FIFA presented on Wednesday the official logo of the 2026 World Cup, which will be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada, and in which the Argentine National Team dreams of defending the scepter obtained in Qatar 2022.
"For the first time in history, an image of the trophy and the tournament year are represented forming an innovative design language that anchors the emblem for 2026 and beyond," FIFA said in a statement.
World football's governing body added: "The trophy image and year will allow for customisation to reflect the uniqueness of each host country while building an identifiable brand structure for years to come."
"For the first time in history, an image of the trophy and the year of the tournament are represented in an innovative design language," Infantino said of the 2026 World Cup logo. FIFA Photo
FIFA also launched the "WE ARE 26" campaign, which aims for "communities to play an integral role" in the upcoming World Cup.
"'WE ARE 26' is a rallying cry," said FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who led a special event at the iconic Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles attended by ball legends such as former Brazil striker Ronaldo.
The Italian-born Swiss leader added: "It is a moment when three countries and an entire continent collectively say 'we are united as one to welcome the world and deliver the biggest, best and most inclusive World Cup in history.'"
The 2026 World Cup will be the first World Cup to have 48 teams instead of the current 32 and the first time that the biggest football event on the planet is held in three countries.
The United States will assume the bulk of the tournament and will feature 11 of the 16 World Cup venues: Seattle, San Francisco Bay, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Dallas, Atlanta, Houston, Boston, Philadelphia, Miami and New York/New Jersey.
Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey will be the venues in Mexican lands while, on the part of Canada, Vancouver and Toronto were the chosen cities.
The logistical novelties announced by Infantino
Infantino also announced that the teams competing in the 2026 World Cup will be grouped by regions to avoid long journeys in the first phase of the tournament.
The FIFA president argued that the measure taken on the assembly of the group stage is due to the unprecedented magnitude that the tournament will have, due to its number of participants.
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The challenge is all the logistics," which involves organizing in three host countries, Infantino said.
He added: "It's one continent: three countries and not three small countries, three big countries." In addition, he explained that that decision was also influenced by "distances, schedules, climatic differences as well: altitude in Mexico, sea level elsewhere."
In that context, it is vital for FIFA to create a suitable environment for teams and fans to have the best possible conditions, Infantino said. A proper context means "not having to travel too much, especially at the beginning."
Travel and organization on the bases and mobility of the teams at the World Cup were discussed at a meeting in Doha last week, Infantino said.
In 2026 "there will be some travel involved, but we will coordinate it and make sure it is the best possible conditions for the team," Infantino said.
With information from agencies.
IS
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