SAN JOSE, Calif. – The United Bid of Canada, Mexico, and the United States was selected to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup earlier today by the 68th FIFA Congress in Moscow. The Bay Area, featuring Levi’s Stadium, stands as one of 23 candidate host cities under consideration for the historic event. For the first time in history, FIFA’s Member Associations were given the opportunity to vote on the host for the FIFA World Cup, and did so by a vote of 134-65.
“We are thrilled to hear the news that FIFA has selected the United Bid of the U.S., Canada and Mexico to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” said Earthquakes President Tom Fox. “It will be a true honor to have the tournament here on home soil, and we look forward to welcoming the premier players and national teams from throughout the world to North America and specifically the United States.”
Today’s vote, which occurred a day before the start of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, also marks the first time three nations have been selected to co-host a FIFA World Cup and the first time the FIFA World Cup will be played in North America in 32 years. The United Bid offers FIFA and its 211 Member Associations unity, certainty, and opportunity as they prepare to host the largest FIFA World Cup in history, which will be expanded to a 48-team format.
With the FIFA Congress decision to award the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to the football federations of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, the three nations will jointly manage preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup until FIFA establishes their operations to manage the competition. Among other decisions, FIFA will make the final selection of host cities for the 2026 competition from the 23 candidates proposed in the United Bid.
Each of the United Bid’s 23 proposed stadiums are fully built, occupied, and operational, ensuring long- term use following the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In addition, the United Bid has 150 existing world-class training facilities, millions of hotel rooms, and advanced infrastructure.
The United Bid is expected to generate more than $14 billion in revenue and $11 billion in profits for FIFA, which will be shared with the 211 FIFA Member Associations, helping further develop and expand the game of football across the globe.
“The United Bid coordinated the most comprehensive and inclusive proposal to host the World Cup in history and we are incredibly proud to be associated with their winning bid to bring the 2026 FIFA World Cup to North America,” said Patricia Ernstrom, Executive Director of the Bay Area Host Committee. “We are extremely appreciative of our partners throughout the Bay Area who helped us pull together a formidable bid to host matches during the summer of 2026 that would bring thousands of visitors and millions of dollars to this region. Our Bay Area bid received the second-highest technical evaluation from FIFA during the review process so we are excited about our prospects for being selected as a host city by FIFA in 2020.”
“Levi’s Stadium has seen the world soccer stage for the Copa America Centenario and the Gold Cup, and we are humbled to now be preparing for the once-in-a-lifetime possibility of hosting the FIFA World Cup,” said Al Guido, 49ers President. “I want to congratulate the United Bid team for leading a collaborative process that leveraged the best of what each of its candidate host cities has to offer. We look forward to working with them and FIFA to celebrate the world’s game and contribute to its growth throughout our region for 2026 and beyond.”
“Hosting a FIFA World Cup is an extraordinary honor and privilege,” said Steven Reed, President of Canada Soccer and Co-Chair of the United Bid. “Canada, Mexico, and the United States are ready to welcome the world to North America and serve as stewards of the largest FIFA World Cup in history. Our vision is of a world of opportunity for our Candidate Host Cities and for the global football community.”
“We are grateful for the chance to bring to life FIFA’s new vision for the future of football,” said Decio de Maria, President of Mexico Football Federation and Co-Chair of the United Bid. “Together—in partnership with our Candidate Host Cities, the Member Associations, and FIFA—we will use this platform to unite the world around football and help create a new and sustainable blueprint for the future of FIFA World Cups.”
“Hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup is a rare and important moment to demonstrate that we are all truly united through sport,” said Carlos Cordeiro, President of U.S. Soccer and Co-Chair of the United Bid. ‘We are humbled by the trust our colleagues in the FIFA family have put in our bid; strengthened by the unity between our three countries and the CONCACAF region; and excited by the opportunity we have to put football on a new and sustainable path for generations to come.”
2026 FIFA World Cup Facts and Figures:
Number of Team: 48
Number of Matches: 80
Number of Players: +1,100
Candidate Host Cities: 23
Proposed Training Sites: 150
Projected Revenue: $14 billion
Projected Profit: $11 billion
Projected Economic Impact: $5 billion
Projected Ticket Sales: $5.8 million
About Levi’s® Stadium
Named Sports Facility of the Year for 2015 by Sports Business Journal, Levi’s Stadium is home to the San Francisco 49ers and serves as the world’s most technologically advanced and sustainable sports and entertainment venue. The $1.2 billion venue consists of 1.85 million square feet and 68,500 seats, including 174 luxury suites and 9,000 club seats, and was designed by HNTB and built by Turner/Devcon for the Santa Clara Stadium Authority. It is a multi-purpose facility with flexibility that has allowed it to host a wide range of events – including international soccer, college football, ice hockey, motorsports, concerts and various civic events – since opening in 2014. The venue is also expandable for major events such as WrestleMania 31, Super Bowl 50 and the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Levi's Stadium is owned by the Santa Clara Stadium Authority, a public joint powers authority established to provide for development and operation of Levi's Stadium to ensure the stadium serves the goals of the City of Santa Clara. For more information, go to www.LevisStadium.com.
Levi’s Stadium Media Contact:
Roger Hacker, roger.hacker@49ers.com
