New York Remains In Bid To Host World Cup Games

NEW YORK, NY — New York City survived a round of cuts to the list of cities that could host soccer games during the 2026 FIFA World Cup should the United States, Mexico and Canada's united bid to host the tournament be selected.

The United Bid Committee announced the 32 cities that made the cut this week, down from 42 when the process started. Of the 32 finalists: Twenty-five are located in the United States, four are located in Canada and three are located in Mexico.

"As we move to the next stage of the bid process, we’re even more confident we have everything needed to deliver the largest, most compelling FIFA World Cup in history and help accelerate the growth of soccer across North America and around the world," United Bid Chairman Sunil Gulati said in a statement.

Cities that were cut from the original group include: Birmingham, Alabama; Cleveland, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; Jacksonville, Florida; New Orleans, Louisiana; Ottawa, Ontario; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Regina, Saskatchewan; and San Antonio, Texas.

Should the New York City region play host to World Cup games, they will likely be held in East Rutherford, New Jersey's, MetLife Stadium. The football field, home to the New York Jets and New York Giants, has a capacity of 82,500.

"The 32 cities that we have identified as potential host cities, on their own and together, are prepared to welcome soccer fans from around the world. They are more than capable of helping fulfill the shared vision and ambition of FIFA and the United Bid in shaping the future of soccer in North America," John Kristick, executive director of the United Bid Committee, said in a statement.

The United Bid Committee will submit its official bid to host the World Cup in early 2018. Of the 44 cities identified as potential hosts, only 20-25 will be included in the official bid, officials announced.

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