Bill Squires served 12 years as a naval aviator in the United States Navy. In 1987, he entered the sports facilities and events management business and has held top-level positions with Yankee Stadium, Giants Stadium, Huntington Bank Stadium, and ESPN Wide World of Sports. Bill has a consulting business that focuses on sports venues and events. He is a member of the Sports League Sports Council, which works with the Department of Homeland Security on security issues involving the safety and security of sports and entertainment venues. Bill is an adjunct professor at Columbia University and has taught the Sports Facilities and Events Management course in the School of Professional Studies (graduate program) since 2007. He began teaching a new course, Sustainability in Sports: Theory and Practice, in 2024.

THE 2026 FIFA MEN’S WORLD CUP

The 2026 World Cup is finally here. The matches will be played in three countries: Mexico, the United States, and Canada. For the first time, forty-eight countries will compete in 104 matches at 16 stadiums (Mexico – 3; United States – 11; Canada – 2).

The first match will be played at Mexico City Stadium (Estadio Azteca), featuring Mexico vs. South Africa on Thursday, June 11th. The first match in the United States will be played at Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi Stadium) on Friday, June 12th, featuring the United States vs. Paraguay, and the first match in Canada will also be played on Friday, June 12th, at Toronto Stadium (BMO Field), featuring Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina.

FIFA awarded the World Cup to Mexico, the United States, and Canada on June 13th, 2018, and the 16 official host cities were selected on June 16th, 2022.

There have been years of planning, thousands of virtual and face-to-face meetings, and tabletop exercises. Contingency plans have been discussed with numerous stakeholders, and after-action reports will be developed following each match; lessons learned will be implemented to ensure the fan experience is the best it can be.

I will provide a recap of the 2026 World Cup in my September article. I hope you enjoy the greatest event ever to take place on planet Earth.

I hope you have a happy and enjoyable summer.

All the best.

Posted June 09, 2026