Miami area soccer fans thrilled to be chosen as a 2026 World Cup host city

Four years before the World Cup soccer ball begins rolling on the turf at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, fans and players of the sport are already kicking up their own excitement.

More than 1,000 players with the Key Biscayne Soccer Club, for instance, and fans across the Miami area will likely be even more passionate about “The Beautiful Game,” according to Marcelo Radic

“It’s great for Miami, for South Florida; we needed this. It’s a nice jolt to get the chance to see the greatest players in the world,” said Radice, a native of Argentina who has worked for CONCACAF and Copa America, and who now is the president of the highly successful Key Biscayne Soccer Club, which produced some 30 championships this past season.

Miami was one of 11 U.S. cities chosen last week to host games in 2026, while Mexico (3) and Canada (2) also will be hosts for the expanded field of 48 teams. It is the first World Cup hosted simultaneously by three nations.

In 1994, the World Cup came to the U.S., but Orlando got the nod over Miami; this time, it was reversed.

In Doral, at one of the three local, and appropriately named Mad About Soccer retail stores, business already is brisk for this year’s World Cup in Doha, Qatar.

“When we got the news, certainly it was exciting. A lot of people (will be) coming,” said Jesus Vargas, an assistant manager at the Doral location, not far from the airport. “We are starting to feel the excitement now for jerseys (for the games) in Qatar later this year. I can’t imagine what it will be like (in 2026).”

Mad About Soccer sells licensed jerseys and official World Cup soccer ball replicas — $50 for the semi-pro model and $165 for the “same ball” that will be used in Miami Gardens.

Soccer continues to grow in the U.S., as evidenced by the more than 4 million kids in organized leagues (“the last time I looked,” Radice said), making it the No. 1 participatory sport in the football-frenzied country.

Radice said a lot of that had to do when the U.S. hosted World Cup games in 1994 for the first time, stirring the interest for a country where baseball had long been considered as “America’s Pastime.”

Two years later, Major League Soccer was created, but only recently has it truly begun capturing Florida’s hearts and attention with Inter Miami FC and Orlando City teams.

“Oh, for sure, you have an MLS team; an MLS league which is sustainable now, it’s built academies around the clubs …,” Radice said. “It’s happening. Not overnight, but the farm systems are there.

“Think about what’s happened in four years … Inter Miami on the MLS level (and now finding a home near the Miami International Airport); Miami FC in the USL Championship and playing well; FIU is in the (college) Top 20 consistently; and we have a lot of local clubs that do well at the state and national level,” he said. “They’re fun to watch.”

Key Biscayne Police Chief Frank Sousa hasn’t kicked many soccer balls lately, but he’s also excited about 2026.

“This is good for the Miami community, a large soccer community, and it’s awesome for the South Florida culture, which is so diverse,” he said.

Coming from the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, he was always impressed at how Hard Rock Stadium officials retro-fitted the seating and the area for Super Bowls, pro tennis, and even F1 racing as of late.

“It’s a beautiful stadium. This will bring people in all over the county,” he said, not too concerned at seeing much more traffic than the usual 5 p.m. rush. “Miami is already a strong destination; now, we’ve shown it’s a premier sporting destination for premier sporting events.”

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava also was excited to hear that hard work paid off in landing a host spot.

“Miami-Dade is the ideal community to host the 2026 World Cup,” she said. “Our residents hail from every corner of the world, creating a vibrant metropolitan area unlike any other in the United States. Soccer runs through the veins of our county.”

Legendary singer Gloria Estefan, speaking on video during the televised announcement last week, said, “We are excited … The rhythm — and Miami — is gonna get you.”

When the USA men’s squad qualified for the 1994 World Cup, it marked the first time since 1950. But, when the Americans failed to qualify four years ago, “it was a wake-up call,” Radice said, to “finally break that mold” of a certain type of European player U.S. coaches always had looked for.

Soccer development in the U.S. has grown incrementally, and so has the talent pool. He’s noticed the progress.

“The game is so athletic, so strong, it’s not easy to get around defenders,” said Radice, who has had more than 20 players from the Key Biscayne Soccer Club (where 88% are from “our little backyard”) graduate to different academies and a number of others advancing to the final national pools in their age groups. “The pipeline is only going to get better.”

This year’s World Cup is just some 150 days away, when the USA squad faces Wales on Nov. 21 in Doha, Qatar.

Currently, the Americans are ranked 15th (the next rankings are released June 23). Brazil, Belgium and France top the list.

In 2026, Vancouver, B.C., and Toronto will host games — the first time Canada will host men’s World Cup games.

Other stadiums that will host games, include Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium (home of the Super Bowl champion L.A. Rams); Mexico’s City’s Azteca Stadium — “El Cathedral del Futbol” — where games were hosted in 1970 and ’86; and the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas — the largest in the NFL, and one of six new World Cup venues for the U.S.

“I’m happy that we were nominated and awarded the venue,” Radice said. “It’ll be interesting. Maybe lucky enough to get an Argentina or a Brazil team with our big Latin following.

“It’s a good moment for soccer in the U.S. and a great moment for soccer clubs in South Florida. It definitely will impact the economy.”