°µºÚ±¬ÁÏ

© 2024
NPR °µºÚ±¬ÁÏ, Colorado Stories
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Sports
KUNC's Colorado Edition

The World Cup is coming to North America, and Denver wants to be a part of it

By Alana Schreiber,
Erin O'Toole
Published November 10, 2021 at 4:59 PM MST
Victor Montagliani, right, a Canadian businessman from West Vancouver and president of CONCACAF and member of the FIFA council, and Colin Smith, left, chief competitions and events officer for FIFA, listen during a news conference on the World Cup 2026 bid being offered by Denver during a tour of Empower Field at Mile High, Monday, Oct. 25, 2021, in Denver. Eighteen stadiums in 17 areas are bidding for the event, which will be the first with 48 nations and the first with three co-hosts, the United States, Mexico and Canada.
David Zalubowski
/
AP
Victor Montagliani, right, a Canadian businessman from West Vancouver and president of CONCACAF and member of the FIFA council, and Colin Smith, left, chief competitions and events officer for FIFA, listen during a news conference on the World Cup 2026 bid being offered by Denver during a tour of Empower Field at Mile High, Monday, Oct. 25, 2021, in Denver. Eighteen stadiums in 17 areas are bidding for the event, which will be the first with 48 nations and the first with three co-hosts, the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup is set to take place in . While Canada and Mexico will each host games in three cities, the United States will be hosting games in 10. And Denver is one of vying for one of those spots.

While some U.S. cities on the short list like Los Angeles, Dallas, and Atlanta boast newer, billion-dollar soccer stadiums, Denver can claim a central location, good weather, efficient transportation systems and a burgeoning interest in the sport of soccer across the state.

For more on Denver’s bid, Colorado Edition spoke to executive director of the . He told us why Denver is an ideal location to host a global event, and the legacy he hopes to see as a result.

Tags
KUNC's Colorado Edition DenverFootball (soccer)2026 FIFA World Cup
Alana Schreiber
As a radio producer, I help make the Colorado Edition program come to life. I help to schedule guests, produce interviews, edit audio, and write for our weekly newsletter.
See stories by Alana Schreiber
Erin O'Toole
As the host of KUNC’s new program and podcast In the NoCo, I work closely with our producers and reporters to bring context and diverse perspectives to the important issues of the day. Northern Colorado is such a diverse and growing region, brimming with history, culture, music, education, civic engagement, and amazing outdoor recreation. I love finding the stories and voices that reflect what makes NoCo such an extraordinary place to live.
See stories by Erin O'Toole