FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland, has dropped its bid to be a 2026 World Cup site.
The Sport & Entertainment Corporation of Maryland announced the Washington, D.C., area and Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium — home of the Baltimore Ravens — will run a joint campaign to host matches instead.
The Washington Commanders play at FedEx Field, which opened in 1997 and cost around $250 million to build. It was one of the older stadiums vying to become a host, but has plenty of experience on soccer’s biggest stage.
- Two years after FedEx Field opened, it hosted matches for the 1999 women’s World Cup.
- Three years before FedEx Field’s debut, Washington, D.C., hosted games during the 1994 men’s World Cup at RFK Stadium. Almost 30 years later, the building is set to be demolished.
Twenty-three North American stadiums remain in the running, including 17 in the U.S., three in Mexico, and three in Canada. It’s the first time the tournament will have 48 nations competing and three co-hosts.
FIFA wanted to name selection sites in mid-May but pushed back the announcement for at least one month.
Buzzin’ Baltimore
The merged World Cup campaign comes weeks after the Maryland State legislature passed an initiative committing $1.2 billion to Camden Yards Sports Complex — home of the Baltimore Orioles and Ravens.
The funding will be split evenly between the teams, giving M&T Bank Stadium $600 million. The site opened in 1998 and cost $220 million to build, and the Ravens have since invested $230 million in upgrades.
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