U.S., Canada, Mexico planning joint bid for 2026 World Cup

The 2026 FIFA World Cup could have not one, not two, but three host nations.

The United States, Canada, and Mexico are planning an all-North American bid for the affair, to be submitted this year for consideration by FIFA, according to CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani.

"Canada, the U.S., and Mexico are aiming for a joint bid, the idea has been around for a while, discussions are continuing and it is a very exciting proposition if it comes to fruition," Montagliani said, as quoted by David Conn from the Guardian. "We have had nothing but positive remarks about it and it is a very strong sign of what football can do to bring countries together."

The U.S. last hosted the World Cup in 1994 to great success, while Mexico hosted the tournament in 1970 and 1986. Canada has never hosted the men's World Cup but successfully hosted the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Montagliani acknowledged that each nation had the infrastructure to host the World Cup alone but said a joint bid would be "a fit" with the tournament's new format, with 48 teams playing 80 matches. He added that a final decision is likely to be made "sometime this year."