Hamilton declines chance to host 2026 World Cup matches

As wonderful as Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton is, we’re apparently not ready, or not willing, to step onto the world stage.

The United Bid Committee, comprised of officials from Canada, the United States and Mexico, released its list of potential host venues for the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday.

It’s a chart that includes 49 stadiums in 44 cities from Vancouver to Montreal, and New York to Mexico City.  Canada has a total of nine on the list.

Canada’s potential host cities/stadiums:

You will notice that Hamilton is not on the list, and neither is Winnipeg, despite both cities being home to wonderful new stadiums.

20 to 25 venues will be included in the final bid to FIFA in January and at least a dozen of them will ultimately play host to World Cup matches that will be played by a record 48 teams.

But before the anti-soccer and anti-Hamilton factions hop on their soap boxes, let’s get real here for a second: there are a few road blocks many stadiums on the list will have to jump over.

Stadiums that will be considered must have at least 40,000 seats and Tim Hortons Field has just over half of that capacity.  Sure, we can put up temporary seating to get to that threshold, but selling those hard bench seats to a World Cup crowd would be less than ideal.  That also comes with a price tag that the bean counters at City Hall may not want to deal with.  Hamilton was asked to put its hat in the ring and simply declined.

Then there’s the turf issue.  FIFA wants real grass, not the fake stuff so “the beautiful game” can remain just that.

Only four of Canada’s nine proposed World Cup stadiums meet the attendance requirement, BC Place in Vancouver, Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Olympic Stadium in Montreal and Rogers Centre in Toronto.

I guess they should start laying down sod.

Potential World Cup host cities/stadiums in the USA and Mexico: