FIFA World Cup 2026: US bid favoured but Morocco not yet out
MOSCOW: On Tuesday afternoon, some of the most powerful men in world football gathered at the Arena CSKA in Moscow, all for a few games of football. The teams — FIFA, the various continental confederations and the Local Organising Committee of Russia 2018 all fielded their sides — had a few ‘legends’ scattered amidst them.
From undisputed ones like Luis Figo to slightly underwhelming names like El Hadji Diouf. But for once, the focus was not on the former footballers. The press in attendance was out for a slice of insight from the officials — FIFA’s president Gianni Infantino, CAF’s Ahmad Ahmad and UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin led from the front while AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa sent his son to play for him. While on Tuesday, they would have been mistaken for Sunday league footballers out for a stroll, these people will gather around again on Wednesday to decide the fate of the 2026 World Cup at the 68th FIFA Congress.
In theory, it’s a simple question. A straight shootout between a bid from Morocco — their fifth in the last three decades — and a joint bid from USA, Canada and Mexico (more of the first one, less of the latter two). But in reality, the narratives that come into play are so diverse, one would be left wondering how they ever were interconnected. There is the one of Infantino’s attempt to lend credence to his tall claims of setting FIFA right after his predecessor Sepp Blatter’s misadventures.
After the controversial bidding process that led to Russia and Qatar being given the rights to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cup, Infantino took the power to decide the hosts away from the smaller FIFA Council and bestowed it upon the FIFA Congress, where every member has a vote each. Donald Trump has wormed his way into the storyline, implicitly threatening countries who vote against the United bid. Morocco’s campaign has led to increased focus on their treatment of the Saharawi people, with South Africa publicly breaking ranks with the CAF and declaring their intentions to vote for the US-led bid.
Then there is Saudi Arabia’s increasing clout on the world stage, their efforts rumoured to have split the Asian vote, which would otherwise likely have gone to Morocco. They even hosted an audacious press conference on Tuesday with a few select journalists in attendance.
For all his pleas of neutrality, Infantino has often publicly favoured the US-led bid and it’s clear why. It is by far the better bid in terms of facilities and finances with three countries better equipped to host, an important consideration given Infantino wants it to be a 48-team event from 2026. Indeed, there was every chance that Morocco would not even make it to the final stage. Their bid was at the risk of being disqualified by FIFA evaluators, who ended up certifying it acceptable, but high-risk in a number of key areas. That though has meant for little before. Qatar was the lowest rated bid during the 2022 process.
The general consensus around Moscow is that the battle is USA’s to lose. But with the complex geopolitical factors in play, you never know. How many would go with Saudi and China (who will bat for Morocco), UEFA’s bias towards the Morocco bid (the time zones there are much closer to the ones in Europe) and the reported split in the South American vote — it is impossible to rule the African country out.
On Tuesday, it was Africa (read the CAF team) that triumphed in the football tournament at Arena CSKA. Can they pull off another win at the Moscow Expocentre on Wednesday?
vishnu.prasad@newindianexpress.com