Several major U.S. cities are experiencing an economic boost from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Los Angeles, Miami, and Dallas seeing thousands of overseas tourists attending matches and filling local venues. Economists and tourism experts note that the full economic impact may take weeks to measure and varies by city and match.

However, five U.S. cities missed out on hosting World Cup matches this year. Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, home to the Las Vegas Raiders, was a likely candidate but was disqualified because its retractable grass field tray is too narrow to meet FIFA's strict pitch and runoff regulations, according to the Review-Journal.

Chicago, which was a central hub for U.S. soccer fans during the 2002 World Cup, did not host matches in 2026. Former Mayor Rahm Emanuel criticized FIFA’s hosting proposal for Chicago, saying it would have allowed FIFA to reap "all the benefits" while placing too much financial burden on taxpayers.

In Arizona, despite confidence in logistical capabilities, officials decided against pursuing hosting due to fiscal responsibility concerns. Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority President and CEO Tom Sadler stated, "As a community, we had no doubt that we could execute the logistics, but we must be fiscally responsible when pursuing mega sporting events," as reported by AZCentral.

Additionally, city leaders reportedly withdrew bids in 2021, citing FIFA's restrictive rules that limited hosting of other large events during the summer, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Soccer fans in the Washington, D.C. area remain hopeful that future World Cups in North America might bring matches back to the nation’s capital, especially with plans underway to build a new Commanders stadium on the site of the old RFK Stadium.

State Farm Stadium, with a retractable roof and capacity of over 70,000, is among the venues hosting matches and is located about 150 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Sources

  • The Hill
  • Review-Journal
  • AZCentral
  • Canadian Broadcasting Corporation