Baltimore, D.C. miss out on 2026 World Cup host bid
Baltimore and Washington were passed over for the 2026 World Cup, exposing how much more the region needed than M&T Bank Stadium to win FIFA’s trust.
Baltimore’s bid to bring the 2026 World Cup to M&T Bank Stadium ended in a blunt reality check: FIFA picked 16 host cities and left Baltimore and Washington, D.C. out. The choice underscored how much more a region needs than a strong stadium and a transit argument to win a mega-event. For Baltimore, the miss revived a harder question: what would it take to turn the Inner Harbor, downtown hotels and the stadium district into a place FIFA sees as ready for the global stage?
FIFA announced the host list on June 16, 2022, selecting 11 U.S. cities, three Mexican cities and two Canadian cities for a tournament that will expand to 48 teams and 104 matches. The Washington, D.C.-Baltimore joint bid had been rolled out on April 21, 2022, by Events DC and the Sport & Entertainment Corporation of Maryland, with Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott and then-Lt. Gov. Boyd K. Rutherford as co-chairs. The pitch said all matches would be played at a newly renovated M&T Bank Stadium, while Washington would host a flagship FIFA Fan Festival.
The regional campaign leaned on Baltimore’s rail and road connections and on the chance to make M&T Bank Stadium the centerpiece of the tournament. Maryland officials also pointed to a July 16, 2022, Arsenal-Everton exhibition there as a live test of the venue’s soccer credentials. Even with that showcase, the bid fell short as FIFA’s final lineup filled out with East Coast rivals such as Boston, Philadelphia and New York City, plus Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Reaction in Baltimore was immediate disappointment, especially among soccer fans who believed the city and Washington together should have been enough. The Maryland Stadium Authority later thanked Gov. Larry Hogan, Rutherford and Scott, saying, “The multi-year 2026 FIFA World Cup bid effort unified the region, showcased our sports facilities and elevated our destination for future opportunities.” That future will depend on whether Baltimore leaders can turn the loss into a practical to-do list that strengthens transit, adds hotel capacity and keeps improving the waterfront and stadium district for the next major sporting prize.
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