World Cup 2026: Trump joins FIFA leaders as hosts race to finish 16 stadiums

Muhammad Asghar | GlobalBeat

President Donald Trump joined FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Friday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City to inspect the first completed venue of the 2026 World Cup.

The tournament, shared by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will kick off in 396 days with 48 teams playing 104 matches across 16 cities. Construction crews worked through winter storms to keep all sites on schedule after delays pushed three Mexican venues past original deadlines.

The 2026 edition marks the first time three nations co-host football’s flagship event and the first expansion from 32 to 48 teams. FIFA expects 5.5 million tickets to generate record revenue exceeding $7 billion, with American stadiums alone seating 3.4 million fans across the month-long competition.

Trump told reporters on the Arrowhead turf that the United States would “put on the greatest World Cup in history” and promised streamlined visa processing for travelling supporters. “We’re going to make it very easy for fans to come, very safe, and they’re going to spend a lot of money in our cities,” the president said.

Infantino praised the early completion of Kansas City’s renovation, which added 4,000 seats and widened concourses to fit FIFA’s hospitality plans. “When the biggest country in the world and the most passionate football region come together, magic happens,” he said, standing beside oversized mock-ups of the new gold trophy that will be awarded on July 19, 2026 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Ticket demand already exceeds supply for the opening match in Los Angeles and the final near New York, according to FIFA’s commercial director Rhode Merrill. She told GlobalBeat that 2.8 million fans from 192 countries had registered for the first sales phase, which closes Monday. Packages for the final start at $950 for Category 3 seats and rise to $5,850 for hospitality lounges.

Canadian organizers face pressure over Toronto’s BMO Field, where temporary stands to boost capacity to 45,000 remain only 60 percent installed. Ontario’s minister for sport Shafik Bhayani said Arctic weather had frozen steel deliveries but crews would “work triple shifts” once spring arrives. Vancouver’s BC Place is on track after resurfacing its roof with translucent panels to meet FIFA’s daylight broadcast standards.

Mexico’s Estadio Azteca, site of the 1970 and 1986 finals, needs new elevators and broadcast cabling before FIFA’s June 1 deadline. Mexico City mayor Clara Brugada pledged $28 million in municipal funds after federal budget cuts trimmed the original refurbishment plan. Monterrey’s Estadio BBVA and Guadalajara’s Akron stadium, both new builds, await final safety certificates that federation president Mikel Arriola promised “within weeks.”

Background

The 2026 World Cup was awarded to the joint North American bid in June 2018, beating Morocco 134-65 in a FIFA Congress vote. The unified bid promised existing NFL and college stadiums would limit costs, projecting $5 billion in revenue versus $3 billion for Morocco’s plan to build new arenas. Organizers vowed every host city would break even through tourism, corporate sponsorships, and an expanded 48-team format adding 24 extra matches.

Political tensions surfaced when Trump, then president, warned countries might withhold support if they voted against the U.S.-led bid. His letter to FIFA, leaked to the press, stated “it would be a shame if countries we always support lobbied against the bid.” Infantino later called the note “helpful passion” and noted no evidence of retaliation. Relations warmed after Trump left office, though President Joe Biden kept the 2026 hosting agreement intact. Trump’s return to the White House in January has reignited speculation over federal resources for security and diplomatic visits.

What’s Next

FIFA will draw the 48 qualified teams in New York on December 20, 2025, assigning 12 groups of four. Organizers must finalize hotel blocks for 1,500 players and officials, a task complicated by conventions already booked in Dallas, Miami, and San Francisco. Final stadium inspections run from May 15 to June 30, after which FIFA will announce training sites and fan-fest locations in each host city.

The opening match on June 11, 2026 at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium is expected to attract a global television audience exceeding one billion, according to rights-holder Fox Sports. Infantino said the tournament would serve as “a bridge between North America and the football world” and hinted the continent could stage the Club World Cup in 2029 if 2026 revenues meet projections exceeding $7 billion.