As North America gets ready to host the FIFA World Cup 2026, preparations across the U.S, Mexico, and Canada are in full swing. With the tournament expanded to 48 teams and featuring 104 matches, host cities are focusing on large scale infrastructure upgrades, security, and fan engagement. For this international event, countries are working to showcase their best while hosting the FIFA World Cup. The 2025 Club World Cup is scheduled to be played in the US from June 15 to July 13. It will be the first to be played under an expanded format with 32 clubs. The tournament will take place on the East Coast to be closer to European time zones for broadcast purposes and to avoid clashes with the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Having successfully staged the 1994 World Cup, expectations are high on the US given they will be the primary hosts for the 2026 edition. They are scheduled to host three-quarters of the fixtures, but issues at the 2024 Copa America tournament have raised doubts about their ability to be World Cup hosts. Over 5 billion people watch the World Cup whenever it is on air. Countries see this and present the best that they have.
The estimated cost for U.S. preparations is around $11 billion, largely focused on adapting existing stadiums to meet FIFA’s strict standards. They are preparing by building and funding towards new public transportation like trains and busses. Unlike Qatar’s 2022 World Cup, where seven new stadiums were built, North America is retrofitting existing venues. Host cities are also investing heavily in transportation and connectivity, with projects ranging from airport modernizations and rail upgrades to deploying smart traffic management systems. With global attention comes the need for a comprehensive security strategy. Security protocols are being developed through deep collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement. Spectators will navigate multiple checkpoints with multi-layered screening, and stadiums are establishing extensive security perimeters to create safe zones around venues.
