World Cup — Courtesy: Shutterstock — Image by: AGIF
On Wednesday, Florida’s business-recruitment agency put $10 million into the pitch to help Miami and Orlando become host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament.
The Enterprise Florida Board of Directors agreed to provide $5 million for each of the cities’ efforts, which are being led by the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Greater Orlando Sports Commission.
“We talk about the impact that having two Super Bowls in two years had on the Florida economy, and this would be the equivalent of having like two Super Bowls in one month, one week, but times like an exponential number,” said Holly Borgmann, vice chairwoman of the Enterprise Florida Board of Directors. “I don’t know the numbers, but this would be a huge way to celebrate our cities and our state on a global scale. It would bring a ton of tourism to the area. And it demonstrates to FIFA the state’s commitment to fund this important tournament.”
The Sunshine State’s money wouldn’t be released until all contracts are signed for either contending venue—Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens or Camping World Stadium in Orlando.
The 2026 games will be hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. The U.S. is expected to get the majority of the games, including the quarterfinals, semi-finals, and final.
Mexico and Canada were expected to host 10 matches each, however, Montreal has withdrawn from the selection process. This leaves Canada with only two cities bidding for games—Edmonton and Toronto.
Before Montreal’s withdrawal, cities in the United States were expected to host 60 cup matches, with city selections set to be made early in the second quarter of 2022. The 2026 Cup will see the field of teams expanded from 32 to 48.
FIFA’s site-inspection team finished its final round of potential-host city visits.
In a report Wednesday by SportsTravel magazine, FIFA Chief Competitions and Events Officer Colin Smith said that “there’s no finite number as to how many (cities) we’ll decide. In the region of 16 is what was originally proposed.”
Florida has been behind the local efforts to host games since August 2019. After attending the Major League Soccer’s All-Star Game at Orlando City Stadium, Governor Ron DeSantis said he would push for Miami and Orlando to be among the cities across North America where games would be held.
“It’s a great return on investment and I think it’s a great thing to experience for a lot of our young kids and families,” the governor said at the time. “But also, it will pump a lot of money into the economy.”
Orlando hosted five games in the 1994 tournament when the United States was the sole host country.
“It’s a great return on investment and I think it’s a great thing to experience for a lot of our young kids and families,” the governor said at the time. “But also, it will pump a lot of money into the economy.”
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Mike has more than 30 years of experience in marketing and public relations. He once owned his own agency and has worked with some of the largest brands in the world.
