USA, Canada, Mexico ask FIFA to fast track 2026 World Cup vote by two years

The North American bid to host the 2026 World Cup has asked FIFA for a decision in June 2018, two years ahead of schedule.

GENEVA (AP) – The North American bid to host the 2026 World Cup has asked FIFA for a decision in June 2018, two years ahead of schedule.

In a letter seen by The Associated Press, the soccer federations from the United States, Canada and Mexico asked FIFA to consider their request next month in Bahrain at its annual congress.

The proposal calls for the North American neighbors to be given a clear run without rival candidates until next year, and is item 14.1 on the congress agenda that FIFA published Tuesday.

The bid, launched in New York on Monday, is likely the only realistic option for FIFA's 211 member federations who are scheduled to choose the 2026 host in May 2020. That timetable could be fast-tracked on May 11 in Manama.

The added agenda item, written in the letter dated March 11, asks FIFA members to make a ''principle decision'' for the 2026 tournament to be ''jointly and cooperatively organized'' in North America.

If approved, FIFA could then ask the bid to show the Zurich-based administration it meets all technical and operational demands by a March 31 deadline.

USA, Mexico, Canada 2026 World Cup co-hosting bid falls heavily in USA's favor

That would allow time to prepare a confirmation of the 2026 hosts at the next congress in Moscow. The Russian capital hosts the annual meeting on the eve of the opening match of the 2018 World Cup.

FIFA bidding rules have made the North American bid a strong favorite to win because Europe and Asia cannot present a candidate. Those continents are blocked because they will have staged the previous two editions in Russia and Qatar.

South America and Africa can rival the U.S.-led bid, though Brazil hosted in 2014 and South Africa in 2010. It was 16 years earlier that the World Cup last came to the CONCACAF region, when the United States hosted a 1994 edition that set records for total attendance and average per game.

Argentina and Uruguay - the original World Cup host in 1930 - are focused on a centenary tournament in 2030, however.

Although Morocco has been speculated as a potential bidder for a fifth time, Africa is seen as lacking facilities even for a co-hosting bid for an expanded 48-team World Cup. The 16 extra teams from 2026 will add to demand for stadiums, training camps, hotels and transport.

''Should the cooperative bid ... not satisfy the technical bid requirements, the bidding process will be re-opened to all Member Associations under the conditions set out by the FIFA Council,'' the North American officials wrote in their letter.

The U.S.-led bid expects 60 games to be played in that country, with 10 in Canada and 10 in Mexico.

World Cup Winners

1930: Uruguay

The hosts won the first World Cup, beating Argentina 4-2 in the final. Uruguay's victory in the 13-team tournament was the start of a trend: The host nation has won six of 18 World Cups, and even lesser sides that have hosted usually have exceeded expectations.

1934: Italy

The host nation delivered again as Italy beat Czechoslovakia 2-1 in the final thanks to an extra-time goal from Angelo Schiavo. The Italians had opened the tournament with a 7-1 rout of the United States before beating Spain and Australia en route to the final.

1938: Italy

Italy won its second consecutive World Cup behind striker Silvo Piola, who scored twice and set up another goal in a 4-2 victory over Hungary in the final. The tournament included Brazil's epic 6-5 win over Poland in the first round in which Ernest Wilimowski scored four goals in a losing effort and Leonidas countered with a hat trick.

1950: Uruguay

While the United States pulled off the shocker of the competition by beating England, Uruguay joined Italy as two-time World Cup winners. Alcides Ghiggia scored in every game for Uruguay, including the game-winner in the final against host Brazil.

1954: West Germany

West Germany lost 8-3 to Hungary in the second game of the tournament, but exacted revenge in the final when it overcame an early two-goal deficit to win 3-2. This was the highest-scoring World Cup in history (5.38 goals-per-game average), with Hungary accounting for 26 in five games.

1958: Brazil

The first internationally televised World Cup gave us Brazil's Samba soccer and 17-year-old sensation Pele, who scored six goals in the tournament. It also provided the first winner outside its home continent, Brazil, which defeated host Sweden 5-2 in the final.

1962: Brazil

Despite the loss of Pele to injury, the Brazilians looked as dazzling as ever, overwhelming Chile 4-2 in the semifinal. The Czechs put up more of a fight in the final, but were overcome by two second-half goals as the Brazilians repeated as champions.

1966: England

England triumphed on home soil under Alf Ramsey, who'd revolutionized the national team. The 4-2 win over West Germany after extra time in the final remains the defining moment in English soccer, though the containment of Portugal a game earlier was equally decisive.

1970: Brazil

Brazil's free-scoring run through the rounds, a scintillating semifinal between Italy and Germany and Gordon Banks' "save of the century" against Pele in Brazil's classic group victory over England helped make this what is widely viewed as the best World Cup ever. Brazil downed Italy 4-1 in the final.

1974: West Germany

Led by Sepp Maier, Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Müller, West Germany overcame a classy Dutch side in the final to win the title on home soil.

1978: Argentina

The first World Cup in Argentina ended with a fifth title for a host nation. Mario Kempes won the Golden Boot with six goals, including two (to go with one assist) in Argentina's 3-1 victory over the Netherlands in the final. This was Holland's second consecutive loss in a World Cup final.

1982: Italy

In the first 24-team finals (eight more than in '78), Italy unexpectedly matched Brazil with its third title. West Germany and Brazil were the favorites and both won every game in qualifying, but Italy, led by Paolo Rossi, who had recently returned from a match-fixing suspension, knocked off both en route to victory.

1986: Argentina

Maradona owned the 1986 finals in Mexico, playing with fearlessness and guile–and a little luck, too, as his Hand of God goal helped Argentina slip past England in the quarterfinals. His performance against Belgium in the semis (two second-half goals) was incredible, and though the Germans kept him quiet for most of the final, it was his cross that set up Jorge Barruchaga for the winner.

1990: West Germany

In a rematch of the '86 final, West Germany got the best of Argentina 1-0 in a physical match (an appropriate finish to a rough-and-tumble tournament short on goals) in Italy.

1994: Brazil

Brazil and Italy played a mediocre final in the first tournament hosted by the United States, with the Brazilians winning in a penalty shootout after a 0-0 finish following extra time. Brazil became the World Cup's first four-time winner.

1998: France

France came back from a goal down against Croatia in the semifinal to set up its first final appearance, against Brazil. Rumors abounded that Ronaldo suffered a fit immediately before the match, but host France deserved its win after completely dominating the match thanks to two first-half headers from Zinedine Zidane.

2002: Brazil

Japan and South Korea became the World Cup's first co-hosts, and the first in Asia, and they produced a tournament full of surprises, if not amazing soccer from the usual suspects. The unexpected success of newcomer Senegal, as well as Turkey, the United States and South Korea, added to the novelty of the event. In the end, though, the final was contested between old faces Brazil and Germany, despite the relative weakness of their lineups. Ronaldo scored both goals in Brazil's 2-0 victory.

2006: Italy

Italy went unbeaten in the group stages and was then inconsistent through the knockouts, but deservedly took an extra-time victory over host Germany in the semis before beating France on penalties in the final. The French had started to dominate into extra time, but Zinedane Zidane's headbutt on Marco Materazzi left it a man down, and David Trezeguet's missed penalty handed Italy a fourth World Cup.

2010: Spain

Spain capped its golden era with a World Cup triumph, following its Euro 2008 title with another on the grand stage. Andres Iniesta's goal in extra time of a physical final led Spain over the Netherlands and allowed La Furia Roja to lift the trophy.

2014: Germany

Germany's run concluded with an extra-time triumph over Lionel Messi's Argentina, with Mario Gotze supplying a sensational winner to crown the Germans once again.

Although FIFA has final say on the match schedule, the bid also proposes playing all knockout games from the quarterfinals and later in the United States. The final week of the tournament should coincide with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026.

''A World Cup in North America, with 60 games in the United States, would be by far the most successful World Cup in the history of FIFA in terms of economics,'' said Sunil Gulati, the U.S. Soccer Federation president and a member of the FIFA Council.

Mexico will push to kick off the 32-day tournament at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, which hosted the final in 1970 and 1986.

''If we could get the opening match, it would be historic,'' Mexico federation president Decio de Maria said Monday, acknowledging that some think his country should stage more games. ''This is a good solution.''

The North American proposal is one of five topics that FIFA members will discuss in Bahrain, according to the agenda published Tuesday.

Also, the Palestinian federation wants FIFA to act against Israel for allowing clubs from West Bank settlements to play in its national league, and Iraq is asking FIFA to lift a ban on playing games in the country for security reasons. All Iraq's ''home'' games in 2018 World Cup qualifying have been played in neutral Iran or Malaysia.

FIFA members will also be asked to consider the ''election or dismissal'' leaders of its judicial bodies, including the ethics committee. The Asian confederation has led criticism of the ethics panels for barring a Qatari candidate from scheduled elections for FIFA Council seats in September.