Miami, FL
FIFA to reveal 2026 World Cup sites on Thursday. This is why Miami should make the cut | Opinion
Lastly, on Thursday, after years of fierce lobbying and countless hypothesis, FIFA will title the host cities and stadiums for the 2026 World Cup.
Miami is on the quick record and if chosen, which is a secure guess, it will likely be an even bigger deal than the report 11 Tremendous Bowls South Florida has landed.
No offense to the NFL or American soccer, however soccer is the most well-liked sport on this planet and TV viewership of the final World Cup was 3.57 billion (1.1 billion for the ultimate recreation), dwarfing the 208 million who tuned in to the final Tremendous Bowl.
Having coated six World Cups in america, France, Japan/South Korea, Germany, South Africa and Brazil, I can say, with out reservation, that there is no such thing as a higher sporting occasion on this planet. The Olympics come shut, however for pure, unbridled fan ardour, nothing beats the World Cup and the place higher to host a world sports activities celebration than within the Miami space?
Miami is one in all 16 cities bidding from america, together with three from Mexico and three from Canada.
It’s the first time three nations co-host a World Cup. America is anticipated to host 60 of the 80 video games, and the preliminary assumption was that each one three Mexican and Canadian cities could be chosen together with 10 U.S. cities.
Phrase now’s that Mexican venues Guadalajara, Mexico Metropolis and Monterrey are locks, as are Toronto and Vancouver, however that Edmonton (least glamorous of the three Canadian cities) could possibly be handed over in favor of an 11th — or perhaps a 12th — U.S. metropolis.
Solely the individuals inside FIFA’s inside circle know which fortunate cities can be picked. Sources say there have been nonetheless monetary negotiations happening between FIFA and bid cities as late as final week.
However this a lot we all know: FIFA has mentioned all alongside that it’s basing its selections in the beginning on stadium dimension and excellence, and factoring in geography, lodge room capability, fan quick venues, coaching amenities, broadcast amenities, and airports.
Based mostly on these standards, Miami ought to make the lower.
Arduous Rock Stadium (capability: 67,518) isn’t as huge as Dallas’ AT&T Stadium, L.A.’s SoFi Stadium, New York/New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium or Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium — all 4 of these are thought-about locks – but it surely is without doubt one of the nation’s premier soccer venues.
It was constructed to FIFA specs by authentic proprietor Joe Robbie, who cherished soccer. The grass discipline (or pitch, as soccer purists choose to name it) is world class, and the stadium was renovated by present Dolphins proprietor Stephen Ross to resemble a European soccer venue. It has hosted sellout crowds for South American nationwide group matches in addition to video games involving marquee golf equipment similar to FC Barcelona, Actual Madrid, Manchester United and Bayern Munich.
Arduous Rock Stadium additionally has a status for internet hosting large sporting occasions, together with 11 Tremendous Bowls, the Miami Open tennis match, and most lately, the Miami Grand Prix Formulation One race.
Miami was not a bunch metropolis for the 1994 Cup due to schedule conflicts with the Marlins, who performed on the stadium on the time.
Coaching websites? South Florida has these, too.
FIU is house of the USL’s Miami FC; Barry College has stunning fields and has hosted coaching for the U.S. nationwide group and big-name golf equipment; the Dolphins have a brand new coaching facility adjoining to the stadium; and Inter Miami’s soccer advanced in Fort Lauderdale options eight full fields, a 50,000-square foot coaching facility and the 18,000-seat DRV PNK Stadium.
If all goes as deliberate, Inter Miami’s Freedom Park Stadium in Miami can be prepared in time for 2026 and could possibly be utilized in some capability.
Fan fest websites? Examine.
Lummus Park, the Miami Seaside Conference Middle and Bayfront Park in Downtown Miami had been all visited by FIFA officers throughout their web site go to, and people venues may accommodate an estimated 150,000 followers.
As for the airport, Miami ranks excessive there, too.
Miami Worldwide Airport lately grew to become the busiest U.S. gateway for worldwide passengers, in response to 2021 airport rankings printed by Airports Council Worldwide (ACI). MIA welcomed greater than 13 million worldwide passengers in 2021, shifting it from second place in 2020 to the highest rating within the U.S. and eleventh place on this planet.
“You break down every of our buyer teams, shoppers who eat a World Cup, we then undergo their buyer journey and have to ship each single side,” Colin Smith, FIFA chief of tournaments and occasions, mentioned throughout his Miami go to final September.
“For groups, pitches are the very first thing. We have to present state-of-the-art pitches, not solely within the stadium but additionally within the coaching websites. For media, we’d like broadcast amenities. The Fan Fest has grow to be an enormous a part of huge occasions for people who can not get to the stadium — a good way for individuals to get collectively and benefit from the World Cup en masse.”
South Florida additionally has inns and eating choices aplenty. Two areas the place Miami may not make excessive marks is public transit utilization and weatherproofing. With no roof over Arduous Rock Stadium, there may be the potential of torrential summer season rain and lightning storms disrupting video games. However general, Miami has a powerful bid.
On Thursday, from 5 p.m. to six p.m., FIFA will make its announcement. It is going to be televised on Fox Sports activities 1.
Right here’s a guess as to the way it will play out for the U.S. cities:
Locks: New York/New Jersey, Dallas, Atlanta, Los Angeles.
The announcement is being made in New York Metropolis, and 87,000-seat MetLife Stadium is a probable spot for the ultimate. Dallas’ glitzy stadium seats 92,967 and has a roof. Atlanta has hosted the Olympics, is a broadcast hub and Atlanta United leads MLS in attendance with a median crowd of 46,239. L.A. has two stadiums, two MLS groups and is an efficient candidate to host high-profile matches.
More likely to host: Miami, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Houston, Seattle, D.C./Baltimore, Kansas Metropolis.
Levi’s Stadium is new, has grass and the San Francisco Bay space is a superb vacationer vacation spot. Philly’s bid committee reportedly has executed an awesome job. Houston is close to the Mexican border and has a retractable roof. Seattle has nice followers and is near Vancouver and San Francisco for journey ease (turf a damaging). Arduous to think about a World Cup snubbing the nation’s capital. Kansas Metropolis has sturdy soccer tradition and could be the one Midwest venue.
Unlikely to make the lower: Boston, Nashville, Orlando, Denver, Cincinnati.
All 5 of those cities are worthy candidates. Boston and Orlando hosted World Cup video games in 1994. However they don’t verify as many packing containers as the opposite 11 cities.
Then once more, it’s FIFA making these selections. Something is feasible. Keep tuned.
This story was initially printed June 14, 2022 5:21 PM.