22 Other Cities Join Orlando in Final Bid Submission to FIFA;
United Bid Projects 5.8 Million Tickets to be Sold in 2026, Generating $2.1 Billion in Revenue
ORLANDO, Fla., March 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Orlando has been included as an official Candidate Host City in the United Bid of Canada, Mexico, and the United States to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup™. Earlier today the United Bid announced its list of 23 Candidate Host Cities that will be included in the Bid Book.
Orlando is part of the most comprehensive and far-reaching hosting strategy ever developed for a mega-sporting event. Orlando is thrilled at the possibility of welcoming the world to a united and inclusive celebration of soccer at Camping World Stadium, offering a stage on which the world’s best players will compete.
The full list of Candidate Host Cities can be found below. If the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ is awarded to the United Bid, FIFA will select up to 16 Host Cities from the proposed slate of 23.
“Canada, Mexico and the United States have joined together to deliver a United Bid that offers FIFA and its member associations the power of unity, the promise of certainty, and the potential of extraordinary opportunity,” said John Kristick, Executive Director of the United Bid. “We are confident that the combination of our 23 existing world-class stadiums, 150 existing elite training facilities, and our modern and interconnected transportation network can help FIFA to achieve new records for attendance and revenue which will allow the entire global football community to improve and grow.”
"Today's announcement that Orlando remains among a shortened list of just 23 official Candidate Host Cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup speaks volumes about our community's ability to welcome events of this magnitude. From our recently reconstructed Camping World Stadium, to our hospitality and tourism expertise, to our unwavering passion and support for the world's sport, we have all the ingredients to deliver a resounding success," said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer.
Canada, Mexico and the United States require no new stadium construction to stage the 2026 FIFA World Cup™. Orlando, along with the United Bid, will instead be able to work with FIFA to ensure the players, officials and fans have an extraordinary experience at the largest FIFA World Cup™ ever staged.
Across every metric, the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ in North America has the potential to deliver something extraordinary for Orlando, North American, FIFA and for football.
The United Bid’s final Candidate Host Cities are:
Canada:
- Edmonton
- Montréal
- Toronto
Mexico:
- Guadalajara
- Mexico City
- Monterrey
United States:
- Atlanta
- Baltimore
- Boston
- Cincinnati
- Dallas
- Denver
- Houston
- Kansas City
- Los Angeles
- Miami
- Nashville
- New York/New Jersey
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- San Francisco Bay Area
- Seattle
- Washington DC
About the United Bid Committee
The United Bid Committee was created by the National Federations of Canada, Mexico and the United States to manage the bidding process for the 2026 FIFA World Cup™.
About The 2026 FIFA World Cup™
The 2026 FIFA World Cup™ will be the first tournament with the expanded 48-team format and will require world-class facilities and infrastructure to ensure a successful tournament. The United Bid of Canada, Mexico and the United States is uniquely suited to accommodate FIFA’s high-level standards for hosting a FIFA World Cup™. If the United Bid is selected by FIFA as the host for the 2026 FIFA World Cup™, up to 16 Host Cities will be selected as venues for games. Canada, Mexico and the United States also have a long and successful history as hosts - 13 FIFA World Cups™ have been hosted in Canada, Mexico and the United States, five of which have set attendance records.
About Central Florida Sports Commission
The Central Florida Sports Commission (CFSC) is a private, non-profit organization established to attract and manage sports-related events, conferences and activities that drive positive economic development in the City of Orlando, Orange County, Seminole County, Osceola County and Lake County. Founded in 1993, the CFSC has hosted or co-hosted more than 1,200 events in Central Florida with a total economic impact exceeding $1.4 billion in spending within our community. For more information, please visit www.centralfloridasports.org.
About Orlando City SC
Orlando City SC joined Major League Soccer (MLS) as the league's 21st franchise in November 2013, becoming the first MLS team in the Southeast. The Lions began league play in March 2015 and moved into their privately-financed downtown soccer venue in March 2017, becoming the first team in MLS history to open a stadium with five consecutive victories. With a season-ticket base in the 20,000 range, the 25,500-seated Orlando City Stadium experienced sellout crowds nearly its entire first year of inception. In November 2015, the Club announced its intention to bring professional women’s soccer to Central Florida and launched Orlando Pride in National Women's Soccer League. The Pride began league play in April 2016 with a star-studded team of FIFA World Cup Champions.
For more information, visit orlandocitysc.com or orlando-pride.com.
About Orlando Venues
Since 1989, Orlando Venues has served as Central Florida’s epicenter of sports and live entertainment. Orlando Venues includes the Amway Center, Camping World Stadium, Tinker Field, Harry P. Leu Gardens and Mennello Museum of American Art. Orlando Venues’ mission is to present the Central Florida community with an extensive collection of live sports and entertainment and deliver a standard which results in the ultimate experience for our visitors. Amway Center is home to the NBA’s Orlando Magic and the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears. The recently-reconstructed Camping World Stadium hosts the historic Florida Classic and three NCAA bowl games annually – the AutoNation Cure Bowl, the Camping World Bowl and the Citrus Bowl. Tinker Field, built in 1914, is on the US National Register of Historic Places and is a recurrent venue for outdoor music festivals. Harry P. Leu Gardens features 50 acres of lush landscapes and has one of America’s largest collections of camellias. The Mennello Museum of American Art enriches the community with special exhibitions and showcases a permanent collection of paintings by Earl Cunningham. The department also oversees the City’s Public Art Program which includes the City Hall Gallery and Mayor’s Gallery.
Media Contact:
Elizabeth Landy
Uproar PR for Central Florida Sports Commission
321-236-0102 x232
elandy@uproarpr.com