"Removing the United States as co-host of the 2026 World Cup would hurt for pretty much everyone. Fans would miss out on seeing the sport's pinnacle in their home towns (or somewhere nearby). Cities and businesses small and large would lose the financial benefits they had banked on. It would be a logistical and political nightmare on an international scale, the likes of which have never been seen before in sports. It would be eminently sad. And it would be entirely justified."
"Soccer's growing popularity in America has helped inspire other US sports to try new formats, encouraged us to engage more fully with the world in a sporting context, and has been at the center of conversations about our society and culture. The 2026 World Cup was seen as the best chance for the world to fully experience not just how much the US has improved at soccer, but how much soccer has improved the US."
Removing the United States as co-host of the 2026 World Cup would harm fans, cities, and businesses, and create an unprecedented international logistical and political nightmare. Fans would miss seeing the sport's highest level locally, and cities and businesses would lose anticipated financial benefits. The United States pursued hosting for over fifteen years, losing 2018 and 2022 bids to Russia and Qatar before securing 2026 alongside Canada and Mexico. Soccer's rising popularity in America has influenced other US sports, increased international sporting engagement, and driven conversations about society and culture. Sepp Blatter suggested fans should not travel to the United States for the World Cup.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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