The FIFA Council ruled on Friday that it will continue its rotational policy, meaning European and Asian countries will be barred from bidding to host the 2026 World Cup.
The ruling means that only a North American, South American, African or Oceanic nation can host the tournament and boosts the potential odds for the US to host the competition should it choose to bid for the 2026 tournament.
Europe and Asia will host the next two World Cups, with Russia staging the tournament in 2018 before Qatar holds the competition in 2022. The 2014 World Cup was held in Brazil, while the 2010 competition took place in South Africa.
The World Cup last took place in North America in 1994, when the US hosted the tournament for the first, and so far only, time.
US Soccer bid for the 2022 World Cup, losing out to Qatar in a vote dogged by allegations of corruption. US Soccer president Sunil Gulati (pictured above) has not committed to bidding for the 2026 tournament, though it’s been widely rumored that the US will make a bid. A joint bid between the US, Canada and Mexico has also emerged as a possibility.
