Representatives of the football ruling bodies in the United States, Mexico and Canada on Monday formally announced plans to bid jointly for the 2026 World Cup.
The heads of the organizations said at a news conference in New York that the three North American countries had been discussing the idea of a joint bid quietly for three or four years.
At the end of the news conference they signed a memorandum of understanding that will be sent to FIFA signifying that the three countries will bid together.
Their proposal assumes that there will be 80 games played in the 2026 World Cup. Under the proposal three-quarters of the games, 60 in all, would be played in the US. Ten each would be played in Canada and Mexico.
Sunil Gulati, president of US football, said all games from the quarter-finals forward would be played in the US under the proposal. But he noted that a final decision on the structure of the games would be determined by FIFA.
They also said they had received the backing of US President Donald Trump.
"The president of the United States is fully supporting [us] and encouraged us to make this bid," said Gulati, adding that Trump, who is going forward with a campaign pledge to build a wall along the US-Mexico border, encouraged the US football organization to include Mexico in the bid.
The officials said the three-country bid would save money and help each country promote football at home.
