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With the race to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup final boiling down to just two venues, rumors are swirling about what could be done to secure the right to hold the match.
The battle is likely a two-horse race between MetLife Stadium in the New York metropolitan area and AT&T Stadium in suburban Dallas, Texas.
But according to The Times (UK), the state of Texas could have something up its sleeve to try and swing things in their favor: a multi-million dollar development fund.
FIFA hasn’t yet decided which stadium will earn these rights, but a recent revelation will essentially pit these two against each other.
Texas could use a development fund to convince FIFA to give Dallas the World Cup final
Dallas’s AT&T Stadium and MetLife Stadium in New York (pictured) will battle it out for the final
It had long been assumed that this was a three-way race, with Los Angeles vying to host the final as well.
However, it was reported this week that SoFi Stadium – the chosen site to host matches in Los Angeles – could back out of being the site of any matches at all.
That was because the stadium’s owner, Stan Kroenke, was reportedly unwilling to make any of the necessary alterations to allow the ground to be a host site – namely widening the pitch.
Per John Sutcliffe of ESPN Deportes, alterations would require that private boxes and possibly sections of the stands would have to be removed in order to bring the field to a required width.
On top of this, reports from mid-September revealed that Kroenke and FIFA were locked in a dispute over the revenue sharing agreement for the tournament.
Pursuant to that report, MailSport asked the Los Angeles FIFA World Cup Host Committee if either the Rose Bowl in Pasadena or the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum would be considered if SoFi couldn’t host. The committee did not respond.
MailSport has contacted the committee and FIFA for comment on the possibility of alternate sites.
The LA Coliseum is most known for being the main Olympic stadium when the city hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1932 and 1984, but they have hosted multiple soccer matches there in the past.
That comes after this week’s development that SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles could back out
Owner Stan Kroenke reportedly is not willing to make chances to meet FIFA regulations
If SoFi backs out, it’s unclear if the LA Coliseum (L) or the Rose Bowl (R) would be new hosts
As for the Rose Bowl, while it is mostly known for its college football bowl game, it’s quite possibly the most celebrated soccer venue in the country. It played host to both the 1994 FIFA World Cup final as well as the 1999 Women’s World Cup final.
But with SoFi likely out of the game, MetLife and AT&T Stadium will be in the mix – under the non-sponsored names of New Meadowlands Stadium and Dallas Metro Stadium respectively.
MetLife’s listed capacity of 82,500 is slightly larger than AT&T’s 80,000 capacity. However, Dallas’s ‘bid book’ capacity sits at 92,967 – bigger than MetLife’s 87,157.
One major difference between the stadiums is history in hosting international soccer matches. AT&T has hosted a number of exhibitions – but nothing bigger than a CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal.
Meanwhile, MetLife played host to the 2016 Copa America final – where Chile beat Argentina on penalties for a second time in a row.
Additionally, MetLife is accessible via public transportation through NJ Transit’s Meadowlands Rail Line and a bus service. AT&T is not currently accessible through public transport.
