Monday 02 May 2022, 22:30

FIFA President: FIFA World Cup 2026™ legacy work starts today

  • Gianni Infantino calls on investment strategies to provide access to all to begin now

  • Mr Infantino was speaking at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles

  • The FIFA President is visiting the co-hosts of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ as the timetable of the first 48-team FIFA World Cup™ is being established

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has called on investors and authorities in North America to begin harnessing the power of hosting the FIFA World Cup 2026™ in Canada, Mexico and the United States ‘today’, and not miss out on the development opportunities that come with it. Mr Infantino, who was speaking at the Milken Institute 25th Global Conference in Los Angeles, said the FIFA World Cup 2026™ provides a unique opportunity to shine the spotlight on the unearthed potential across the continent – and act as a reminder to girls and boys of all abilities that football is the most accessible game in the world.

“We have to find other ways to touch the hearts and the emotions of people,” the FIFA President said when asked if football, or soccer, can unlock its potential, particularly in the United States. “I think there are different ways of doing that, and we want to use the opportunity of this FIFA World Cup coming here. The first level is really the grassroots level; it’s the access to the sport. We have to give boys and girls, children, easier access to the sport.”

Speaking during the discussion session titled ‘Managing the Beautiful Game’, the FIFA President also called on sports administrators, club owners and investors in the region to waste no time in capitalising on the momentum of interest and exposure the tournament will inevitably bring in order to help to grow the game. “We are here to start today a big, big project, which will generate not only billions of revenue for soccer in this country, but (it will realise) dreams for millions of people, not only in this country but all over the world,” he added. “Because whatever works here has an impact all over the world. And if we speak about the world’s number one sport, that's what we have to do.”