In case you have not already heard, the 2026 World Cup is taking place across North America. More specifically, the cities that are hosting games include Toronto + Vancouver in Canada, Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey in Mexico, and Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle in the United States. The final match will be held in New Jersey. While the majority of these cities seem fit to host this high caliber of an event, other abilities to host these games need to be put into question.
The Good
Many of the afore mentioned cities seem to be apt enough to host the World Cup. For example, the majority of the cities in the United States are more than capable. They have enough space and money to host the international scene, which is arguably the hardest part of hosting such events. While their stadiums may not be as modern as the ones recently built in Qatar, they are still more than sufficient. Different from the past, however, no new stadiums are being built in the U.S., meaning that the issue of stadiums going out of use after the tournament will not occur in the U.S. Most Canadian and Mexican stadiums look amazing and more than capable for hosting, as they are very modern, have more than enough space for parking, and are not confusing to find/travel through.
The Bad
Some of the cities in the United States seem to have been not as great options, as they are either confusing, not spacious enough, outdated, or a combination of these. For example, Philadelphia's parking lots and nearby stadiums will confuse foreigners trying to watch games being held there. Boston, Kansas City, and Atlanta find themselves in similar situations. However, the biggest worry about stadiums in the U.S is the New York New Jersey stadium (which is hosting the finals). Common issues with just normal sporting events include traffic congestion and limited parking options, which would grow exponentially during the World Cup. The only issues with the Canadian and Mexican stadiums is the Toronto stadium as it is reportedly outdated, and has a lack of natural light. Additionally, it can become quite packed during normal sporting events meaning that if the stadium cannot find a way to combat this issue by the time it is hosting the World Cup, it is not going to be as pleasant of an experience in this stadium compared to the other stadiums in Canada and Mexico.
Did FIFA Make the Right Choice?
Despite there being many minor and some major issues in these locations, I believe FIFA did make the right choice as these countries can improve these facilities easily and affordably. There have always been issues with the locations of the World Cup; discrimination in Qatar and availability in France, however, these have been some of the best in the 21st Century. In addition, the last time North America has hosted the World Cup was 32 years ago, and that was one of the best hosted World Cups of all time. Soccer is a growing sport in America, so the fact that it is being hosted there is a good opportunity for the sport to grow across the countries. FIFA made the right decision in choosing North America as the host, as its flourishing, democratic continent is more than capable to host this worldwide tournament due to its size, wealth, and popularity.
-Benjamin Saylor
Add comment
Comments