According to a report by Reuters, the 2026 soccer World Cup could be split between up to four countries, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday. The organization would encourage applications to co-host the tournament.
“We will encourage co-hosting for the World Cup because we need FIFA to show we are reasonable and we have to think about sustainability long-term,” said Infantino. “[We could] …maybe bring together two, three, four countries who can jointly present a project with three, four, five stadiums each. We will certainly encourage it. Ideally the countries will be close to each other.”
His remarks could lead to a joint bid from the U.S., Canada and Mexico, which have already said they intend to discuss the possibility.
The financial burden taken on by a single host country, as well as backlash over built-and-abandoned stadiums, have been raised as concerns.
The 2002 tournament hosted by Japan and South Korea marked the only other time FIFA sanctioned split hosting.
“It’s a good idea, and Europe has of course previously worked in this way on the European Championships,” said Swedish FA chair Karl-Erik Nilsson
