FIFA World Cup: Tampa In Running For 2026 Games

TAMPA, FL — Soccer fans across the Tampa Bay region may have reason to celebrate. The United Bid Committee announced that Tampa is among 32 cities moving on to the next stage of the process to bring the 2026 FIFA World Cup to North America. Other Florida cities in the running include Orlando and Miami.

“As we move to the next stage of the bid process, we’re even more confident we have everything needed to deliver the largest, most compelling FIFA World Cup in history and help accelerate the growth of soccer across North America and around the world,” United Bid Chairman Sunil Gulati said in announcing the 32 cities. “We have more than double the number of cities required to stage matches in 2026.” (For more local news from Florida, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Tampa Patch. Click here to find your local Florida Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

The full lineup of cities in the running includes four in Canada, 25 in the United States and three in Mexico.

The United Bid Committee was created by the National Federations of Mexico, the United States and Canada to manage the bidding process for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The committee’s host city selection process involves evaluation of such factors as city profile, stadium and support facilities, and available services. The committee looks at how each city might contribute to an overall hosting strategy, a media release announcing the 32 cities said.

“The 32 cities that we have identified as potential host cities, on their own and together, are prepared to welcome soccer fans from around the world,” John Kristick, the committee’s executive director said in a statement. “They are more than capable of helping fulfill the shared vision and ambition of FIFA and the United Bid in shaping the future of soccer in North America. While not every city will move forward as a potential host city, we were so impressed by all the applicants that we will continue to engage with all the cities as part of our hosting strategy and we will welcome the opportunity to work with FIFA to further expand our hosting concept to ensure the broadest possible impact for this spectacular event.”

If FIFA picks the committee’s bid for the 2026 World Cup, at least 12 of the cities on the final list will host games. How soon a final decision will be made is unclear.

For more information about the cities selected and the process, visit U.S. Soccer online.

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