Texas might host a World Cup for the first time since 1994.
In a recent announcement on the organization’s venue selection process, FIFA placed Houston as a finalist of 23 cities to host 2026 World Cup games.
Due to the pandemic, the process of selecting the 16 final host cities has been delayed yet again, with the international governing body for soccer, hoping to make their decision in the final three months of this year.
Presently, 23 cities across the US, Mexico, and Canada, are in contention to host 2026 World Cup games:
United States: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York/New Jersey, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay area, Seattle, and Washington, DC.
Mexico: Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey.
Canada: Edmonton, Montreal, Toronto.
The US will host 60 matches, including the quarterfinals, semis, and finals, in 10 of the 17 cities listed above. Mexico and Canada will both host 10 matches.
If FIFA selects Houston as a host, games will be played at the NRG Stadium.
“As one of the most diverse destinations in America, the city will utilize the power of the FIFA World Cup™ to bring communities together to showcase the city to the world, providing a once-in-a lifetime experience for Houstonians, and leveraging the spirit of the event to leave a lasting legacy to football in the United States,” reads Houston’s profile on the FIFA website.
Qatar is set to host the next World Cup games in 2022.