U.S. Soccer CEO: Winning World Cup Bid Will Boost Sport's Status in North America
*By Christian Smith*
Young American soccer fans feeling left out of the World Cup excitement this year have a new ambition, as FIFA voted Wednesday to hold the 2026 tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
"Now the 12-year-old to the 25-year-old has the opportunity to know that if they play at the highest level and make their National Team, they'll have an opportunity to actually play in a World Cup on their home soil," the former U.S. forward and three-time World Cup veteran Brian McBride said in an interview with Cheddar. "There's no better experience than walking out on that field with your badge, the crest on you, and know you're representing your country."
The prospect of contending for soccer's quadrennial championship on home soil in eight years provides some consolation for missing out on the 2018 tournament in Russia, and it may signal the start of U.S. Soccer's international comeback.
The last time the World Cup was played in the United States, in 1994, it catapulted the national team's success and the popularity of the sport. The success of that tournament helped launch Major League Soccer, the country's professional soccer league.
The opportunity to host another World Cup, this time with neighbors Mexico and Canada, represents a rare chance for U.S. Soccer to grow the sport for the second time in a generation.
"I think the real key day in all of this is the day after the 2026 World Cup, what does our industry look like," said Dan Flynn, CEO of the U.S. Soccer Federation. He added that the World Cup creates new revenue opportunities for all three federations, and that money can be invested in developing better, more competitive players.
American soccer isn't the only thing growing. The 2026 World Cup will be the first to feature 48 teams, up from 32. They will play a total of 80 games, with 60 of them scheduled for the United States. As part of their bid, the three North American nations pledged the tournament would generate $11 billion in revenue. The three federations could make as much as $50 million each, based on estimates.
Diplomatic disputes ー including President Trump' executive order barring most visitors from several Muslim-majority countries ー raised concerns among some countries about the North American bid, but Flynn said it was never a real issue.
"People want to talk about that and bring it into play, but the reality was this was about our sport," Flynn said. "I think it's a really good example of where our sport is really a sport that can bring people together."
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/u-s-wins-joint-bid-to-host-world-cup-in-2026).
PlayersTV is bringing sports viewers Athletes On Demand, a subscription platform to provide fans with thousands of hours of sports content from their favorite athletes. CEO Angela Bundrant joined Cheddar News to discuss the new rollout. "People can expect to receive content or buy into content on demand that comes from their favorite athletes," said Bundrant, listing star partners like the Phoenix Suns' Chris Paul and New Orleans Pelicans' C.J. McCollum.
Walker Ross, Assistant Professor of Sports Business Management at Florida Southern College, joins Business of Sports: The Beijing Winter Olympics 2022, where he says that actions Beijing and other Olympic host sites have been implementing to combat climate change has simply not been enough to offset their carbon footprint.
Olivia Harlan Dekker breaks down Thursday's primetime matchup between the 76ers and Bucks, NBA champion Richard Jefferson sets the scene for this weekend's All-Star Game, and Alex Monaco discusses who he's bullish and bearish on for Thursday's action.
The 15-year-old Russian Olympic figure skater Kamila Valieva found herself at the center of a scandal after a positive test for a banned substance became public. Valieva fell out of gold contention in the women's free skate after falling, avoiding a potentially embarrassing situation, where a medal ceremony would have been nixed had she won. Scott Hamilton, the retired American figure skater and Olympic gold medalist in the 1984 Games, joined Cheddar to break down the scandal. “It’s a team competition and every member of the team participated in that score and hers should be disallowed”.
Alex Monaco, host of the “The Bettor Half Hour” on MSG Networks and the “Sports Gambling with Moneyline Monaco” podcast, joins Cheddar Bets to give his last-minute tips before tonight's slate of games starts.
Sponsored by BetMGM
Richard Jefferson, host of the Road Trippin' podcast, NBA Today analyst, and NBA Champion, joins Cheddar Bets to break down All-Star Weekend festivities and to give his "Pick 6" for tonight.
Sponsored by BetMGM
BetMGM Host Olivia Harlan Dekker joins Cheddar Bets to break down tonight's big Bucks-76ers matchup -- likely Philly's last game without James Harden.
Sponsored by BetMGM
While many are excited to watch the final two NFL teams square-off and see which one ultimately takes home the trophy, some, on the other hand, are there for another mian attraction -- the commercials. Companies during this year's game are looking towards the future From electric vehicles, to robots, and crypto-currency, several first-time advertisers are expected to join long-time advertisers like Pepsi, Budweiser and Doritos during the NFL's biggest game. Tom Morton, Global Chief Strategy Officer at R/GA, joined Cheddar News' Big Game Special to discuss.
This week's Spring Training has been delayed as a result of the ongoing MLB Lockout. This past Saturday lead negotiators and lawyers from Major League Baseball and the players union met to discuss the economic hurdles needed to be cleared for a new labor deal, but from all accounts, it seems the sides are still far apart. Baseball Columnist and Publisher of "The Joe Sheehan" Baseball Newsletter, Joe Sheehan, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
The Super Bowl might be over, but people are still buzzing about the players, commercials, halftime show, and more. Google tracks the top searches before and after the game every year, revealing the show-stopping moments of the biggest sporting event of the year. Sadie Thoma, Director of US Creative Partnerships at Google, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss the top trends this year.
