Report: USA, Canada, Mexico ask FIFA to fast track 2026 World Cup vote
The soccer federations behind North America's joint bid to host the 2026 World Cup are hoping to discover the fate of their proposal two years ahead of schedule.
The United States, Canada, and Mexico soccer federations submitted a letter to FIFA requesting that a decision about the hosting rights be made in June 2018, Graham Dunbar of the Associated Press reports.
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The letter also contains a request that FIFA consider and discuss the joint bid during the soccer governing body's annual congress in May.
Dunbar suggests the North American bid is the "only realistic option" for FIFA to consider, and a decision could be fast-tracked and announced ahead of May 2020 when FIFA's 211 member federations are scheduled to vote on bids.
If approved, FIFA could then ask the bid to show the Zurich-based administration it meets all technical and operational demands by a March 31 deadline.
That would allow time to prepare a confirmation of the 2026 hosts at the next congress in Moscow. The Russian capital hosts the annual meeting on the eve of the opening match of the 2018 World Cup.
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Due to FIFA's hosting regulations, nations from South America and Africa will be permitted to submit proposals to host the competition and rival the North American bid. Meanwhile, Asian and European countries are blocked after winning hosting rights in the previous two tournaments - Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022.
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