U.S. Eyes a Bid to Host the 2038 World Cup

The United States is already looking beyond the current World Cup and is considering a bid to host the 2038 tournament. Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House World Cup task force, said the country could also handle a future expanded World Cup with 64 national teams if FIFA decides to enlarge the competition.

Giuliani said he has discussed the idea with President Donald Trump and other senior administration officials. He added, "But first, let's finish the current tournament on July 19, and then we'll talk about a candidacy for 2038 or other tournaments."

He argued that the U.S. is especially well positioned to host because the infrastructure already exists. "No country is better prepared to host a great World Cup than the United States," he said. "We have amazing infrastructure, the stadiums already exist, and our costs are significantly lower than in other countries that have to build everything from scratch."

The next two World Cups already have hosts assigned, 2030 to Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with opening matches in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, and 2034 to Saudi Arabia. That leaves 2038 as the next edition for which a new race will open. Giuliani said that despite criticism during the current tournament over Trump administration immigration policy, travel costs, and Iran's visa problems, he believes the U.S. has made a positive impression, concluding, "It is wonderful to see the world's love for the United States. It is very gratifying."