An Infrastructure Workshop with FIFA and the U.S. Soccer 2026 FIFA World Cup Host City selection delegation gave the Baltimore-Maryland 2026 Bid Committee an opportunity to showcase hosting plans it describes as “transformative”.

“It was a very positive infrastructure workshop and we’re delighted with the way our campaign is progressing,” said Terrance Hasseltine, President of Baltimore-Maryland 2026 and Executive Director of Maryland Sports Commission. “We were thrilled to present our world-class M&T Bank Stadium and our transformative and compact hosting plans. We are also incredibly proud that our proposed concept offers an unbeatable tournament experience for visiting teams, fans and officials from across the world.

“As a new domestic market for the FIFA World Cup, Baltimore-Maryland is an opportunity for FIFA and U.S. Soccer to capture the attention of more fans and accelerate the overall development of football in the U.S. FIFA World Cup 2026 in Baltimore will provide a great social and economic boost, inspire a new generation of football lovers and create a tangible legacy for all.”

The bid team highlight the stadium’s downtown location, with more than 10,000 hotel rooms within walking distance, and 10-mile proximity to the BWI Marshall International Airport.

The 71,000-capacity venue also benefits from USD $140 million of recent upgrades. The country’s first LEED Gold rated outdoor professional stadium, it equipped with 28,000 sq ft of 4K Ultra HD boards and displays and meets FIFA’s natural grass turf requirements.

Hosting the FIFA World Cup 2026 would accelerate Baltimore-Maryland’s urban development plans, which the bid team say are approved and supported by all levels of city and state government. Baltimore-Maryland plans to boost sporting and recreational activity with more green spaces, sporting facilities and football development initiatives.

“Maryland is united behind our bid to bring the 2026 FIFA World Cup to Baltimore. We are fully committed to Baltimore as a great Host City that offers not only quality venues for competition, but a rich history and love of sport that brings people together,” said Maryland Lt. Governor, Boyd Rutherford.

“Baltimore’s diverse communities, public institutions, and business communities are working hand-in-hand and looking forward to providing teams and fans from all over the world with the best FIFA World Cup experience possible. We appreciate the helpful insights provided by FIFA and U.S. Soccer during today’s workshop.”

[Source: Greater Orlando Sports Commission] Work has started at Orlando’s famous Camping World Stadium as the city reinforces its unique appeal as a venue for the 2026 FIFA World Cup™.

The $60m final phase of an ambitious “top to bottom” renovation costing $267m in total, places sports tourism at the forefront of the city’s post-Covid recovery plan. By the time it is finished the stadium will – in effect – have been completely re-built, with 90% all-new construction.

"Orlando has already established itself as one of the premier sports destinations in North America and enhancing Camping World Stadium only adds to our ability to host premier events," said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. "I am proud that we've achieved exceptional value throughout the entire reconstruction. Our strategy has been validated by the lineup of marquee events scheduled for the stadium in the future."

The work is being carried out by Barton Malow, a Michigan-based construction firm and one of America’s largest private companies.

“Camping World Stadium is an iconic landmark for Orlando and a key component of the city’s sports tourism strategy,” said Barton Malow Vice President of Sports, Len Moser.

Jason Siegel, President & CEO of Greater Orlando Sports Commission said: “For the first time in the tournament’s history, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature 48 international teams, 16 more than any previous World Cup. This puts even greater emphasis on host city infrastructure as FIFA seeks to guarantee the quality of the matchday experience for soccer fans. The stadium upgrade is the final piece of the jigsaw, adding to Orlando’s reputation as a world leader in creating unforgettable moments for its millions of visitors every year.”  

Orlando is America’s most visited destination, with 76 million incoming tourists a year; a significant proportion generated by the city’s highly effective promotion of its sporting credentials. Money from Orlando's Tourist Development Tax (TDT) or "bed tax" is funding the renovation. The TDT collected $284 million from visitors last fiscal year.

Allen Johnson, Chief Venues Officer of Orlando Venues, which operates the stadium, said: "I believe our value for money approach is the smart way forward because it recognizes FIFA's awareness of environmental and sustainability objectives. Camping World Stadium is proud to have received a LEED Silver certification from the US Green Building Council following its massive reconstruction in 2014 and we are committed to a greener future."

Orlando has a booming soccer infrastructure. It was one of the venues chosen to host matches for the 1994 FIFA World Cup when attendances averaged over 60,000 per match. It also hosted Olympic soccer matches for both the men’s and women’s competitions in 1996. Camping World Stadium has a 65,000-seat capacity (expandable) and its record attendance was 75,245 for WrestleMania 33 in 2017.

Camping World Stadium is welcoming back fans after a nine-month event hiatus. It went three-for-three for bowl games during a seven-day stretch from December 26 – January 1, winning the distinction of hosting the most bowl games at any stadium participating in the Football Bowl Subdivision. While simultaneously hosting a record number of bowl games, Orlando Venues stadium management also rolled out their health and safety game plan and safely welcomed back fans.

"Because it takes considerable effort to repeatedly 'flip' the stadium and have it game-ready in such a tight window, I'm proud of our team and partners who worked tirelessly to make the conversions seamless," said Allen Johnson.

The health and safety of athletes, patrons and staff remains the top priority at Camping World Stadium which recently received a Global Biorisk Advisory Council STAR Facility Accreditation, the gold standard of prepared facilities, affirming the stadium’s commitment to outbreak prevention, response and recovery.

With bowl week behind it, Camping World Stadium hosted the highest-profile off-road motorcycle racing championship in the world – the Monster Energy AMA Supercross FIM World Championship on February 13 and 20.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup are set to be selected in the second half of 2021.

[Source: FIFA] As part of the next stage of the venue selection process, FIFA has provided further information to the 23 candidate host cities for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ in Canada, Mexico and the United States regarding the timeline with deadlines set for 2021, subject to any restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Following on from the information-exchange phase initiated last year, FIFA and the host associations will organise virtual one-on-one meetings with each stadium to discuss infrastructural aspects from the end of February 2021 onwards.

From April 2021, FIFA and the host associations will launch targeted virtual discussions with each candidate host city.

Bearing in mind the constantly changing circumstances with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic, FIFA and the host associations are aiming to start the venue visits in the candidate host cities at the beginning of July 2021. In keeping with FIFA’s policy of following the recommendations of the health authorities in the context of the pandemic, the visits will only take place if the health and safety situation in the host countries allows FIFA to do so.

Provided the aforementioned venue visits are conducted, FIFA and the host associations aim to have the host cities appointed by the FIFA Council in the last quarter of 2021.

As per the focus areas for assessment shared during the candidate host city workshops last year, while stadiums remain the foundation for the successful hosting of a FIFA World Cup, FIFA considers that providing key infrastructure and services (both sporting and general) and realising the commercial potential of each venue, as well as in terms of sustainability, human rights and event legacy, is of the utmost importance.

In line with FIFA’s strategic objective of making football truly global, the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be the first-ever edition of the competition to feature 48 teams.

Baltimore-Maryland's bid to host 2026 FIFA World Cup matches has launched a new ‘International Football Development 2026’ (IFD26) initiative as part of its commitment to creating strong local and international football legacies.

As part of the campaign, Baltimore-Maryland 2026 is partnering with regions across the world to offer support where sports development resources may be limited. The launch of the initiative is accompanied with the announcement of the initiative’s first partner, West-African Benin.

“We’re very excited to be part of the IFD26 family and to be forging a close relationship with the Baltimore-Maryland 2026 team. We are looking forward to working alongside Baltimore 2026 as the first region to develop, not only our domestic football landscape, but also close economic and cultural ties with the city. For us this a natural alignment because it is evident we share similar values,” said Benin’s Minister of Sports, Mr. Oswald Homeky.

“As a diverse and welcoming city, Baltimore-Maryland would offer FIFA a unique and unrivalled opportunity if chosen as host of 2026 FIFA World Cup matches. The bid’s proven commitment to creating enduring legacies is testament to its central vision of welcoming the world to enjoy the 2026 FIFA World Cup.”

IFD26 will see Benin and Baltimore-Maryland 2026 collaborate and share knowledge, building on the West African country’s passion for football and developing its women’s and youth programs to empower all areas of the game. Capability-building lies at the heart of the IFD26 initiative, and the partnership will grow Benin’s domestic football industry, creating employment pathways, education, skills and job opportunities.

“Baltimore-Maryland 2026 is committed to expanding the global horizons of football and delivering impactful programs that deliver a strong football legacy for local and world football and FIFA,” said Terrance Hasseltine, President of Baltimore-Maryland 2026 and Executive Director of Maryland Sports Commission.

“Baltimore-Maryland 2026 has been described as underdogs in this race and that simply pushes us on to deliver a dynamic bid that shows our diverse city is ready to welcome the football family. IFD26 will be a central focus for our bid, and we are looking forward to supporting fellow ‘underdogs’ and their football development.”

Aligning with Baltimore-Maryland 2026’s vision of expanding football’s audience locally and internationally, IFD26 will enable the bid to engage new global audiences with the 2026 FIFA World Cup and grow the game in new markets.

“Expanding the horizons of football is a core commitment of our bid to host 2026 FIFA World Cup matches and the IFD26 initiative will support football’s long-term development in Baltimore-Maryland and across the world. Partnering with Benin is a fantastic opportunity for our shared passion for football to grow and to deliver tangible legacy initiatives for current and future players to benefit from,” said Olubunmi Jinadu, Senior Advisor to and Member of the Baltimore Maryland 2026 FIFA World Cup Host Committee.

“Baltimore-Maryland 2026 promises to be a platform for growing football in new markets and engaging new audiences locally and internationally and IFD26 is a key part of this.”

According to the announcement accompanying the launch, Baltimore-Maryland’s bid to host 2026 FIFA World Cup matches offers “a unique and unrivalled opportunity to build one of the most welcoming, diverse and inclusive host cities in World Cup history. As an easy to navigate city ready to accommodate football, Baltimore-Maryland 2026 will promote sustainable practices and human rights and provide a catalyst for positive change through football.”