FIFA has announced the cities and stadiums that will host matches for the 2026 World Cup. Of the 23 arenas that presented themselves as candidates, 16 were chosen for the tournament, whose organization will be divided between the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The decision was announced at an event held by the entity that commands world football, in New York, on Thursday night (16). Among the winning fields of the dispute is the one in which the Brazilian team won the tri world title.
In 1970, Brazil took the Cup for the third time and took definitive possession – or almost that – of the Jules Rimet Cup. The trophy was obtained in a 4-1 victory over Italy, at the Azteca stadium in Mexico City, once again hosting a World Cup.
Azteca will be the first stadium to host matches from three editions of the competition. In 1986, the tournament was again held in Mexico, and the decision stage was repeated. It was the consecration of Maradona, who led Argentina to the title in a 3-2 triumph over West Germany.
There was an expectation that the field where Brazil won the tetra, in 1994 —victory on penalties over Italy, after a 0-0 draw — would also have Cup games again. But the traditional Rose Bowl in Pasadena, on the outskirts of Los Angeles, has been overtaken by the modern SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, another city in greater LA.
In the United States, New Jersey (MetLife Stadium), Dallas (AT&T Stadium), Santa Clara (Levi’s Stadium), Miami (Hard Rock Stadium), Atlanta (Mercedes-Benz Stadium), Seattle (Lumen Field), Houston ( NRG Stadium), Philadelphia (Lincoln Financial Field), Kansas (Arrowhead Stadium) and Boston (Gillette Stadium).
Mexico will have three arenas in the competition. In addition to Azteca, the Akron stadium, in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, and BBVA Bancomer, in Monterrey, will also be at the tournament. Canada will have two venues, BMO Field in Toronto and BC Place in Vancouver.
“We will try to organize the Cup so that the teams and the fans do not have to travel far. In due course, we will decide on the opening venue and the final stage,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “By 2026, football will be the number one sport in this part of the world.”
The 2026 World Cup will be the first with 48 teams – currently there are 32. They will be divided into 16 groups with three teams each. The first two of each bracket will advance to the knockout stage, in the phase before the round of 16.
Approved in 2017, the expansion was a move by Infantino, who saw his influence and prestige grow in football’s peripheral countries. Many of those who would hardly have the opportunity to play a World Cup now have much greater chances.
There will also be more money on the move. The accounts are periodically redone, but the expectation of the entity that governs football is a collection of at least US$ 6.5 billion (R$ 33.2 billion, at the current price).
The tournament will now have a total of 80 matches, 16 more than in the current format. In the 2026 event, there will be 60 clashes in North American territory, ten in Mexico and another ten in Canada. The final will be in the United States.
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