Fifa has handed down its verdict concerning the organisation of the world Cup 2026. The triplet States/Mexico/Canada (United 2026) will have the honour of organizing one of the most important sporting events. This is the first time that three countries are partnering for the organization of a World.

Votes for United 2026 world cup

The vote was without appeal: 134 for United States/Canada/Mexico 65 Morocco, 1 vote for no candidate, on 203 votes. There are 211 federations affiliated to the Fifa, but Ghana has been suspended, the countries concerned could not vote, nor three related associations in the USA (Guam, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico).

“Fifa takes the football into a new era,” said the president of the body Gianni Infantino said after the vote.

Never such a vote had been as indecisive, because it was the first time that the ballot was open to all voters. Previously, it was not the Congress of the instance, but its executive committee — twenty people –, which has since become the Council of the Fifa, which gave the World.

This reform was seen as a way to dissipate the smell of sulphur that had surrounded the last powers of the era Sepp Blatter. As a reminder, the designation of Russia for the world cup 2018 and world cup Qatar for 2022, on the same day in 2010 had raised a wave of controversy and suspicion. The USA, candidates will be unhappy at this time, to take their revenge.

In morocco, five times unfortunate

Elected to the head of the proceeding on February 26, 2016, Mr. Infantino, who plays his re-election in a year during the Congress of Paris, has tried to burnish the image of Fifa after the bribery scandal, which had led to the resignation of his predecessor.

But his concern for transparency was also made to cringe at the image of his ” task force “, the commission in charge of the evaluation of the two applications in light of a series of defined criteria (infrastructure, accommodation, transport, budget, etc.). Verdict: the folder of Morocco “has achieved an overall rating of 2.7 out of 5” vs “4 5″ for the trio of Usa/Canada/Mexico, and had there learned from a source close to the dossier of morocco. An element that has been able to weigh.

Already four-time unsuccessful candidate to the organization of the World (1994, 1998, 2006 and 2010), the Kingdom thought, however, still his chances of becoming the second country on the african continent, after South Africa in 2010, to host one of the most important events of the planet. Missed, it has now failed five times.

He yet benefitted from the support of many european countries, including France, in particular because of its geographical proximity, and african, to the call of the president of the Confederation of african football (CAF), Ahmad Ahmad. But some african countries had already heard their difference, such as Liberia or South Africa, supporters of ” United 2026 “.

United 2026 and the promise of profitability

Infantino, to him, is presented as a defender of the application of north american, particularly because it is, in its logic, coherent to assign this first World cup to 48 ” of big countries that have never had, such as China or India, or associations of countries “, explains to the AFP Paul Dietschy, a historian of football. “Because to cover the costs, there needs to be several “.

As the trio Usa/Mexico/Canada has promised “the world Cup is the most lucrative in history” with $ 14 billion of revenues, compared to a net for Fifa of $ 5 billion ” on the moroccan side.

The Kingdom was built on assets other than the purely financial to make a difference. “The fervor around the football in the country and on the continent, the close” with host cities, “picked up” in a radius of 550 km, or ” stages modular “, was particularly pleaded with the AFP the president of the bid committee of moroccan Moulay Hafid Elalamy. It was not enough.

The attitude of the president of the United States Donald Trump, who had shocked the world of football by launching on Twitter of thinly veiled threats to those who would not support the candidacy of ” United 2026 “, has not played in any case against the nomination of ” United “.

Votes details