Los Angeles, Toronto, Mexico City named World Cup 2026 host cities

NEW YORK: FIFA president Gianni Infantino says he expects soccer to be the biggest sport in North America in time for the 2026 World Cup as the host cities for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico were announced on Thursday (Jun 16).

World soccer governing body FIFA announced the 16 cities - 11 in the United States, three in Mexico and two in Canada - that were successful from the 22 bids put forward in a special event at the Rockefeller Center in New York.

However, there was no indication where the opening game or the final would be played.

"By 2026 soccer or football will be the number one sport in this part of the world," Infantino boldly predicted as fans in the newly-appointed host cities celebrated.

The United States, which staged the tournament in 1994, will host games in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Dallas, Atlanta, Houston, Boston, Philadelphia, Miami and New York/New Jersey.

Mexico, who hosted the World Cup in 1970 and 1986, will stage matches in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey, while Canada, which is staging the men's event for the first time, will do so in Vancouver and Toronto.

"It was the most competitive process for a FIFA World Cup, we'll have the world coming here, we'll have an exciting tournament," Infantino said.

He added that no decision had been taken on where the final would take place.

"There are still some discussions to go on and we will certainly choose the best cities there as well for the opening and the final, but every match will be a final in this World Cup," Infantino said.

Cincinnati, Denver, Nashville, Orlando, Washington DC/Baltimore and Edmonton were the six cities that missed out.

Cheering fans waving American, Canadian and Mexican flags gathered