FIFA will distribute 100,000 footballs to 500 cities across the United States as part of efforts to build excitement ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has announced.
Infantino made the announcement while addressing delegates at the United States Conference of Mayors’ (USCM) Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C. Each of the 500 member cities represented at the meeting will receive 200 footballs in the build-up to the tournament, which the United States will co-host alongside Canada and Mexico.
According to a statement published on FIFA’s website, the footballs will be used for celebratory and community events ahead of the competition, which kicks off on June 11.
The 2026 World Cup will be the first to feature 48 teams, with 104 matches played across 16 host cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. FIFA described the tournament as a global celebration aimed at bringing people together through football.
“I was delighted to meet the mayors of the 11 U.S. host cities who will welcome the world in 2026, each bringing their own unique energy to this historic event,” Infantino said.
Beyond the official host cities, several other locations will serve as base camps for participating teams. Of the 64 proposed team base camps, 50 are expected to be located in the United States.
Infantino also noted that U.S. cities could see a combined economic boost of up to $30 billion, with more than seven million fans projected to attend the tournament.
Reacting to the announcement, USCM President and Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt described the gesture as a major highlight of the meeting, praising FIFA for donating 200 footballs to every member city.
