White House issues statement as US eyes third World Cup in 44 years

The US could be set to host the 2038 FIFA World Cup despite already hosting two tournaments in the last 32 years.

Despite football – or soccer, as it is known in the US – reportedly being just the third most popular sport in the US behind American football and basketball, the nation is considering bidding for the hosting rights to a third World Cup in just 44 years.

The US first hosted FIFA’s premier tournament in 1994 before serving as co-hosts, with Mexico and Canada, for the ongoing 2026 World Cup.

While 104 matches will take place across these countries, 78 of them will be held in the US, including the final.

The hosts of the next two World Cups in 2030 and 2034 have already been confirmed, with Spain, Morocco and Portugal set to host the next edition, although the opening three matches will be played in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay to mark the competition's 100th anniversary.

Saudi Arabia will host just the second-ever Arab World Cup in 2034 after Qatar played host to the 2022 tournament.

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According to the executive director of the White House's World Cup task force, Andrew Giuliani, the US is considering making a bid for the 2038 World Cup. If the bid is successful, the US would host its third World Cup in 44 years.

Meanwhile, several so-called traditional footballing nations, such as England, have not hosted a World Cup since 1966. Three-time finalists and European giants the Netherlands have also never hosted the World Cup despite their rich footballing history.

Giuliani claimed that he had spoken to US President Donald Trump before saying the US is open to hosting the 2038 tournament.

He told the Press Association: "This is what I've spoken about with President Trump, with so many of our cabinet secretaries. I think there's no better country that's positioned to host a World Cup than the United States, and I think we're seeing that on social media.

"I think we're seeing that with all the fans that may be interacting with the US for the first time, or the first time in a long time, that the US truly is extremely welcoming, that we have such incredible infrastructure.

"We have the stadiums built, so for the US, compared to other host nations where it costs tens and tens of billions of dollars, you know, it cost us a couple of billion.

"When you think that this World Cup may at some point expand to 64 teams, I think the United States can handle it.

"Look, let me make sure we get through this World Cup on July 19 before we make our pitch for 2038 or other ones, but there'd be nothing more gratifying as somebody who went to a couple of World Cup matches as an eight-year-old in 1994 to be able to see this come back to the United States again in the coming decades."

Which nations have hosted the World Cup?

1930 – Uruguay

1934 – Italy

1938 – France

1950 – Brazil

1954 – Switzerland

1958 – Sweden

1962 – Chile

1966 – England

1970 – Mexico

1974 – West Germany

1978 – Argentina

1982 – Spain

1986 – Mexico

1990 – Italy

1994 – United States

1998 – France

2002 – South Korea & Japan

2006 – Germany

2010 – South Africa

2014 – Brazil

2018 – Russia

2022 – Qatar

2026 – Canada, Mexico & United States

2030 – Spain, Portugal & Morocco

2034 – Saudi Arabia