Soccer fans who purchased tickets for the advertised Fan Fest ahead of the World Cup may be calling foul.
In a rather shocking move for tri-state soccer fans, the fan fest initially scheduled to take place at Liberty State Park in Jersey City during the 2026 World Cup, has been canceled, a source familiar with the matter tells NBC New York and sister station Telemundo 47.
Instead, the state is allocating $5million to support community initiatives for fans.
“The Jersey City venue is no longer being utilized,” a spokesperson for the governor said in a statement. “Instead, Gov. Sherrill is creating a program to bring the excitement of the World Cup to communities throughout New Jersey.
The initiative, a partnership between New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) and the FIFA World Cup 26 New York New Jersey Host Committee, will bring fan experiences to communities across the state “while investing in small businesses, cultural associations, and community nonprofits.”
“New Jersey is the beating heart of the 2026 World Cup, and this initiative makes sure that every New Jerseyan — no matter where they live — can be part of this once-in-a-generation moment,” Sherrill said in a statement. “From fan zones to neighborhood watch parties to street fairs, we are investing in the communities and small businesses that make New Jersey extraordinary. The World Cup is coming to our state — and we are going to make sure it belongs to New Jerseyans first.”
According to the state, the initiative will prioritize supporting fan events that “are high-impact, beneficial to small businesses, and reflective of the rich and diverse cultures that will be represented by competing World Cup nations — many of which have deep roots in communities across New Jersey.”
Fan fests with large video screens have been a part of each World Cup’s organization since 2006.
“That is going to be the one fan fest, I believe, across the country that is going to be up and running for all games of the World Cup as opposed to just the games that are happening in our region,” Tammy Murphy, wife of of then New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and chair of the New York/New Jersey host committee’s directors, said previously at the time the fan fest was announced.
South Bay officials were taking victory laps this week after a successful Super Bowl 60 at Levi’s Stadium, but they won’t be resting on their laurels long — with NCAA March Madness games and FIFA World Cup matches on the horizon.
“Hosting three major sporting events marks a major milestone for our region and is a truly historic moment for our city and the South Bay,” San Jose City Manager Jennifer Maguire said during Tuesday’s City Council meeting. The upcoming basketball and soccer games “will further establish San Jose as the South Bay’s hub for sports, arts and entertainment,” she said.
While nearly all the official NFL events were in San Francisco, fans still showed up in droves for events in the South Bay organized by the San Jose Sports Authority, Visit San Jose and the city of San Jose during the week leading up to the big game. A city report on foot traffic in downtown San Jose shows about 459,000 unique visitors to downtown from Jan. 31 through Feb. 8. The biggest day was Feb. 7, when about 153,000 people descended on downtown for the Dom Dolla block party and San Pedro Super Fest event.
The city’s first use of an entertainment zone downtown, which allows partygoers to take certain drinks outside of bars and restaurants, brought just under 48,000 visitors to San Pedro Square — including 22,900 on the Saturday before the Super Bowl.
“This was without question the busiest weekend San Pedro Square Market has ever experienced,” said John Burroughs, operations manager for San Pedro Square Market. “Saturday alone shattered our previous single-day sales record by more than 30%, and throughout the weekend the Market felt like a nonstop Sharks game rush for nearly seven straight hours.”
Videos from the weekend showed people packed in so tightly at times that it was difficult for some to move along narrow San Pedro Street, indicating a need for a better crowd-control plan for future events.
David Mulvehill, president of Nuvo Hospitality, which operates several restaurants and bars in San Pedro Square, was initially skeptical about the city’s expectations for out-of-town visitors going into the week.
He was proven wrong, he said, and credited the city and its partners. “I underestimated what attention they brought to San Jose as a serious destination for traveling fans. They did a great job marketing and setting up events around the city,” he said. “Their effort was tenfold compared to 10 years ago.”
The party wasn’t just downtown. Santana Row’s four-day Super Row Weekend and Big Game Tailgate also packed the swanky shopping center in West San Jose with visitors. Its NFL Pop Up Shop exceeded its sales goals by 60 percent, and restaurant owners reported strong sales and foot traffic all weekend.
Collette Navarette, senior marketing director for the Western Region for Santana Row owner Federal Realty, said that following the success of the Super Bowl events, there are plans to have more for the World Cup games in June and July.
Fans arrive for Super Bowl 60 between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Santa Clara, which hosted Super Bowl 60 at Levi’s Stadium, didn’t hold any official events connected to the game, but Mayor Lisa Gillmor praised the coordination of several city agencies for bringing the game to the goal line, especially crediting City Manager Jovan D. Grogan, among others.
“This event did not happen because of press releases or photo ops. It happened because a small but mighty city rolled up its sleeves and did the work,” Gillmor said during the Santa Clara City Council meeting on Tuesday. “I’ve seen a lot of people and cities eager to take a bow. That’s fine, but let’s be clear: Santa Clara owns the stadium, Santa Clara carried the load, and Santa Clara delivered. And we delivered with class.”
The week was not without its challenges. There were seven shootings downtown during a 24-hour period from early Sunday morning through Monday morning, resulting in two fatalities.
San Jose City Councilman Anthony Tordillos, whose district includes downtown, told constituents in a newsletter that the violence marred an otherwise great weekend. “In light of this, I’m prioritizing how we can improve on late-night safety as we prepare for more events this year — but also in general, because it’s not just visitors that deserve a safe downtown,” he said.
In the run-up to the big weekend, advocates for homeless people raised concerns that officials would increase sweeps of encampments.
Indeed, San Francisco caught flak nationally in 2016 for closing camps before Super Bowl 50, and again in 2023 when authorities moved people out of public view before an international economic summit.
In downtown San Jose, staff at shelters run by the nonprofit LifeMoves didn’t notice any changes in the city’s strategy, said spokesperson Maria Prato. Nor were more people referred to the shelters than usual, she said.
San Jose Sports Authority Executive Director John Poch said he and his team took Tuesday off and then were back at work getting ready for NCAA tournament games in March, the next event in the San Jose lineup for 2026. “It’s not just about the event, but what we can do around the event for people,” he said.
There is already a three-day concert series, Music Mania, announced in San Jose’s arty South First Area (SoFA) on March 27-29, featuring DJ Diesel (aka Shaquille O’Neal), Bebe Rexha and Dustin Lynch. You can also expect another drone show and large-scale art installations at SAP Center.
San Jose Downtown Association CEO Brian Kurtz, who was at many of the Super Bowl-related events throughout the week, called it a “resounding success” that sets up San Jose for the rest of the year.
“Our community worked tirelessly preparing to welcome an unknown number of visitors to downtown — and they showed up en masse. Downtown was buzzing with activity at sold-out concerts, fan fests and packed streets,” he said. “We’ll consider this the practice round as we move forward towards March Madness, World Cup festivities and so much in between.”
A large crowd attends the Kehlani performance during the Big Game Block Party on East Santa Clara Street in front of City Hall in downtown San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 7, 2026. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is just a few months away, and preparations for the major event are underway in Los Angeles.
Metro, the official public transit provider for the global event, conducted an initial test of wayfinding signage Wednesday at its North Hollywood Station. The signage is designed to help guide riders during the tournament.
“As part of that, we will be providing enhanced World Cup service from throughout Los Angeles County to help everyone get to the matches,” said Jose Ubaldo, Communications Director for Metro.
The 2026 World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19 and for the first time in the event, the tournament will be co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
The World Cup kicks off in June with Mexico playing the opener in Mexico City and co-hosts USA and Canada hosting their openers in Los Angeles and Toronto a day later.
In his State of the City speech, Mayor Rex Richardson said more businesses, including Speedo, are moving to Long Beach. Mekahlo Medina reports for the NBC4 News at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026.
The venues and kick-off times for the 104 matches in the 48-team field were announced in December. SoFi Stadium in Inglewood will host eight matches.
In January, members of the Los Angeles World Cup 2026 Host Committee unveiled a list of FanZone events that will take place throughout Los Angeles County.
Metro said it will share more details about its enhanced service plans as the matches draw closer.
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter on Monday backed a proposed fan boycott of World Cup matches in the United States because of the conduct of President Donald Trump and his administration at home and abroad.
Blatter was the latest international soccer figure to call into question the suitability of the United States as a host country. He called for the boycott in a post on X that supported Mark Pieth’s comments in an interview last week with the Swiss newspaper Der Bund.
Pieth, a Swiss attorney specializing in white-collar crime and an anti-corruption expert, chaired the Independent Governance Committee’s oversight of FIFA reform a decade ago. Blatter was president of the world’s governing body for soccer from 1998-2015; he resigned amid an investigation into corruption.
In his interview with Der Bund, Pieth said, “If we consider everything we’ve discussed, there’s only one piece of advice for fans: Stay away from the USA! You’ll see it better on TV anyway. And upon arrival, fans should expect that if they don’t please the officials, they’ll be put straight on the next flight home. If they’re lucky.”
In his X post, Blatter quoted Pieth and added, “I think Mark Pieth is right to question this World Cup.”
The United States is co-hosting the World Cup with Canada and Mexico from June 11-July 19.
The international soccer community’s concerns about the United States stem from Trump’s expansionist posture on Greenland, travel bans and aggressive tactics in dealing with migrants and immigration enforcement protestors in American cities, particularly Minneapolis.
Oke Göttlich, one of the vice presidents of the German soccer federation, told the Hamburger Morgenpost newspaper in an interview on Friday that the time had come to seriously consider boycotting the World Cup.
Two weeks ago, travel plans for fans from two of the top soccer countries in Africa were thrown into disarray when the Trump administration announced a ban that would effectively bar people from Senegal and Ivory Coast from following their teams unless they already have visas. Trump cited “screening and vetting deficiencies” as the main reason for the suspensions.
Fans from Iran and Haiti, two other countries that have qualified for the World Cup, will be barred from entering the United States as well; they were included in the first iteration of the travel ban announced by the Trump administration.
FIFA said that $60 tickets will be made available for every game at the tournament in North America, going to the national federations whose teams are playing.
With just over 200 days left until Boston takes the world stage as a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, local organizers said Massachusetts has yet to deliver the funding they were expecting.
The organizers are warning that it could mean scaling back major fan events and services.
Boston Soccer 26 CEO Mike Loynd said the group is still waiting on $20 million included in Gov. Maura Healey’s supplemental spending proposal.
President Donald Trump said he would consider moving the World Cup matches Boston is set to host next year, questioning the city’s safety.
So far, the Massachusetts House of Representatives has earmarked only $10 million, while the state’s Senate has set aside $5 million to support public transit to the matches.
“It certainly would be downscaled, if not very limited, if we didn’t have the funding from the state,” said Loynd.
He said that he’s worked on a dozen major events, including the 1994 World Cup, and that the economic return for Massachusetts would far outweigh the cost.
“Every dollar spent will be returned five-fold, at a minimum, if not tenfold,” Loynd said. “So for us, yeah, it’s about maximizing this opportunity.”
President Donald Trump is threatening to move 2026 World Cup matches out of host city Boston, citing safety and the politics of Mayor Michelle Wu. Wu issued a brief statement on the tournament hours later.
Healey said she’s continuing to press lawmakers to approve the funding.
“I put forward a request for funding,” she said. “It’s currently with the Legislature now, and I’ll continue to have conversations with them about this.”
Massachusetts House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz said the Legislature is mindful of the event’s potential, but must also balance other priorities.
“We put on major events before. We put on World Cup games before. I think we know how to do it, and we’re going to do it right,” Michlewitz said. “We certainly have to make sure we’re taking care of our everyday residents and not just about issues that are one-time events.”
The first batch of tickets to the 2026 FIFA World Cup are officially on sale, but getting them has not been easy.
Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael Rodrigues has said the Senate’s $5 million allocation is meant to help support public transit to the matches — and that senators are open to providing more funding down the road.
“As a longtime fan of European football, and the Portuguese National Team in particular, I am very excited to see Massachusetts host the 2026 World Cup, right here in our backyard,” he said in a statement to NBC10 Boston. “Earlier this year, the Senate proposed and secured $5 million to help support public transit associated with World Cup travel to Foxborough. I welcome future discussions about how the Commonwealth can continue to help the event be successful and look forward to having those conversations,” he said in a statement to NBC 10 Boston.
Organizers said that without the full $20 million, cuts could include fewer promotional events, no backup shuttle buses to move fans to and from Foxborough in the event the MBTA trains fail, and a smaller fan fest planned for downtown Boston.
Loynd said he expects to get reassurances from legislators this week.
The D.C. United right back started his pro career representing the United States. Now, the 28-year-old is part of a revitalized Guatemalan side looking to qualify for its first-ever World Cup.
WTOP celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month this Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, with stories spotlighting the contributions, culture and accomplishments of Hispanic communities across the D.C. region.
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DC United’s Aaron Herrera embraces his Guatemala roots
On a dark, quiet evening in Panama City, Aaron Herrera was relaxing with his teammates of the Guatemala men’s soccer national team by playing cards before resting for a World Cup qualifying match.
Suddenly, a large truck pulled up next to the team’s hotel, blaring loud music into their bedrooms. After several minutes, hotel staff removed the truck from the property. As Herrera and his teammates attempted to laugh about the situation, multiple fireworks exploded outside their windows.
“I think it shows how passionate the fans are, and the lengths they’re willing to go to help their team out,” Herrera said. “I respect it. It’s something that shows how passionate these fans are in these countries.”
The tactic — known in Latin American nations as a way to keep opposing players from resting before game day — was something Herrera had mentally prepared for before joining Guatemala. The D.C. United right back started his career representing the United States before being persuaded to switch allegiances to play for Los Chapines.
Now, the 28-year-old is part of a revitalized Guatemalan side looking to qualify for its first-ever World Cup.
Making the switch
Born and raised in Las Cruces, New Mexico, by a Guatemalan father and an American mother, Herrera became a U.S. prospect early. Before playing three seasons with the University of New Mexico, he played on multiple U.S. national youth teams and was a part of the Real Salt Lake Youth Academy.
“Growing up, the dream was always a play for the U.S.,” Herrera said. “They were the team that was here. They were the team that I watched all the time.”
Once he turned pro, he continued to receive call-ups from the U.S., including being named to the 2021 Olympic qualifying team for the Tokyo Games.
However, after making only one appearance on the senior team in 2021 and the growing depth chart at his position, Herrera began examining his international career. A possible option was appealing to FIFA, soccer’s governing body, to make a one-time switch of allegiance to representing Guatemala.
“I didn’t think too far into it, because I didn’t know that it was a real possibility,” Herrera said.
The push grew as Herrera’s then-Salt Lake teammate Rubio Rubin pressured the defender to fill out the paperwork to join Guatemala. Rubin, who also played in the U.S. youth system, had also elected to make the switch to join the Central American side.
“(Rubin) would bug me every day before training and stuff, being like, ‘Hey, when you going to come play for Guate? We’re waiting for you,’” Herrera said, admitting that Rubin helped with submitting the paperwork.
Yet, concerns remained. While Herrera grew up with a Spanish-speaking father, his Spanish was, admittedly, “not very good.”
Guatemalan officials still persisted, with coaches and Rubin assuring him that he would fit in perfectly.
It would take one more year before Herrera completed the process and joined Los Chapines.
“Everyone over there is really nice,” he said. “They welcomed me with open arms from Day One.”
Guatemala-American balance
Since making his debut on July 15, 2023, Herrera has made 18 appearances for Guatemala, becoming a focal point in its attack as a wing player.
Over the summer, Herrera and his teammates led Guatemala to the semifinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament after an upset victory over Canada. During that match, he shined with a diving header save in the first half and scoring his penalty kick in the shootout, earning the nickname “El MVP guatemalteco” by the TURN commentary team.
His status as an American-born player within the Guatemalan national team places extra responsibility to perform in high-pressure moments like the Gold Cup. Herrera said he embraces it, understanding that his American identity will go wherever he goes.
He said the switch helped him grow up and embrace all of his roots.
When he’s in Guatemala, he enjoys eating the local cuisine and spending time with his family. However, he still carries some of his American flair with him.
Herrera admits that he’s working on his “broken Spanish” while his teammates join him in speaking English. During workouts, he plays country or rap music, surprising his entire team’s delegation.
“It’s special being able to blend the two,” Herrera said. “It’s a lot of fun being able to sort of embrace both cultures, both ways.”
Aaron Herrera of Guatemala kicks the ball against the United States during the first half the Gold Cup 2025: Semifinal round at Energizer Park on July 2, 2025 in St. Louis, Missouri.
(Getty Images/Kyle Rivas)
Getty Images/Kyle Rivas
Canada forward Tani Oluwaseyi, left, and Guatemala defender Aaron Herrera (7) battle for the ball during the second half a CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals soccer match Sunday, June 29, 2025, in Minneapolis.
(AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
AP Photo/Abbie Parr
Guatemala’s defender Aaron Herrera celebrates his team’s win at the end the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup Group D football match between Guadeloupe and Guatemala at the Red Bull Arena, in Harrison, New Jersey on July 4, 2023.
(AFP via Getty Images/KENA BETANCUR)
AFP via Getty Images/KENA BETANCUR
United States defender Aaron Herrera (2) heads the ball in front of Trinidad and Tobago forward Jabari Mitchell (11) during the second half an international friendly soccer match, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021, in Orlando, Fla.
(AP/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
AP/Phelan M. Ebenhack
Guatemala defender Aaron Herrera, left, and United States forward Patrick Agyemang battle for control of the ball during the second half a CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal soccer match, Wednesday, July 2, 2025, in St. Louis.
(AP/Scott Kane)
AP/Scott Kane
Aaron Herrera #7 of Guatemala controls the ball against Cuba during the first half at DRV PNK Stadium on June 27, 2023 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
(Getty Images/Megan Briggs)
Getty Images/Megan Briggs
Personal growth
The switch allows Herrera to make trips to Guatemala more frequently, even if it is for soccer-related reasons. Before that, he had last visited the country when he was 6 years old. Family members travel from a neighborhood in Guatemala City to watch him play.
His father, Diego Herrera, thinks “it’s the best thing ever” that his son is on the Guatemalan national team, Aaron Herrera said. Diego arrived to the U.S. at 15 years old, so he did not have the chance to become a professional soccer player.
Now, Diego travels to all over North America and the Caribbean with his mother, Aaron’s grandmother, to watch his son play.
“For him, he’s able to sort of live his dream through me a little bit,” Aaron Herrera said. “All the fans know who he is. … He’s got this big bald head that everyone can spot from a mile away, and so he’s taking pictures with all the fans.”
When he is back in D.C., Herrera said he meets a Guatemala fan “at least once a day.” His wife Lily helps “shell-shocked” fans take their photo with her husband.
Once, a group of construction workers near his home in D.C. pulled over their truck to meet Herrera and thank him for joining Guatemala.
For Herrera, representing Guatemala is “very special to me.”
Now, all of his focus shifts toward helping Guatemala qualify for the 2026 World Cup. While it is a personal goal to play in the tournament, helping Guatemala qualify would be “the biggest thing that I could possibly achieve in my career,” Herrera said.
“I’ve grown a ton as a player, as a teammate, as a friend, and just overall as a person,” Herrera said. “I think it’s a big credit to Guatemala and them welcoming me there.”
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On Day 1 of a presale drawing for tickets to the FIFA World Cup next June, the process did not go smoothly for many.
A window officially opened Wednesday morning for soccer fans to enter a drawing for a chance to buy World Cup 26 tickets. The Visa Presale Draw is scheduled to run until 8 a.m. Friday, Sept. 19.
But hours after it opened Wednesday, in the scramble to get those coveted tickets, people trying to be among the first in line hadn’t even made it to the ticket-buying moment. World Cup organizers told them to be patient, it will take some time.
Soccer fan Florian Ederer talked about his first attempt to score tickets.
“I’m currently in a waiting room, to join a queue to enter the presale draw to determine my eligibility to maybe buy a ticket at a later date,” Ederer told NBC Bay Area.
With matches in 16 cities, including at Santa Clara’s Levi’s Stadium, and fans expected from nearly every country on Earth, World Cup officials say it’s a drawn-out process.
“We know a lot of fans have been excited about this opportunity to start buying tickets … it’s not all happening in one day,” organizers said.
Indeed, there are nine more days left in the presale entry window. After it closes, emails will go out on Sept. 29 about the selection process, giving people dates and times to buy tickets.
World Cup ticket prices will range from $60 to nearly $7,000 per seat.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Friday that the draw for the 2026 World Cup will take place on Dec. 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, and didn’t rule out that he himself might oversee the event.
“It’s the biggest, probably the biggest event in sports, I guess,” said Trump, who made the announcement in an Oval Office event where he was joined by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Vice President JD Vance.
The U.S. is co-hosting next year’s tournament — which for the first time will feature 48 national teams up from 32 — with Canada and Mexico. The draw event will determine the World Cup’s groups, and the games each team plays in the opening round.
Infantino said the 48 teams will play “104 matches in one month” and likened it to “104 Super Bowls.” Trump picked up on that theme, saying, “It’s like having many Super Bowls in a short period of time, because each one of these games, essentially, is a Super Bowl. Some of them are bigger than Super Bowls, actually.”
The World Cup kicks off June 11 at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City and runs through the final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Games will be played in 16 cities across the three countries. Washington, D.C., is not among the host cities.
Trump said that the Kennedy Center “will give a phenomenal kickoff and we’ll be involved.” Asked if he’d be the one actually drawing the team names, Trump didn’t answer directly but deferred to Infantino, saying the FIFA chief “was the boss.”
Infantino said, “It’s a very interesting proposal,” and he indicated that he and Trump would discuss the matter further.
President Donald Trump, left, shakes the hand of FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the conclusion of an announcement in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks as Vice President JD Vance, from left, President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem listen in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
President Donald Trump, from left, speaks as FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Carlos Cordeiro listen in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
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President Donald Trump, left, shakes the hand of FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the conclusion of an announcement in the Oval Office of the White House, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
The choice of venue is interesting because Trump has taken over the Kennedy Center, installing himself as chair and replacing the board of trustees with loyalists. He’s also hinted he’d like to see the venue renamed the Trump/Kennedy Center.
There had been speculation for months that the draw would be held in Las Vegas. The event is traditionally a mix of entertainment and the business of dividing the teams into 12 groups of four for the opening stage of the tournament. When the United States held the World Cup in 1994, the draw was held at the Las Vegas Convention Center and Stevie Wonder was among the performers.
In December when the draw is held, 42 of the 48 teams will be known, including the automatic berths given to the United States, Mexico and Canada as hosts. The remaining six teams will be determined by playoffs in March.
“So now, when we have this beautiful event in December, it’s going to be very safe,” Trump said. He added that the FIFA chief “can walk down the street with your beautiful wife. You can take her to dinner, if you can get a reservation.”
Asked about fans overseas obtaining U.S. visas to come watch their teams in the World Cup, Trump at first said the process would be a smooth one, but then added, “Certain countries are going to be very, very easy, and other countries are going to be obviously a little bit more difficult.”
A travel ban that the Trump administration imposed in June includes Iran, which has qualified for the World Cup. The policy makes exceptions for “any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event as determined by the secretary of state.” It does not include an exemption for fans.
In an unusual move, Infantino also brought the World Cup trophy with him to the Oval Office. It’s a superstition nearly as old as the World Cup itself: players on national teams around the globe believe that touching the trophy before their team actually wins the tournament on the field can spark bad luck.
Even Infantino noted that the trophy is “for winners only,” but then he added to Trump, “And, since you are a winner, of course you can as well.”
The president did just that, calling the trophy “a beautiful piece of gold” and joking about keeping it and displaying it in the Oval Office, which Trump has redone in a gaudy, gold-hued decor.
“It fits very well right on the wall over there,” Trump said.
The World Cup is still two years away, but Dallas is already a winner. At a press conference Sunday hosted at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium, media members, celebrities and local officials gathered to watch the official FIFA schedule announcement.
From June 11, through July 19, 2026, the World Cup will have 104 games over 16 cities in North America, with 11 in the U.S.
This marks the first time the men’s World Cup will take place across three different countries: Mexico, Canada and the U.S. The opening match is on June 11, in Mexico City in Aztec Stadium. The games will continue in Toronto on June 12; Los Angeles will host the first game in the U.S. also on June 12.
This isn’t the only first. The tournament has expanded from 32 participating teams to 48.
In a press conference that included Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki, former Dallas Cowboy Emmitt Smith and Dallas Stars former goaltender Marty Turco, it was announced that North Texas will host the most matches of any city, nine, including one semifinal game, at AT&T Stadium on July 14. Of the 104 World Cup games, Dallas is hosting the most.
Basketball star Dirk Nowitzki (left) spoke about his love for a different sport: soccer.
Mike Brooks
“This is the biggest event in the world,” said Nowitzki, who spoke about growing up in Germany where people have “soccer in their DNA.” Nowitzki says he has watched soccer become more popular in the U.S. since English star David Beckham first made his way to LA Galaxy in the early 2000s.
For the portion of the announcement that was televised, FIFA enlisted Kevin Hart, Drake and the
“World’s most famous soccer Mom” Kim Kardashian, who announced Los Angeles as the first host city in the U.S.
Suffice to say, FIFA is really trying to spur a pandemic of soccer fever, following the tradition of Latin America and Europe. The sport is having a bit of a renaissance in the U.S. with Inter Miami recruiting star players Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. This week, FC Dallas made a landmark signing with Petar Musa in a deal worth nearly $10 million.
Also in attendance at the Arlington press conference were Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney, Arlington Mayor Jim Ross, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson and Fort Worth Councilwoman Macy Hill.
The city of Frisco, said Mayor Cheney, will be investing 100 million into the historic downtown to “show off” the city.
Beyond its cultural significance, the men’s World Cup is a major economic boon. According to a report by Forbes, FIFA brought $7.5 billion in revenue after the last World Cup in Qatar — which saw Argentina take the cup in a match of giants between Argentina’s captain Lionel Messi and previous World Cup champion France and Kylian Mbappe — of which Qatar reportedly banked $1.56 billion. Qatar, however, had reported investing $220 billion into hosting, making the World Cup a major financial loss.
For the 2026 soccer championship, Arlington Mayor Jim Ross was asked at the press conference whether his city’s lack of public transportation may have hindered Arlington’s bid for a final.
“If you’ve ever experienced coming in and out of here, we get people in and out as good, if not better, than any other city in the country,” said Ross. “So we do have a public transportation system. We’re just not assigned to a transit authority.”
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he hadn’t been given any reasons why FIFA didn’t pick AT&T Stadium for the final. But, he pointed out, Arlington is a city that was able to support three Taylor Swift concerts, “Which is as big as the World Cup.”
Before Sunday’s announcement, Dallas was projected to earn $300-400 million in revenue for hosting — which should cover Dallas’ rising rent for about a month. Though at the Sunday press conference, the numbers hadn’t yet been calculated to account for the economic impact of hosting nine games.
Other host cities include Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Guadalajara, Kansas City, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Monterrey, Mexico City, Toronto, Boston, New York City, Philadelphia and Miami.
Dallas will host its first game on June 14, with subsequent group-stage matches on June 17, June 22, June 25 and June 27. Round of 32 matches are on June 30, and July 3. The next game (round of 16) is July 6. The semifinal game in Dallas will be played on July 14.
The final game is on July 19, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. You can register for tickets on FIFA’s website.
“This is fabulous,” said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones of the news. “This is easily the most significant sports event that has taken place in our region.”
To explain to North Texans the impact of the nine games, FC Dallas president Dan Hunt offered, “It’s like nine Super Bowls.”
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones hosted the media event at “Jerry World,” Arlington’s Cowboys Stadium, where it was announced that Dallas will host nine World Cup matches in 2026.
