Flanked by local youth soccer stars, Mayor Francis Suarez expressed his support for Miami to host the 2026 FIFA world cup at an event Wednesday.
“Miami is a no brainer. It’s time to bring the World Cup here,” Suarez said.
If Miami wins the bid, the site would be Hard Rock Stadium, the same location where players from FC Barcelona and Real Madrid played El Clásico in 2017.
“Hard Rock Stadium broke the record for the highest grossing soccer game in U.S. history after raking in $15 million for El Clásico,” the mayor said Wednesday.
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Suarez has designated an official liaison to the city for the World Cup, who says that out of 14 candidate cities, 10 will be selected.
Jorge Mas, owner of InterMiami, also backs the bid.
“We will be a very, very active participant in making sure that Miami puts our best foot forward, and that we are a great host to the world in 2026,” Mas said.
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As for hurricane season, Mayor Suarez is not concerned about it derailing any plans.
“We’ve become pretty good at dealing with different kinds of natural disasters. We’ve had all kinds of amazing games throughout the years and we’ve dealt with them, so no there is no concern from my perspective,” he said.
