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| European Qualifiers logo is seen on the official ball during training session on the eve of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group H european qualification football match between Russia and Cyprus on November 10, 2021 at Gazprom Arena in Saint Petersburg, Russia. |
Toronto and
Vancouver will hold games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while Edmonton was left
out in the cold.
Thursday in New
York, FIFA announced the 16 host cities from 22 final candidates across the
United States, Canada and Mexico.
BMO Field in
Toronto and BC Place in Vancouver made the cut, while Commonwealth Stadium was
passed over.
“We are very proud of Canada’s candidate host cities for putting together substantial and compelling bids for the FIFA World Cup 2026,” said Canada Soccer president Dr. Nick Bontis in a statement. “The competition for venue selection was the most robust in FIFA’s history. Today’s success is a testament to the cities, provinces, and federal government’s commitment and dedication in pursuit of hosting the most prestigious single sporting event in the world.
“We congratulate Toronto and Vancouver; we also wish to express our sincere appreciation to Edmonton for their historic support and desire to contribute to the growth and development of our sport in this country by hosting FIFA competitions.”
The 2026 World Cup
will expand from 32 to 48 teams and will feature 80 games. The United States is
expected to host upwards of 60 games, while Vancouver and Toronto are to split
between eight to 10 games, as will Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara.
As a co-host, the
Canadian men’s national team is expected to earn an automatic berth into the
tournament.