North America wins 2026 bid to host World Cup after lobbying from Trump

The United States, Mexico and Canada won a joint bid early Wednesday morning to host the 2026 World Cup soccer tournament in North America.

North America beat out Morocco’s bid to host the games in a 134-65 vote by FIFA — the sport’s international governing organization, The New York Times reported.

President Trump had lobbied for the tournament on Twitter and during a press conference with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari in April.

“The U.S., together with Mexico and Canada, just got the World Cup,” he tweeted Wednesday morning. “Congratulations – a great deal of hard work!

The U.S., together with Mexico and Canada, just got the World Cup. Congratulations – a great deal of hard work!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 13, 2018

“The U.S. has put together a STRONG bid w/ Canada & Mexico for the 2026 World Cup,” Trump tweeted in April. “It would be a shame if countries that we always support were to lobby against the U.S. bid. Why should we be supporting these countries when they don’t support us (including at the United Nations)?”

Trump and former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson also assured FIFA in several letters that Trump’s travel ban from several Muslim majority countries would be eased for the tournament.

The North American tournament will be the first one hosted here since the 1994 men’s World Cup held in the United States.

{mosads} Mexico held the tournaments in 1970 and 1968, and this will be Canada’s first time hosting.

This will be the first time three countries are hosting the World Cup, although a majority of the games will be played in the United States.

Out of the 80 scheduled matched between international soccer teams, only 10 will be held each in Canada and Mexico.

The final will be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the Times reported.

–Updated at 7:55 a.m.