Nashville continues to be in the running to host the 2026 World Cup as FIFA plans to visit the city and Nissan Stadium later this summer, News Channel 5 reports.
City leaders are excited about the possibility of hosting the international competition and look forward to meeting with FIFA in July as the tour Nashville's Nissan Stadium.
"Holding stadium discussions with FIFA is key step forward, and as one of the smaller markets, we are honored to still be in the hunt," said Butch Spyridon, CEO of Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation. "We couldn't ask for a better partner than the Tennessee Titans as we continue to push Nashville's bid ahead. We are confident that the stadium and city can host a successful World Cup match."
According to the news outlet, the international governing body of soccer was originally going to choose the host cities for the 2026 World Cup last year, but the pandemic halted the process. Seventeen cities remain in the running to be one of 10 host cities, but Nashville is one of the smallest.
Despite this, city leaders think Music City would be the right choice, including the Tennessee Titans, whose field would be used in the tournament if selected. When explaining how Nashville could handle being chosen as a host city, Titans President and CEO Burke Nihill pointed back to the overwhelming success of the 2019 NFL Draft.
"We are honored that Nashville and Nissan Stadium are being considered as a host venue for the World Cup," said Nihill. "World-class soccer has shined at Nissan Stadium on several occasions, and we're excited by the opportunity to place our facility and our city on a global stage."
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