

It will probably be either the US or Canada. I can imagine the 2024 Olympics influencing FIFA. If the US hosts 2024, I doubt FIFA would give them the 2026 World Cup too.

Co-hosting is lousy indeed.

That security/economy argument on Mexico is tiring and superficial. We hosted Pan Ams and an incredibly successful U-17 FIFA WC in 2011, our bloodiest year ever according to media. Brazil is hosting WC and Olympics to murder rates similar to Mexico, which are lowering. Our economy may not be the tiger The Economist was talking about some months ago but its solid, and our tycoons seem to be in love with football right now.

Our politicians, both in the government as in the football federation are awful but if there's one thing we can pull is a World Cup. We've done it in short notice like in 1986, with seven years we would do wonders. We have the stadia and the overall structure. DF, Guadalajara, Torreón and soon Monterrey will have WC-ready venues. Many billionaires have teams that could upgrade their stadiums immediatly, I'm talking Slim -new in the business-, Azcárraga, Salinas Pliego and the Zambrano family. Add León, Pachuca, Tijuana, Cancún, Morelia and Puebla to the cities I mentioned and you have a solid slate to start with.

And remember you can't buy passion for football.

CONCACAF is likely to support the US but a Mexican bid would be surprisingly strong.

[Nacre]

As somebody who played soccer from the time I was 5 along with the vast majority of my classmates, I don't think that's quite accurate. The US wasn't a dead zone in 1994. "Dead zone" is probably a bit too strong for China, but there really doesn't seem to be much traction at the moment.

China's top league is actually drawing very well: a bit better than MLS. They also have a number of new stadiums, including the centerpiece stadium in Beijing from the Olympics. China's national team is pretty bad considering its population, but so are most Asian teams.

Canada would be a fine host, but the challenge is in seeing how they could top bids from England, China, Australia, the USA, etc. What can Canada offer that will enable it beat out countries with larger stadiums and more profits for FIFA?