Analyst Joe Pompliano has revealed that FIFA could choose between New York City, Los Angeles, and Dallas to host the final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The upcoming edition of the soccer extravaganza will be held across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Expert Reveals The Cons Of Hosting The Final In New York & Los Angeles
Although New York and Los Angeles are arguably the top two cities in the United States, their respective venues MetLife Stadium and SoFi Stadium, are not without their cons.
According to Pompliano, New York City’s MetLife Stadium would have been a frontrunner had it not been for the risk of summer thunderstorms and sub-par transportation options. He wrote on X:
“MetLife Stadium is an outdoor venue, which means the game could be delayed because of Summer thunderstorms.
“The public transportation to/from the stadium also isn’t very good, and there is nothing to do around the stadium.”
Next, he moved on to the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, saying that although the facilities were excellent, it was not factory-ready for a soccer match.
Pompliano added:
“As for Los Angeles, SoFi Stadium is INCREDIBLE. It’s a $5 billion venue and FIFA would make a killing.
“But in addition to being under the 80,000-seat minimum requirement (SoFi has 70,000 seats), the stadium would also need to renovate its floorplan to even fit a full-size soccer field. Plus, the game would have to kick off at noon because of the time difference.”
Dallas’ AT&T Stadium Favorite To Host 2026 FIFA World Cup Final, Says Pompliano
After dissecting the big two, Pompliano talked about the dark horse, the AT&T Stadium in Dallas. The analyst believes that the stadium currently has the upper hand in the race for the FIFA World Cup rights.
FIFA is reportedly deciding between three cities to host the 2026 Men's World Cup Final:
1. New York City
2. Los Angeles
3. DallasDallas feels like the outlier — but I think they'll get it.
Here's why 👇
New York City and Los Angeles have a lot of positives.
• Two biggest… pic.twitter.com/d2H7yz7Umy
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) September 27, 2023
Pompliano continued:
“Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is no stranger to big events. The $1.3 billion stadium has hosted the Super Bowl, College Football National Championship, Men’s NCAA Final Four, and WrestleMania since its opening in 2009.
“There is an airport 15 minutes away. The stadium can hold 100,000+ people. The climate can be controlled by closing the retractable roof. And some of the nicer luxury boxes would sell for $100,000+ for the final.”
He concluded by adding:
“So don’t be surprised if Dallas eventually gets named the host.”
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