FIFA President Gianni Infantino answers questions during a 2026 soccer World Cup news conference Thursday, June 16, 2022, in New York.
The coalition has met several times in the past few months with soccer's international governing body to discuss its commitment to these issues. With last week's announcement of the 16 cities that will host games, the effort has become more targeted.“That means looking at fair living wages, targeted local hiring, strong health and safety protections and agreements that make sure workers have a voice on the job.
“We know very well that what’s on paper, doesn’t always mean what’s put into practice. And so what we’ve come together to do is really translate that document that at this point is non-binding and make sure its implemented in the host cities," Feingold said.Four years ago when the joint bid was awarded, there were concerns about the implications of then-President Donald Trump's orders barring travel to the United States from a number of Muslim-majority countries.
Dan Hunt, the president of FC Dallas and head of that city's bid committee, said the 2026 World Cup is unique because the stadiums already are in place, so there will not be massive construction projects. The Dallas area's bid centered around AT&T Stadium in Arlington, home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys.Hunt said the Dallas committee incorporated human rights into its bid, including making sure the LGBTQ community has a voice.