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2026 World Cup Coming to Bay Area’s Levi’s Stadium

16 cities across North America will host the 2026 World Cup
By - posted 6/18/2022 No Comment

The Bay Area will be one of the 16 locations across North America that will host men’s World Cup soccer matches in 2026, the sport’s governing body FIFA recently announced.

Organizers of the Bay Area’s bid to be among the hosts held a watch party Thursday at Levi’s Stadium, the Santa Clara venue that will host the World Cup.

The 23rd FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by 16 cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, with 60 matches, including the final, hosted by the United States. Seattle, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Dallas, Atlanta, Houston, New York/New Jersey, Miami, Boston, and Philadelphia are the other U.S. locations that will host World Cup matches, while Vancouver and Toronto in Canada and Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara in Mexico will also host matches.

The Bay Area also hosted men’s World Cup matches in 1994 and the 1999 women’s World Cup semifinal. “This event is a huge win for Santa Clara and the region,” Mayor Lisa Gillmor said in a statement after the announcement of the successful bid to be a host city. “We are beyond excited to bring FIFA World Cup to Levi’s Stadium. Not only are we getting a world-class soccer event for the public to enjoy, but these games will be a massive economic generator for our community.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom touted the Bay Area and Los Angeles both getting the opportunity to host matches. “California is a beacon of hope for immigrants from across the globe and we’re excited to show the world our global community here in our own backyard as hosts for the World Cup in four years,” Newsom said.

Find more information about the Bay Area’s plans for the World Cup.

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