Press Release

Bipartisan resolution welcomes the international community to the first FIFA tournament to be jointly hosted by three nations: the United States, Canada, and Mexico WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch and U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) today led their colleagues in introducing a bipartisan resolution honoring the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Senators’ resolution celebrates that for first time in the history of the competition, the World Cup will be jointly hosted by three nations, with matches scheduled across 16 North American cities, including 11 in the United States, three in Mexico, and two in Canada. The resolution highlights how this milestone exemplifies the spirit of continental unity and cooperation among America’s neighbors and also welcomes the world’s fans and players to the United States, Canada, and Mexico for the tournament. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be a milestone in sporting history as the first edition to feature an expanded field of 48 national teams and a record 104 matches. America’s host cities for this year’s competition will include Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Seattle. “The ‘United Bid’ of America, Canada, and Mexico was made possible by a shared, strong partnership between our countries, grounded in mutual respect and centered on shared values of peace and prosperity. From Boston to Seattle, we’re so excited to welcome folks from across the world to America to foster global peace, friendship, and fair competition,” said Senator Welch . “I’m so grateful for the support of our great neighbors, Canada and Mexico, for their collaboration in bringing the world’s most popular tournament back home in a historic way.” “The world’s most popular sport is fast becoming North America’s most popular sport. The FIFA World Cup promises to be historic. From Canada to Mexico with the U. S. at the center of it all, I’m grateful for the friendships that make it possible. Billions of fans from all over the world will be watching more than 75 games being played in the United States, and we have the opportunity to shine,” said Senator Cramer . The 1994 FIFA World Cup, which was hosted by the United States, remains the most attended tournament in history, with 3,600,000 spectators. The legacy of the 1994 FIFA World Cup fundamentally changed the trajectory of soccer in America, leading directly to the 1996 launch of Major League Soccer and the creation of new professional pathways for players from the United States. Read and download the full text of the resolution. ###