By Paul Nicholson
October 27 – If the expanded 48-team World Cup in 2026 matches the no-holds barred drama and competitiveness of the US cities battling in the high-stakes race to host the final, then it really could be a best-ever World Cup for FIFA.
October 18 – A week after disclosing they were having talks with Australia about a bid to co-host the 2034 World Cup, the Indonesia FA (PSSI) has backtracked and said the federation is now backing Saudi Arabia, a decision that leaves the 2034 finals within the Arab Kingdom’s touching distance.
October 17 – The general secretary of the Saudi Arabian Football Association (SAFF), Ibrahim Alkassim, has reiterated his nation’s commitment to their 2034 FIFA World Cup bid, inspired by the growth of the Saudi Pro League alongside the success of the 2022 World Cup in neighbouring Qatar.
October 17 – Palestine’s men’s team will play all home matches in Algeria until further notice following a request from the Palestinian FA in the wake of the military conflict between Hamas and Israel.
October 13 – Eduard Bello’s overhead kick ensured Venezuela held five-time world champions Brazil to a 1-1 draw in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Argentina maintained their perfect record with a 1-0 win against Paraguay and moved top of the table.
October 11 – Saudi Arabia, looking to be a shoo-in to stage the 2034 World Cup now looks to have a potential rival in the bidding process.
October 11 – Asia kicks off its ‘Road to 2026’ World Cup qualifiers tomorrow with the AFC’s Preliminary Joint Qualification Round 1, which sees 20 nations in action.
October 9 – Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter has slammed the unprecedented decision to hold the 1930 World Cup in six countries across three continents and five time zones.
The dual bidding for the 2018 and the 2022 FIFA World Cups degenerated into that proverbial needle, which broke an old and unintentionally salivating camel’s back.
September 24 – FIFA has begun an operational tour of the 16 host cities and stadia that will host the 2026 World Cup. The timing of the visits comes as doubts have been raised over whether the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, owned by Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke, will pull out of the event.
By Annette Taddeo, former member of the Florida State Senate
During the summer of 2026, North America will play host to the FIFA World Cup. This tournament, involving a record 48 teams playing matches at 16 venues spanning the continent, is set to be the biggest sporting event in world history.
September 7 – Tonight world champions Argentina will embark on the long road to the 2026 World Cup taking on Ecuador with South America leading the way in qualifying.
July 27 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has held the draw for the first and second round World Cup 2026 qualifiers for the AFC’s potential nine slots at the expanded 48-team finals.
July 26 – FIFA has issued an invitation to tender for centralised media rights to Africa’s 2026 World Cup qualifying matches ahead of the largest CAF World Cup qualifying in history.
July 20 – A survey of fans across the US has found that fans want to see New York New Jersey as the host for the World Cup 2026 Final at the MetLife Stadium.