An official at the American embassy in Riyadh confirmed that the United States is preparing to host the 2026 World Cup, which is considered the largest in the history of football, with the participation of 48 teams and the holding of 104 matches, within a joint hosting session that brings together the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The official explained that the United States will host 78 of the 104 matches, including the semi-finals and the final, in 11 world-class American cities, noting that the year 2026 holds special importance for the United States, as the tournament coincides with the 250th anniversary of the founding of the country.
He added that the 2026 World Cup represents a model of international partnership, as it is being held for the first time jointly organized by three countries, in a step that reflects the strength of American partnerships in the Western Hemisphere, and Washington’s keenness to enhance multilateral cooperation.
He pointed out that the United States, Canada and Mexico closely coordinated their efforts in the areas of safety, logistics and hospitality, which embodies the ability of countries to achieve success through joint work, stressing that the participation of teams and fans from different parts of the world makes the tournament a living embodiment of the United States’ engagement with the international community.
With regard to facilitating the attendance of fans, the official said that the US administration launched the FIFA PASS program, which is a system dedicated to giving priority in visa appointments, so that every ticket holder to attend football matches who need an American visa has a clear and easy path to attend.
He pointed out that the US State Department has deployed more than 500 additional consular employees around the world to process visa applications related to the tournament, while maintaining the highest security standards, indicating that in more than 80% of countries, fans can now schedule appointments for visit visa interviews to the United States within less than 60 days.
The official expected that the United States would receive between 5 and 7 million international visitors during the tournament, calling on fans to discover the wide diversity that the United States abounds with, from Miami to Seattle, and from Boston to Los Angeles.
He stressed that the safety of fans is a priority for the United States, explaining that all 2026 World Cup matches in the United States were classified among the highest levels of special events evaluation by the US Department of Homeland Security, with more than $1.23 billion allocated to support security operations, public transportation networks, and law enforcement agencies in the host cities.
The official concluded by stressing that the 2026 World Cup launches what the United States describes as the “golden decade of sports,” as it hosts a number of major international sporting events, including the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
An official at the US Embassy in Riyadh confirmed that the United States is preparing to host the 2026 World Cup, which is set to be the largest in the history of football, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches, as part of a joint hosting arrangement between the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The official explained that the United States will host 78 matches out of the 104 matches, including the semi-finals and the final, in 11 world-class American cities, noting that the year 2026 holds special significance for the United States, as the tournament coincides with the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding.
He added that the 2026 World Cup represents a model of international partnership, as it will be held for the first time under a joint organization between three countries, a step that reflects the strength of American partnerships in the Western Hemisphere and Washington’s commitment to enhancing multilateral cooperation.
He pointed out that the United States, Canada, and Mexico have closely coordinated their efforts in areas of safety, logistics, and hospitality, demonstrating the countries’ ability to achieve success through joint work, emphasizing that the participation of teams and fans from around the world makes the tournament a living embodiment of the United States’ engagement with the international community.
Regarding facilitating fan attendance, the official stated that the US administration has launched the FIFA PASS program, a system designed to prioritize visa appointment scheduling, ensuring that every ticket holder for the football matches who needs a US visa has a clear and streamlined path to attendance.
He noted that the US Department of State has deployed over 500 additional consular staff worldwide to process visa applications related to the tournament, while maintaining the highest security standards, indicating that in more than 80% of countries, fans can schedule US visitor visa interviews in less than 60 days.
The official anticipated that the United States will welcome between 5 and 7 million international visitors during the tournament, urging fans to explore the wide diversity that the United States has to offer, from Miami to Seattle, and from Boston to Los Angeles.
He emphasized that fan safety is a priority for the United States, explaining that all 2026 World Cup matches in the United States have been classified at the highest levels of special event assessment by the US Department of Homeland Security, with more than $1.23 billion allocated to support security operations, public transportation networks, and law enforcement agencies in the host cities.
The official concluded by affirming that the 2026 World Cup marks the beginning of what the United States describes as the “golden decade of sports,” as it prepares to host a number of major international sporting events, including the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
