The last time the United States hosted the World Cup, the U.S. Soccer Federation built on the the financial infusion and the public's excitement to help launch Major League Soccer two years later.
Much has changed with the 2026 World Cup. This time the tournament is hosted by three nations, with the United States joined by Mexico and Canada. And the financial windfall will go to FIFA, which is running the tournament for the first time rather than a local organizing committee, such as the one in 1994 that used its $40 million surplus to fund the U.S. Soccer Foundation — the charitable arm of the national federation.
