If you are planning ahead to make a trip to support Ireland in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Finals it is likely you will be heading for the United States of America, with a little bit of Mexico and Canada thrown in for variety.
The Football authorities of all three countries confirmed yesterday that they will be making a formal bid to host what will be a massively expanded finals tournament consisting of 48 teams.
All the games from the Quarter Finals onwards will be in the United States but Canada and Mexico are each likely to host as many as ten games in the group phase.
Bids are to be lodged by the end of 2018 with evaluation taking place throughout 2019 and a decision made in 2020.
Europe and Asia will not be able to bid as a result of a new continental rotation policy and their hosting the Finals in Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022.
The USA last hosted the tournament in 1994, when Ireland competed in our second Finals and brought large crowds to New York and Florida.
Mexico has hosted two finals in 1970 and 1986 while Canada hosted last year’s successful Women’s World Cup.
The expansion in 2026 to 48 teams will mean a bigger tournament than most single countries could hope to manage and the fact that the USA’s main competitor is likely to be Morocco suggests that visa application proceedings can be started with confidence.
Europe will have 16 teams qualify to play. On current FIFA world rankings that would mean the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland both squeaking through in 16th and 15th place on rankings at the moment though there will be a qualification competition as currently exists.
