In early 2018, before the Los Angeles Football Club took part in a Major League Soccer game and the Banc of California Stadium at Exposition Park opened, the Los Angeles World Cup host committee began campaigning for their place as main city. World Cup 2026.
The international competition, organized by FIFA, the governing body of world football, is held every four years and attracts millions of fans from all over the world. North America (USA, Canada and Mexico) was selected as a single joint bid region for the 2026 Games in June 2018, making it the first ever World Cup hosted by three hosts, Canada and Mexico will be the top 10 hosts. Each game and 60 games must be played in the US.
On Thursday, June 16, FIFA is expected to specifically announce 17 US cities vying for the opportunity to host tournament matches to receive the award.
“It’s a long journey,” said Larry Friedman, co-chair of the Los Angeles World Cup host committee and LAFC co-chair and chief commercial officer. He says THR. “This is the next stage we are in now კარგ” Well, the three countries came together, won the bid, the 2026 World Cup will be held in cities in Canada, the United States and Mexico. who wants?”
Los Angeles World Cup Host Committee Co-Chairs Chris Klein and Larry Friedman will exchange the ceremonial banner with FIFA Competitions and Events Director Colin Smith.
Courtesy of the Los Angeles World Cup Host Committee
When it comes to sports as entertainment in the United States, most consider the NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL sports organizations to be the most popular with the public, while MLS, which started in 1996, ranks fifth. But for many countries in the world, football is the number one sport; If Los Angeles has the chance to host the top games of the upcoming FIFA World Cup, many organizers believe the International Sports Cultural Storage will feel right at home in a city known for its global cultural influence, thanks to Hollywood.
“Sport is entertainment. And the fun part of what we have here in Los Angeles is unmatched in any other city in the world,” said Chris Klein, president of the LA Galaxy and co-chair of the LA World Cup host committee. and people in the entertainment industry who also enjoy playing football, the opportunity to feature them alongside our offering is what sets us apart from the rest once again.”
Adds Friedman: “In the United States, at the professional level, at the highest level of the league, football continues to grow. As the US becomes more and more cosmopolitan, and you can see that in Los Angeles, people have a connection to what we call the “World Game”. What is driving the growth of MLS is the youth demographic, a demographic that is much more diverse and more feminine than the other four sports.
The wonderful thing about the joint regional contest is that the matches will take place in the three countries, this unity is an international friendship of competitive sports. Of the 17 US cities that claim to host the tournament at various points in the tournament, only 11 of them will qualify for the match. This is in part because not all cities are capable of holding a large enough audience (according to Friedman, semifinals and finals are events that can draw 100,000 people or more).
Thursday’s announcement will decide which events will be rewarded and where. Los Angeles, Friedman said, declared itself a “super host city.”
SoFi Stadium during the official visit to the FIFA World Cup in Los Angeles. Credit: Nicolas Wendl / SoFi Stadium
Courtesy of Ben Liebenberg/NFL
“We want to be part of the reserve of the rich legacy and history of the World Cup in the United States until the opening match,” he said. In keeping with World Cup tradition, the host country’s team always plays in the first match. “We want the United States to play the opening game of the cult Rose Bowl, where, the last time we hosted the World Cup, the final was played. “And this is where the women won the 1996 Women’s World Cup quite dramatically.”
Ideally, the two semi-finals and the final will be played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. “It’s a technological marvel, it has incredible views from the ground floor to the top level, and the clubhouse and premium spaces are unmatched and unmatched anywhere in the world,” said Friedman. The Oculus 360-degree dual-sided graphics card that hangs from the ceiling is an absolutely incredible audio-visual experience.
If Los Angeles is chosen to host the World Cup games, the local economy is expected to be strengthened through revenue. Klein says that with modern stadiums in Los Angeles, the 2026 World Cup could break revenue records ahead of the 1994 Games. In addition to money, the host committee is more concerned with cultural impact on the city and bringing the diversity of Los Angeles. Angeles citizens to sport.
“The biggest thing we focus on is, ‘What legacy can the World Cup bring?’ The World Cup could have a similar effect on the city,” Klein said. “Not just during the World Cup, but for years to come.”
Source: Hollywood Reporter
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
