With the winning bid for the 2026 FIFA World Cup being announced in June, NMC members have been following the process very closely.
The field has narrowed to being a run-off between favourites United 2026 (the joint bid from Canada, the US and Mexico) and underdogs Morocco.
The United bid is still expected to win out, but its team are being realistic about their expectations following the publication of a new Gallup poll of 134 countries which showed the global approval for the US decreasing from 48% to 30%.
The head of US Soccer, Sunil Gulati, sought to reassure supporters of the three countries’ bid of their ability to hold the event, while at the same time distancing the bid from other factors involved.
“This is not only about our stadiums and our hotels and all that…It’s about perceptions of America, and it’s a difficult time in the world,” he said.
The formal announcement of the winning candidate will be made in Moscow on June 13, just before the 2018 World Cup.
