Will one of the sports world's most popular events, the FIFA World Cup have a home in Denver, CO during the next World Cup set to take place in 2026?

We're about to find out.

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As per officials via the worldwide football (a.k.a American soccer) organization, FIFA will announce the staging of the World Cup next month - on Thursday, June 16 via a live broadcast from New York City.

Twenty-two cities, including Denver, are each in the running to host matches during the 48-team tournament, which will be played around various cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico in 2026.

“In line with the previous stages of the FIFA World Cup 2026 selection process, any announcement will be made in the best interests of football, taking into consideration the needs of all stakeholders involved, as we aim to lay the foundations for the tournament to be delivered successfully across all three countries,” said FIFA Vice-President and Concacaf President Victor Montagliani in a press release, according to MLS Soccer. 

Which cities are in the running to host World Cup games in 2026?

The 22 candidate cities in the running to host games during the 2026 FIFA World Cup feature 16 U.S. host cities, as well as three Canada host cities and three Mexico host cities.

The cities, along with the proposed stadiums in which games would be played in are as follows:

  1. Atlanta, GA (Mercedes-Benz Stadium) 
  2. Boston, MA (Gillette Stadium)
  3. Cincinnati, OH (Paul Brown Stadium)
  4. Dallas, TX (AT&T Stadium) 
  5. Denver, CO (Empower Field at Mile High) 
  6. Edmonton, AB (Commonwealth Stadium) 
  7. Guadalajara, Mex. (Estadio Akron)
  8. Houston, TX (NRG Stadium)
  9. Kansas City, MO (Arrowhead Stadium)
  10. Los Angeles, CA (Rose Bowl and SoFi Stadium)
  11. Mexico City, Mex. (Estadio Azteca)
  12. Miami, FL (Hard Rock Stadium)
  13. Monterrey, Mex. (Estadio BBVA)
  14. Nashville, TN (Nissan Stadium)
  15. New York/New Jersey (MetLife Stadium) 
  16. Orlando, FL (Camping World Stadium)
  17. Philadelphia, PA (Lincoln Financial Field)
  18. San Francisco, CA (Levi's Stadium)
  19. Seattle, WA (Lumen Field)
  20. Toronto, Canada (BMO Field)
  21. Vancouver, BC (BC Place)
  22. Washington DC/Baltimore, MD (M&T Bank Stadium) 

Should Denver be chosen to host the FIFA World Cup in 2026, the Denver metro area could potentially see more than $300 million in new economic activity from hosting the worldwide sporting event, which would support 2,500 jobs and generate $90 million in earnings, according to Gov. Jared Polis.

“But beyond that, the tournament brings something that’s really priceless,” Polis said during a press conference back in 2019.

“Beyond money, it brings excitement. It brings attention to Colorado’s national beauty on an international stage. It brings pride. It brings patriotism. And it brings a resurgence in sport and participation that is really priceless.”

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