The cities that will welcome the 2026 World Cup run against time to overcome the challenges in an attempt to make the tournament a historic landmark, a “growth lighthouse” of sports on US lands.
The tournament that will be headquartered in 3 countriesUSA, Mexico and Canada, Which becomes complicated due to the various bureaucracies, but there is a lot of confidence, at a time when just over a year to the World Cup.
Pam KramerCEO of the Kansas City Committee, mentioned as soon as only 384 days left, “it’s in everyone’s minds.” Kansas City, the smallest city among the 16 that will receive games, has already reached decreasing.
A largest edition of always From the tournament, with 48 teams, 16 cities and 3 countries, is approaching quickly. There are lists, notebooks, invitations, called by zoom, meetings, events, all focused only on the organization of the World Cup.
It is noticeable that there is a moment of calm before the stormthe tasks are being verified, the work is almost over, the logistics part is also being studied and the initial planning has not suffered with mishaps.
The projects have already begun, while questions are being raised and addressed. Despite all the care and plans made, there are still several challenges Ahead until everything is completed.
The large number of unknownin most cases outside human control, makes the preparation for an event of this very difficult magnitude, even in a tremendous craziness.
“We have gone from a feeling of being drinking from a fire hose, to now be at a point where we can really think more criteria,” he said Alex LasryCEO of the New York Committee/New Jersey.
Lasry states that planning is almost finished and now we have entered a chisel: “As summer passes and we enter the fall, let’s get into a fully execution phase.”
A project for 40 days
It is not extraordinary, but organizing a competition as relevant as the football is not easy task. It seems obvious, but there are so many variables to take into account, strategies to implement, tasks to coordinate, scenarios to predict – many things that need to be performed.
“We are talking about 40 days of competition and there are many things that are out of our control, such as the climatethings that keep us awake at night, ”Lasry said in conversation with.
The entrepreneur gives us an example: “If it rains for three daysHow do we adapt? What we will do to ensure that the experience will not be impaired?”.
Beyond 11 cities in the United States of Americawill also be held games in Three cities in Mexico e Two cities in Canada.
Players, teams and games will be the main attraction of the event, which already has the opening game scheduled for the day June 11, 2026, At Azteca Stadium, Mexico City and the final scheduled to take place at the New York/New Jersia Stadium, known it Metlife Stadium, on July 19.
The challenging part now is having everything ready there. Especially in the United States, jthere are infrastructures capable of receiving games of this levelhowever, buildings cannot undergo modifications.
Therefore, radical changes will succeed in the metropolitan areas and coordination with thousands of stakeholders, since local and federal agenciesNot to mention collaboration with all other teams that undergo similar challenges in other cities.
“We were able to establish relationships and contact our counterparts when we have a question or we want to discuss an idea. I think there has been a good collaboration,” he said Sharon BollencachExecutive Director of the Toronto Committee.
Preparation that took years
The planning of the applications began in 2017after FIFA has announced the 16 host cities: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle, USA; Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey, Mexico; and Toronto and Vancouver, Canada.
Since then, the organization has worked hard to ensure that when the first game begins, the continent will be able to support the burden that is a worldwide competition of true football.
Contrary to what happened in 2014 in Brazilwith Rio de Janeiro to renew the city and the slums to be covered and policed in advance, it is not so simple to do something in the US.
Cities such as New York have well -established public transport systems, and although Metlife Stadium is in New Jersey, there is enough transport coverage to connect the entire large metropolitan area.
“When we look at New York, New Jersey, we are one of the few, if not the only one, that It really has public transportation to the stadium. I think transportation will play a big role, ”says Lasry.
Kansas City, the smallest host cityhas been among the most active cities. Was the first to publicly establish an agreement to offer bus For fans to go back to the games and built an electricity specially designed to transport supporters through the city center.
In turn, Atlanta is in a different situation. Although the city has the largest airport in the United States, public transportation is not so omnipresent. The meter only passes every eight minutes; In New York passes every three minutes.
O Mercedes-Benz Stadium It is arguably one of the best stadiums in the United States. The stadium, which is only 1.6 km from Atlanta City Center, is prepared to host major events.
In the last year, it was the stage for everything, from Copa América to the playoffs of the football leagues – and even concerts of Post Malone. Still, it needed retouching; At the end of 2024, the Atlanta Committee began the hard process of placing natural grass and allows it to grow over 18 months.
Good brand, bad brand
Currently, an important source of revenue is the negotiations of Nami of stadiums and sponsors. Metlife paid 400 million of euros for 25 years, by New Jersey Stadium Name Rights.
Mercedes-Benz disburses about 12 million a year in Atlanta. The brand is everywhere. Second Adam Fullertonvice president of operations at Atlanta Stadium, it is necessary to remove about 2,000 sponsors from the stadium before the beginning of the World Cup.
A FIFA prohibits stadium names To refer to companies that are not official sponsors, so the names of existing stadiums will be covered during the competition and will not be mentioned in the broadcasts.
Therefore, unless companies sign separate sponsorship contracts, Mercedes-Benz Stadium during the World Cup will be officially called “Atlanta Stadium”.
“We are required to provide a ‘clean’ place, That is, we have to make a kind of blackout Commercial of the building and all FIFA competing brands cannot be visible during the tournament, ”said Fullerton.
An event that was marked in the memory of the Americans was the recent 2024 Copa Américaheld in the US – especially for the controversy before the final, which eventually caused several arrests, after fans had the stadium in which the match unfolded in Miami.
Although there have been many positive aspects, including good football and the passion of fans, the Event was marked by questionable decisions and bad management that was observed.
“We must also be aware that most fans will not go to the stadium, so it is central to ensure that local companies, hotels, bars, restaurants, can benefit from this unique opportunity“, These Lasry.
There are naturally uncertainties that cannot be calculated, such as delays in public transport and the behavior of fans – which will create some challenges. “But all Challenges create opportunities“Concludes Lasry.
