The United States Soccer Federation imagined that securing the rights—along with Mexico and Canada—to host this year’s World Cup would be a boon to soccer’s popularity in America. Cities and states, eyeing the payoff from a worldwide audience arriving for a once-in-a-generation event, scrambled to secure their piece of this soccer pie by winning the privilege to host games. But with only weeks remaining before the 2026 World Cup begins on June 11, many officials fear that the event could become the economic development equivalent of an “own goal.”
It’s a great big con dressed up as a sporting event.
