Cincinnati’s Bid FIFA World Cup 2026™ Candidate Host City Continues
Contacts:
Jackie Reau, Game Day for Cincinnati USA: FIFA World Cup 2026™ Candidate Host City LOC
(513) 708-5822
jreau@gamedaypr.com
Cincinnati’s Bid FIFA World Cup 2026™ Candidate Host City Continues
Local Leaders to Continue to Discuss Bid with FIFA and U.S. Soccer on March 9
Who: Local leaders from the city and county including Mayor John Cranley and Commissioner Stephanie Summerow Dumas, along with representatives from Paul Brown Stadium, FC Cincinnati, Cincinnati Police Department and others will represent Cincinnati’s bid as a FIFA World Cup 2026™ Candidate Host City
What: Cincinnati’s Local Organizing Committee for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Candidate Host City will meet virtually with FIFA and US Soccer to continue the dialogue of the bid process to host the world largest sporting event in North America in 2026
When: The virtual call will take place on March 9, 9 a.m. ET
Host City Vision for Cincinnati’s FIFA World Cup 2026™ Candidate Host City Bid
“Sports, unlike any other enterprise, are able to bring together people from all walks of life. Boundaries and barriers fade in the face of sports and individuals find themselves UNITED in support of their teams. Through participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Cincinnatians and the entire Midwest, become members of an ever-growing universal community and through soccer embrace the opportunity to celebrate their sport as a global citizen.”
Over the last two years, Cincinnati has continued to grow its enthusiastic support and fanaticism of the game of soccer in America. FC Cincinnati joined the MLS in 2018 and began play the following year to capacity crowds. A new state-of-the art, soccer stadium will open this spring. Additionally, a new soccer training facility for FC Cincinnati opened last year. Last fall, FC Cincinnati entered into a strategic partnership with TSG 1899 Hoffenheim to create joint opportunities in player development and business innovation.
The Impact of Hosting FIFA World Cup 2026™ for Cincinnati
The Economic Impact
Each Host City for World Cup 2026 can realize an economic impact in the range of $90 to $480 million.
In Comparison
Economic Impact of Hosting the 2020 Super Bowl (Miami): $572 million
Economic Impact of Hosting the 2019 World Series (two games in Washington, D.C.): $6.5 million
Economic Impact of Hosting a First Round NCAA Men’s Basketball Game: $3.5 million to $18 million
A Global TV Audience
More than half of the world watched the 2018 FIFA World Cup: 3.5 billion (all matches combined)
According to FIFA, the 2018 World Cup final between France and Croatia reached an average live audience of 517 million viewers, with more than 1.1 billion people tuning in over its 90 minutes.
The Super Bowl averages viewership of 98 million in the U.S. plus an estimated 50 to 65 million around the world.
Travel & Tourism
The Fans
3.03 million people watched the games of the 2018 World Cup live in the stadiums. The average attendance at the 2018 World Cup games was 47,371. In 2018, 7.7 million fans attended FIFA’s Fan Fests in 11 different venues over the month. More than five million visitors traveled to Russia from June 14 through July 15, 2018.
The Teams
In 2026, the field of teams will expand to feature 48 teams with a schedule of 80 matches. Teams are required to be in their base camps five days prior to their matches. Additional bases will be needed for media and referees.
Current Cities vying to Host FIFA World Cup 2026™
