As part of a three-country bid to host the 2026 World Cup, the United States revealed the venues that could potentially host games if their bid is victorious, and an iconic Chicago stadium made the cut.
That stadium is Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears and home to some of the biggest soccer matches to be held in the United States.
The iconic venue is one of 37 United States stadiums listed on the initial bid. Canada, also part of the bidding process, has nine stadiums listed, and Mexico has three stadiums listed on the initial list, which will be pared down for the final bid in 2018, according to a press release issued by CONCACAF.
Soldier Field has hosted a slew of important soccer tournaments and matches, including games in the 1994 World Cup. The stadium also hosted the MLS All-Star Game in August, and has hosted the Gold Cup Final in 2013 and Copa America games in 2016.
Each stadium in the bidding process has to hold a minimum of 40,000 seats for group stage matches and at least 80,000 seats to be considered for the opening match and the World Cup Final.
Ford Field in Detroit, Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, and Lambeau Field in Green Bay are all potential host sites listed in the bid, which won’t be made official until next year.
Next year’s World Cup will take place in Russia, while the 2022 event will be held in Qatar.
