FIFA President hopes football World Cup 2026 to be the greatest ever

LAHORE
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has said that that the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be the most inclusive and greatest tournament ever in the history of the sport to be hosted by Canada, Mexico and USA in June 2026.
In a press release, showing the FIFA chief standing beside the glittering trophy, issued on Tuesday, Gianni Infantino was quoted as saying that the upcoming mega event will feature 48 countries and be hosted by 16 cities across three countries.
The FIFA World Cup 26 is due to kick off at the iconic Estadio Azteca Mexico City on June 11, 2026 while the final will be played in New Jersey (New York) on July 19.
The Estadio Azteca Mexico City – one of three venues in Mexico along with Estadio Monterrey and Estadio Guadalajara – will make history at the tournament, having also hosted the opening matches of the FIFA World Cup 1970 and 1986.
“It will be the first stadium to host three inaugural (FIFA) World Cup football matches,” said the FIFA President, adding that “We’ve never seen this before, and to experience it at an iconic stadium like the Azteca is something very, very special. We all know the epic football matches that have been played there in the past while absolute champions like Pelé and Diego Maradona played and won at the Azteca.”
“In two years from now, the world will stand still and watch what is happening in North America. The trophy is already here, ready – we take care of it – and we are all getting ready, gearing up for the competition, preparing everything.”
He said a number of qualifying matches are being played as the milestone was reached. Eighteen games were scheduled to take place in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualifiers, bringing the second round of qualifying to a conclusion and determining which 18 teams would proceed to the third stage.
Matches in North, Central America and Caribbean (Concacaf), and in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) are also scheduled on the day. The ball started rolling in South America in September 2023.
The FIFA President said preparations were well on course across the three host nations. “At the host cities, of course, FIFA is working with the authorities, with the stadium owners and operators, with the local communities,” he said of the two Canadian, three Mexican, and 11 US venues. “(There is) fantastic collaboration everywhere. They are looking forward to millions and millions of fans from all over the world. The stadiums are absolutely beautiful.”
Talking about the major milestones in the upcoming FIFA World Cup 26 milestones, Gianni Infantino said these include qualifying draws in both Asia and Oceania, adding that 18 team will vie for eight direct slots during the AFC qualifying in September this year while 11 nations will compete for one direct slot in the Oceania Football Confederation from September as well. H said the UEFA qualifying, meanwhile, will take place between March 2025 and March 2026, with 16 berths available for European teams.