After Washington D.C. was snubbed from being one of the 11 U.S. cities to host a 2026 FIFA World Cup game, Mayor Muriel Bowser is hoping that the city can still participate in some shape or form.
Appearing on "Good Day DC" on Friday, Bowser said they are working with FIFA to try and have some fan events happen on the National Mall.
After DC’s snub for the 2026 World Cup Mayor Bowser said this am on #GoodDayDc ‘this is why we need our own stadium to compete for world class sports’ DC will still work w/FIFA to try to get a fan festival on The Mall pic.twitter.com/tyJ1PoUfX7
— Steve Chenevey FOX5 (@stevechenevey) June 17, 2022
In April, D.C. announced they had joined forces with Baltimore to place a bid as one of the hosting cities for FIFA World Cup 2026 events.
But as the names of the 16 North American cities were being announced Thursday, people at an event hosted by Events DC organizers were disappointed, The Athletic reported.
FIFA said the U.S. cities that will host are Dallas, Atlanta, New York, Boston, Houston, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Miami, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle.
Two Canadian cities, Toronto and Vancouver, and three Mexico cities, Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey, will also host games.
This will mark the second time the U.S. has hosted the World Cup. The first time occurred in 1994.
Mexico has hosted the event twice before, once in 1970 and 1986.
Canada has never hosted a men's World Cup match.