FIFA's North American Push
Document Type
Book Chapter
Publication Date
2026
Abstract
The 2026 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup marks an important moment in football's political, economic, and cultural history. The first Men's World Cup to be played in North America since 1994, the 2026 finals will be cohosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States across 16 host cities and four different time zones. Importantly, the competition will equally underscore a longterm vision on the part of FIFA and the respective national North American federations to grow the game, evidence of FIFA's western expansion and the commercial potential of the American market. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has triumphed the upcoming finals tournament's significance economically and politically, aligning with US President Donald Trump during the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup games in a show of political favour of North America's growing stature within the upper echelons of the sport. The 2026 Finals–it has been argued–mark an important transition for FIFA in event hosting, away from urban (re) development in host markets, to positioning the World Cup as a principal agent for global diplomacy and engagement (Beissel & Ternes, 2024).
Recommended Citation
Hoff, K., & Burton, N. (2026). FIFA's North American push. In S. Chadwick, P. Widdop, & C. Anagnostopoulos (Eds)., The business of the FIFA world cup. Routledge.
Comments
Chapter in The Business of the FIFA World Cup
ISBN: 9781040762899