World Cup 2026: America ready to host the World Cup for the first time since 1994
The US is set to host the World Cup for the first time since 1994, but there are concerns about traffic, ticket access and impacts to local businesses.
It's been more than 30 years since the United States hosted the World Cup. This summer, it will do so in conjunction with Canada and Mexico. Preparations for the tournament have faced a number of issues, including geopolitical tensions, resentment over visa restrictions, and expensive tickets. But there are also questions about whether the US is prepared to handle the pressure of hosting what many see as the largest global sporting event.The Brazil national team has set up camp at the Red Bull training facility in Morristown, New Jersey. Excited fans are eager to see their favorite players while they are drilling, and some get autographs and photos. Manchester United forward Matheus Cunha told the BBC that the fans have been amazing and everything is going well so far. He appreciated the facilities, the pitch and everything else, including the weather, that reminded him of Brazil. "The only thing... it's called football, not soccer," he jokingly told the BBC.But for local fans, the excitement is tempered by concerns that traffic – already congested in the area – will wreak havoc. Brazilian-American Vivi de Castro says ticket holders can arrive late or miss matches if they don't plan properly, as she experienced in Boston during a friendly between Brazil and France in March. "We got pitchside access and we missed it, which is bad because how much traffic there was," he told the BBC.In the motorways and tunnels of New York and New Jersey, signs warn that traffic will be more congested than usual, and advisories ask to check. At transport centres, posters warn that roads and trains will be very busy this summer and to "know what to do before you go". The city is designating each matchday as a 'Gridlock Alert Day' to discourage unnecessary driving. New York is deploying more than 100 workers to manage traffic operations in the central city, and public transportation has been modified to handle the additional passengers.
In Brooklyn's Prospect Park, several young players from the SC Gjøa football club told the BBC they were lucky to get tickets to the tournament. Goalkeeper Baxter Rowland is going to two matches – one with his family and the other with a group of friends who have chartered a bus. But it turned out that getting the ticket was only the first battle. His mother, Alice Baxter, had decided to drive to the first game. She says she has done her research and is concerned about traffic that could create problems getting to the stadium, parking and then leaving. “I think it's going to be a little stressful, and I think it might be hard for the first few games,” she says.Similarly, Dennis Wyrwolle is excited to take his 10-year-old son Nicholas to four matches, but he has already admitted that getting there is going to be more painful than last time. "I was here in 1994, when we hosted the last World Cup, and at that time, nobody knew anything about football," he told the BBC. "It was easy to get tickets. I think this time, there's a lot of excitement in New York but I'm curious to see how it grows outside of the big cities where there aren't as many soccer fans."The Beautiful Game may be on a small scale in America, but public interest has been growing over the years. Coach Kaha Tavdze says that in the past year, the number of players at the club has doubled and this is directly due to hosting the World Cup. He says children are now paying more attention to the game, know every player and wear the jersey of their favorite team. This World Cup may inspire some people to dream of becoming professionals. “Watching the games live, especially at that level, will change their mindset,” he said.Other families are hoping to get tickets at the last minute. Shante Armstrong's seven-year-old son has been playing football with the club for the past five years and really wants to go. She recently participated in a lottery for cheap tickets offered by New York, but she says within minutes the website said more submissions for the lottery were closed. "It's almost heartbreaking that there is a lack of access for those who can't go," she told the BBC. "I wanted to give her that opportunity, but the lack of that opportunity makes me feel closed off, and it almost feels like... we're here but not here." Officials have hosted a free fan zone for those without tickets, where they can join in on the experience. But there is also an effort to bring residents and visitors to local businesses so that they too benefit from the financial benefits of FIFA. Enda Keenan owns the Legends Bar opposite the Empire State Building. He is confident that New York businesses will benefit greatly and has had to turn down business from FIFA. "My son Avon had a meeting with a FIFA official in New York, New Jersey," he said. "A lady came to see how we could help. I said we can't help ourselves, it's going to be too crazy. We would like to help, but we can't do anything." For the Champions League final, Legends accommodated 1,300 people inside the bar and another 700 outside, where they had 85-inch TV setups and sold beer on the sidewalk. They sent customers to five other nearby bars. About 1.2 million visitors are expected in the New York, New Jersey area during the World Cup, Keenan believes it will be even busier than that, saying it's "a different level." Whether America is ready or not will soon become clear.---