The U.S. and other countries hoping to host the 2026 World Cup "should provide government guarantees on visa-free travel plus work permit and tax exemptions for their bids to be accepted," documents published by FIFA indicated, according to Simon Evans of REUTERS. The U.S wants to host the '26 tournament in a joint bid with Canada and Mexico, which would "also have to commit to the government guarantees" for their proposal to be accepted by FIFA. Morocco is currently the "only other country" to have indicated it will bid for the 2026 World Cup, which will be the first to feature an expanded 48-team field. FIFA wants a "visa-free environment, or at least non-discriminatory visa procedures," while the work permit exemptions apply to anyone involved with the World Cup and tax exemptions relate to FIFA and its subsidiaries. While FIFA "has asked for -- and received -- similar exemptions in the past," its inclusion in a revamped World Cup bid process "will mean the current U.S. administration of President Donald Trump will need to sign off on the exemptions" (REUTERS, 11/7). The AP reported FIFA "pledged to publish all votes" by football officials in the 2026 World Cup bidding race "after corruption claims tainted the 2018 and 2022 contests." FIFA "explained how bidders must detail a strategy to respect human rights and labor standards in all construction projects" linked to the 2026 World Cup (AP, 11/7).
