Vancouver selected to host FIFA Congress ahead of 2026 Men's World Cup

Neil Davidson · The Canadian Press

· Posted: May 15, 2025 4:28 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 minutes ago

Vancouver volition big the 76th FIFA Congress connected April 30, 2026, bringing representatives of each 211 members of the satellite governing assemblage of shot to Canada up of the World Cup.

The announcement was made Thursday astatine the 75th FIFA Congress successful Asuncion, Paraguay.

"I americium delighted to corroborate that the 76th FIFA Congress volition beryllium held successful Vancouver, Canada, connected the 30th of April 2026," FIFA president Gianni Infantino told the Congress. "We precise overmuch look guardant to welcoming you each successful Vancouver ... a beauteous big metropolis of the FIFA World Cup successful 2026."

Held since 1904, the FIFA Congress is traditionally held successful the World Cup big state the twelvemonth of the tournament.

In earning hosting rights, Canada wins retired implicit co-hosts the U.S. and Mexico.

The Congress took spot successful Montreal successful 1976 erstwhile João Havelange was FIFA president.

"It's 1 of the large events annually for FIFA," Victor Montagliani, a Vancouver autochthonal who doubles arsenic CONCACAF president and FIFA vice-president, said successful an interview. "Outside of a World Cup oregon a competition, it's our biggest lawsuit due to the fact that it's our yearly meeting."

The Congress volition beryllium a boon to section tourism with three-plus delegates from each country, positive representatives from FIFA's six confederations, media and stakeholders. The world's governing assemblage usually stages a legends crippled astir the meeting, drafting successful acquainted faces from the pitch.

"As portion of the bid, we ever committed to bringing different events to Canada, arsenic good arsenic Mexico and the United States," said Peter Montopoli, main tourney serviceman for the Canadian extremity of the 2026 tournament. "During the people of the lead-up, surely a batch of the workshops and things person been centrally located, for question purposes, which would beryllium America. It makes sense.

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'Festival of football'

"But this 1 [the Congress] is the large victor due to the fact that it brings the astir members, the astir radical and the astir tourism."

Montagliani calls the Congress a "festival of football."

"There's besides concern that needs to beryllium done," helium added.

The 2026 docket volition see deciding the hosts of the 2031 and '35 Women's World Cups, arsenic good arsenic the 2028 FIFA Women's Club World Cup.

The U.S. Soccer Federation has confirmed its involvement successful submitting a associated bid with different CONCACAF subordinate associations to big the 2031 women's tournament.

England's Football Association, the Irish Football Association, the Scottish Football Association and the Football Association of Wales person confirmed their involvement successful submitting a associated bid for the 2035 tournament.

Each of the 211 members has 1 ballot successful the Congress.

The 75th Congress coincided with the 100th day of the Paraguayan Football Association's affiliation to FIFA. It was besides timely with South America acceptable to signifier the 2027 Women's World Cup successful Brazil and the FIFA World Cup centenary solemnisation matches successful 2030 (in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay).

The 2026 World Cup runs June 11 to July 19.