Salt Lake survives first round of cuts for World Cup host cities

Salt Lake City has made the shortlist of potential 2026 FIFA World Cup host cities for the United Bid.

The United Bid Committee released a list of 32 possible official host cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico on Wednesday, a list whittled down from the original 41 that submitted bids to host World Cup matches.

“The 32 cities that we have identified as potential host cities, on their own and together, are prepared to welcome soccer fans from around the world,” Executive Director of the United Bid Committee John Kristick said in a release. “They are more than capable of helping fulfill the shared vision and ambition of FIFA, and the United Bid in shaping the future of soccer in North America.”

Salt Lake City is up against many larger cities, and Rice-Eccles Stadium, where any Salt Lake City matches would be played, is the smallest American venue chosen by the United Bid Committee.

The University of Utah launched a feasibility study in March to explore the possibility of expanding the stadium.

The Utah Sports Commission has not yet engaged in discussion about expanding it specifically for the World Cup, Utah Sports Commission President and CEO Jeff Robbins said.

SLC has the advantage of experience hosting international events, most notably the 2002 Winter Olympics. The Utah Sports Commission also has partnered with Real Salt Lake and owner Dell Loy Hansen to include Rio Tinto Stadium and Zions Bank Real Academy as assets in Salt Lake City’s bid.

“We have a great soccer community,” Robbins said. “We have significant participation by our youth and others. We have good collegiate soccer. So when you look at our soccer community as a whole, it’s really robust compared to even other places. Then when you have the venues that we have, the soccer infrastructure, an MLS team is certainly key.”

Representatives of each of the 32 cities that made it past the first cut will meet with the United Bid Committee in Houston for a working session Nov. 13. The committee also will help all candidates complete the necessary hosting paperwork.

The committee must submit its final bid to FIFA by March 16, at which time it expects 20 to 25 cities to be included in the proposal.

Cities that aren’t chosen to host matches still can be in the running to serve as team base camps or host other World Cup-related events.

“A lot of NFL stadiums and other larger stadiums, so that’s probably our biggest competition right now,” Robbins said about the other potential host cities. “But we’re hopeful we can host some element of the World Cup bid.”