The 2026 World Cup, organized by Mexico, the United States and Canada, can hold one or three opening matches | football | Sports

FIFA Vice President Victor Montaliani said on Wednesday that the entity is analyzing whether the 2026 World Cup, to be hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada, will be held once or three opening matches.

“We don’t have anything concrete, the decision will be made in February or March 2022. In 2018, the bid document proposed three opening matches, one for each country,” he explained at a press conference in Monterrey, northeastern Mexico.

“Now we are on the same idea, but we need time to analyze it. The most important thing is the stadiums as well as the format of the competition,” he added.

The FIFA delegation, led by Montagliani, also president of CONCACAF, is in Monterrey where they will set up the Riados stadium, BBVA, one of the three proposed headquarters of the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) for the 2026 World Cup.

In addition to reviewing properties located in the municipality of Guadalupe, near Monterrey, the capital of the state of Nuevo Leon, FIFA officials will also test urban logistics and the authorities.

“The stadiums in Mexico are as great as the ones in Monterrey here. They are different from the ones we have in the States, which are designed for American football and are not football Like here,” the CONCACAF president added.

Together with BBVA, FMF has proposed the Akron de las Chivas Stadium in Guadalajara and the legendary Azteca Stadium, in the capital, which is seeking to host the opening match of the World Cup for the third time after doing so in the 1970 and 1986 editions.

“All problems of the stadium can be solved either here, at Azteca or in New York. We are here for that, to work on the problems that we find and solve in the next three or four months when we identify the 16 sites,” said Montaliani.

Among the aspects to be tested in Monterrey are transportation and accommodation for players and tourists, sustainability and working conditions for the media, said FIFA Events and Championships Director, Colin Smith.

He commented, “We will see how the security services work in the city, and what are the facilities in terms of transportation and accommodation, and with these terms a comprehensive analysis of the steps to be taken is made.” (Dr)