The tribes have spoken.
On the eve of the World Cup in Russia, the 2026 tournament hosts were announced, and it will be the North American trifecta of Canada, Mexico and the United States.
The North American bid beat out Morocco with a 67% vote on the first ballot.
Dijaspora Croatians in North America will be ecstatic with the news as there are dozens of communities from Los Angeles to Toronto across the United and Canada. With the tournament in 2026 slated to have 48 teams qualify, how can we not expect the Vatreni to be there?
1ggy
Canada Qualified in 1986 with Branko Segota born in Rijeka and Igor Vrablic. I played Goalie in a warm up game against the Eastern Canada part of the squad in Ancaster ontario.
Western part of the team was in Edmonton training.
One of the challenges of such a huge country.
Canada was in 1986 worldcup,I remember watching them at the lake in 86 tv on the picnic table with tata,to young to drink.Memories and didnt give a shit for Yugo .
After Russia, Qatar and now crazily across the whole of North America, I’m guessing the WC 2030 will be in Antarctica.
It would probably be cheaper for most fans from Europe and South America compared to getting to the next three world cups, and we wouldn’t have to worry about how many host teams will get automatic qualification.
Canada getting into a WC would be a first, lol
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.sbnation.com/platform/amp/soccer/2018/6/13/17458034/2026-world-cup-auto-bid-qualification-usa-canada-mexico
On whether Canada, Mexico and the US will have to qualify, this is from The NY Times: “It was unclear Wednesday whether all three nations would be granted automatic bids into the field, as is customary for the host nation; FIFA said there had been no final decision on the matter.”
@canuckcro – keep in mind that WC2026 will have an expanded format of 48 teams. Reports I heard yesterday said that the three co-costs will all get automatic bids and there will be an additional 2-3 concacaf teams determined through qualification.
Imagine adding 16 teams to WC Russia… I think once you get past the first 8 or so teams you really get to some minnows.
@canuckcro – No free pass for the host countries in 2026. All three will have to go through qualifying.
Ya I listened on 980 pog
They were happy not to host
FIFA basically has u by the balls
http://www.germanijak.hr/vijesti/dalic-ima-pocetni-sastav-na-nigeriju-s-cetiri-napadaca-modric-spusten-na-loptu-a-dokapetan-seli-na-klupu/47353
Looks like that more offensive lineup that was leaked earlier might be correct.
@Poglavnik – interesting article – Just read another one from the Chicago Tribune stating similiar objections. Looks like the two cities withdrew around the same time.
I think the ability to draw more people/money into Chicago to outweigh the concerns would be different than Vancouver’s, but, each city has its own decision to make.
Does mexico canada usa get a free pass ..qualification into the wc because their all host nations..anyone have an answer?
@Bobby V
I love footy but our our governments (British Columbia) decision to back out was a very smart thing.
http://theprovince.com/opinion/columnists/mike-smyth-no-soccer-for-you-inside-the-governments-fight-with-fifa
Also not mentioned is FIFA’s demand to have no sporting advertising other than their own in I believe a 1 – 2 km radius of the venue. Pretty much all of downtown Vancouver.
And FIFA not allowing any other events in BC Place for the full month of the tournament and a week after.
All for the chance to host a maximum of 3 games but more likely 1 or 2. No thanks!
I’ll gladly drive to Seattle or Edmonton and have them pay the taxes.
https://youtu.be/MGBWYREi_m8
He left practice yesterday with a slight muscle pull which also kept him from playing any part of the second half against Senegal.
I’m predicting he scores at least one off a corner kick with his head.
Totally agree with him taking charge over strinic and the midfield was to blame as well. When the ball is being looked to play long/diagonal you have to first start with putting pressure on the ball. We didn’t on the goal. Rebic of whoever wasn’t applying pressure allowing the player to spot the run and put it on a dime. Easy fix. I am stoked, gotta deep gut feeling this year!! Or maybe it’s the jagnjetina 😀
Dalic blamed 3 guys, Midfield, Vida, and Strinic. Not so much for offsides, but for not tracking and talking to Vida. Slavonac also mentioned smething to the effect that it was Strinic’s mark to begin with, on that account he was right. Dalic confirmed.
Either way, let’s go boys!
@Slavonac from Canada
You gotta remember after @Rocky gave his analysis you said “You might be right Rocky.”
Why are you so sure now that you were right, is it by reading @BZ’s comment?
Like this other guy said, Vida having his attention focused on a player that wasn’t in his immediate vicinity left him wrong footed. The Senagalese midfielder with all the time in the world on realising this made a great pass and a great finish ensued.
I blame Vida, you blame Strinic, who gives a shit really.
@Mb13
Great analysis, the best I’ve seen in a long time on this site! The best since I gave my analysis on the goal we copped against Spain at the Euros.
There are 23 cities to compete for the final 16 locations which could take about 2 years to finalize. The three Canadian cities are Montreal, Toronto, and Edmonton. The three Mexican cities are Monterrey, Guadalajara, and Mexico City.
The US cities in the running are Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angelas, Denver, Kansas City,, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Orlando, Atlanta, Nashville, Cincinnati, Washington DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston
Chicago withdrew a few months ago. Officials there now being heavily criticized. They said that they had to protect the city taxpayers or some bullshit. Local businesses must be fuming – Tom of tourist money gone.
80 total matches of which 60 will be in the US, including all the quarterfinal games and beyond.
Hopefully they have the group stage Croatia games take place in areas with a huge diaspora population: LA, NY, and Toronto.
Now that would be friggin’ awesome! The stadiums would surely sell out. Nothing beats seeing a sea of red and white checkers in the stands.
Assuming Croatia beats the odds and makes wc 2026, watch them be one if the team’s stuck in Mexico
Hearing juarez is lovely in the summer
Well, we got a better lead in than Spain, they sacked their coach two days before their first game! LEL
Idk, the world cup is basically being played across a whole continent. Travel and expenses will be huge. Better if it was in Morocco. Besides USA had a world cup and mexico hosted two
You homos should still be young enough to enjoy.
@Belimic – totally forgot about that. Yes that would not be a great venue.
Slavonac – not sure what you are seeing but all 3 dendenders played the goalscorer onside. Strinic was level with Corluka.
Two things that struck me about the goal was Vida vacating his space in the centre to mark a player 7-10 yards away – one that didn’t have the ball nor was going to receive the ball. Also Stirinic did not track the run of the Senegalese forward – if anything, Strinic should have been squeezed into the centre of the park more. I am not sure whose responsibility that player was.
@anonymous…in case you don’t know what I’m talking about? I commented the other day and said that based on the view I could see from watching the game on my phone, I thought I could see that Strinic kept the Senegal player inside. Anonymous then attacked me and once again I am right!
@BZ…I didn’t see that, I’m currently traveling and not able to keep updated.
So here’s some food for thought. I watch and observe. You’ll almost never see me repeat something I read, if I comment about a game or players it’s based on what I see with my eyes…through the experience I have in the sport! I guess now anonymous can retract his criticism of me, he obviously doesn’t have the soccer acumen to see the game …he’s one of those that reads the comment section to get informed.
Remember this folks: We go how Perisic goes! Yes, Luka Modric is very important to us but Perisic is the guy that can create and change a game in a heartbeat! If he’s into competing and taking guys on, we will enjoy this World Cup…if he’s grumpy and throwing his arms, we are not gonna do much!
Yay! Glad for all you guys in NA, will be great 😀
https://www.google.com/amp/s/uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUKL0393548520080403
@Belimic lol why would Zadar of all cities be weird? Just curious.
@Slavonac-You have been redeemed from the doubters on this site. Dalic put some blame on Strinic for Senegal’s goal. They had a heated didcussion about it. No witch hunt, Strinic does in fact, suck.
What would really be upside down would be if Croatia hosted it and the opening match was in Zadar.
The WC already went to Qatar and Russia and the Olympics went to China (2008 I believe) so nothing surprises me anymore. Pay to play isn’t a secret. Israel or Turkey will get a WC or Euro in the not too distant future (hey they play in the Euro qualifying – but apparently that’s for security reasons, Israel that is).
Anything is possible in the upside down world we live in.
Whichever one has better viewing times for Aus 😀