Baltimore and D.C. are considering merging their bids for the 2026 World Cup in the hopes of ensuring the national capital region gets to host the world’s largest sporting event.
Terry Hasseltine, who has been coordinating Baltimore’s World Cup bid as president of the Sport and Entertainment Corp. of Maryland, told the Maryland Stadium Authority board about the possible merger during a meeting on Tuesday. He also said he expects FIFA, the governing body of soccer, to make a decision about host cities around May 15.
Hasseltine did not discuss the terms of a possible merger during the Stadium Authority board meeting but said the U.S. Soccer Federation has urged such a move. He declined to comment following the meeting. Representatives from Events DC, which is overseeing Washington’s effort, could not be reached.
The potential merger comes as both Baltimore and D.C. face seemingly uphill climbs for their bids to gain traction independently. A study by 42Floors, a subsidiary of Santa Barbara, California-based real estate data firm Yardi, ranked Baltimore and Washington as the bottom two out of 17 potential host cities. FIFA is expected to choose 10 or 11 U.S. cities.
