World Cup: 2026 World Cup Bid

[robertmac43]

Less than a week until the location of the 2026 World Cup is decided. Which location would you vote for and why?

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[KJS14]

NA, because then I'd get to go to a game or two.

 

[robertmac43]

I would be voting NA for sure:

As a Canadian soccer fan I would love nothing more than to be able to cheer for the Boys in a World Cup. I think the team has taken the right steps over the past couple of years, but we are clear long shots to qualify in 2022. The free and east entrance would be amazing for the growth of the game

 

[Zegras Zebra]

The North American bid makes the most sense on paper. Seemingly endless suitable stadiums in the U.S.A, Mexico's rabid support, and Canada would be a perfect country to create new fans of soccer in. Morocco only has four stadiums with capacity over 40,000 and has security and logistic concerns especially for a 48 country tournament. However don't count out the fact most African nations would probably vote for Morocco, and it would take place in European time zones plus its FIFA so there is always the possibility for corruption. I suspect the NA bid wins, but it will be closer than most would expect.

 

[Zegras Zebra]

I would be voting NA for sure:

As a Canadian soccer fan I would love nothing more than to be able to cheer for the Boys in a World Cup. I think the team has taken the right steps over the past couple of years, but we are clear long shots to qualify in 2022. The free and east entrance would be amazing for the growth of the game

I don't think Canada would be "complete longshots" to qualify in 2022. Realistically it seems possible with the young talent coming up. All they really need to do is beat who they are expected to beat in the group stage, not play for 0-0 draws and beat Honduras, Trinidad, Jamaica, etc. in the Hex. It should be possible with a nation the size of Canada with the wealth we have to qualify for the World Cup

 

[robertmac43]

I don't think Canada would be "complete longshots" to qualify in 2022. Realistically it seems possible with the young talent coming up. All they really need to do is beat who they are expected to beat in the group stage, not play for 0-0 draws and beat Honduras, Trinidad, Jamaica, etc. in the Hex. It should be possible with a nation the size of Canada with the wealth we have to qualify for the World Cup

I think we are 100 percent a nation on the rise. The young talent is there and players like Osorio are really starting to come into their own. Long shot may be harsh, but we are still far from proven and the history of recent qualification campaigns does not help either.

That being said even without hosting in 2026 I would bet that Canada is present at this World Cup and I am definitely hopeful they make a good push and we some progress in the coming qualification campaign

 

[Evilo]

Obviously, I voted for a country that never had it.

 

[Havre]

The only reason not giving it to Morocco would be the closeness to Europe. Russia I guess is considered Europe and Morocco is obviously close by. When you got a proper football nation applying that has never hosted before they should almost by default get it (as long as you don’t have more than one such bid of course).

I don’t especially like Morocco. It is a tiring place to visit, but I think it would be a great place for a WC. I much prefer the venues to be reasonably close to each other.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Obviously, I voted for a country that never had it.

Canada hasn’t hosted.

 

[Evilo]

Canada hasn’t hosted.

Unfortunately, it's not Canada here. Otherwise, I'd be all for it.

 

[Deficient Mode]

Far less public money would be wasted on bribes and grifting where the stadiums already exist to FIFA specifications. Voted for NA.

 

[East Coast Bias]

As much as I want it in NA to actually go to games, the alternative is too good. NA losing out and watching Dotard order steel tariffs on FIFA is too good to pass up.

 

[Bakayoko Ono]

Far less public money would be wasted on bribes and grifting where the stadiums already exist to FIFA specifications. Voted for NA.

That's not how you win a FIFA vote.

 

[Deficient Mode]

That's not how you win a FIFA vote.

Well, in Brazil's case, there was a ton of corruption in handing out government contracts to build the stadiums, too. Not just to bribe officials.

 

[kingsboy11]

I was certain the U.S. would win the bid against Qatar in 2022. As much as I really want the U.S. to win this, I'm not holding my breath. It seem likes the U.S. will have most of the Conmebol and Concacaf votes while Morocco will get all the Afcon votes.

 

[Stray Wasp]

I'm taking a leaf out of FIFA's books- no votes for anybody until the transfer of funds into my account has cleared

 

[cgf]

I'm taking a leaf out of FIFA's books- no votes for anybody until the transfer of funds into my account has cleared

Don't make me get the mittens of disapproval out.

 

[nickp91]

Morroco doesn't have the infrastructure to build a World Cup

 

[Panteras]

Morroco doesn't have the infrastructure to build a World Cup

Qatar disagrees

 

[cgf]

5th largest economy in africa; a well-established tourist industry from europe; a number of stadiums that already could be used, are already under construction or are planned to be ready well before 2026. And if the western sahari situation gets resolved by then...lol...as long as the tourney stays north of the sahara, everything will be fine security-wise.

Qatar disagrees

Qatari money can get you quite a bit of infrastructure

 

[MrFunnyWobbl]

Far less public money would be wasted on bribes and grifting where the stadiums already exist to FIFA specifications. Voted for NA.

this x10000

You should not even be considered for the Olympics/WC unless you have over 85% of required infrastructure already in place. This would ensure that small/developing countries have to build the infrastructure before hand. That would allow it to be done at a slower pace, likely less corruption, and probably they wouldn't build it if they had no use for it outside of the major events. No more of this spending $3b on stadiums for them to sit empty and rot 6 months later.

 

[cgf]

Isn't the casablanca stadium the only one that Morocco would need to complete before the WM that hasn't yet already broken ground on construction? And that's a project they're going to build whether they get the World Cup or not. Since it'll be their new NT stadium & they're not going to stop bidding for the World Cup. So most of their WM-related infrastructure spending would actually be on things like transport that tend to have long-lasting benefits to a nation.

I'm a little biased because a lot of my friends back in berlin were part of this hardcore percussion band that was invited to play at the King's brother's birthday celebration in the mid 2000s. So I'm still bummed that I didn't get to go with them like I was initially supposed to...all because I was in stupid scotland instead to see my stupid best friend who had moved there from Chicago two years earlier.

Granted, hearing Dundonians comment on my chicago accent was gold and cracks me up to this day, but still...

 

[HajdukSplit]

Thought Morocco had a decent chance a few months ago but am now reading they don't even have unanimous support from Africa (albeit its only been 2-3 so far who have come out to support the NA bid). However I think Morocco will do well with the European vote

 

[cgf]

Thought Morocco had a decent chance a few months ago but am now reading they don't even have unanimous support from Africa (albeit its only been 2-3 so far who have come out to support the NA bid). However I think Morocco will do well with the European vote

Who's come out against them? Algeria & Mauritania?

 

[HajdukSplit]

Liberia, Namibia and Zimbabwe