Baltimore’s bid for 2026 FIFA World Cup puts city in competition with DC

BALTIMORE - Maryland leaders have presented their plans to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Baltimore several weeks after D.C. officially launched their bid to host the competition.

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The delegation, led by Maryland Lieutenant Governor Boyd Rutherford and Maryland Sports Executive Director Terry Hasseltine, held the virtual meeting Monda and pitched that the 2026 games be played at Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium.

"From its cutting edge sports venues and world-class attractions, to its diverse population and cultural experiences, Baltimore is the perfect FIFA World Cup host city," Rutherford said in a statement. "I look forward to continuing to work with our partners to bring this opportunity to Maryland and showcase Charm City to the world."

"For people across the world, the World Cup is their Super Bowl, and right now, Baltimore, Maryland has a chance to host an event of that magnitude. And we're going to do whatever we can to make that a reality for this City and this State," added Hasseltine.

The meeting was switched from in-person to virtual due to COVID-19 restrictions. The FIFA World Cup was last played in the United States in 1994.

D.C.'s Mayor Muriel Bowser is co-chairing the DC2026 campaign alongside D.C. United player Bill Hamid, Mark Ein of the Capitol Investment Corporation and Max Brown of Events DC. The home of the both D.C. United and the Washington Spirit would serve as D.C.'s primary host site.