FIFA World Cup awarded to the UNITED 2026 North American bid - Very exciting news!

MONTRÉAL, June 13, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - Tourisme Montréal is delighted with FIFA's decision to award the 2026 World Cup to UNITED 2026, a joint bid from Canada, the United States and Mexico. Montréal is vying to be selected as one of the host cities for this prestigious soccer event. If it is successful, the economic, tourism and reputational benefits for the city will be significant.

"Montréal is Canada's leading sport destination. Our city is ready with all the necessary infrastructure to organize this major international competition. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is 30 days of festivities that will intensify the tourist season. I would like to thank our partners and my team for their continued hard work to ensure that Montréal is selected as a host city. Being selected by FIFA would give Montréal excellent exposure on the world stage," said Yves Lalumière, President and CEO of Tourisme Montréal.

Tourisme Montréal is working closely with the City of Montréal and the governments of Quebec and Canada, in addition to the Olympic Park, the Montréal Impact, the soccer community, Aéroports de Montréal and the hotels of Greater Montréal to bring this event to Montréal. FIFA will announce which cities are selected in 2021.

With the Montréal's Sports Events Strategy, the Groupe des partenaires des événements sportifs de Montréal is making a coordinated and proactive effort to position Montréal as a first-rate destination for sport. The group's members recognize that international sporting events are, now more than ever, excellent opportunities to strategically position host cities as top global destinations.

Additionally, sport tourism has been the fastest-growing tourism segment in Canada and around the world for the past several years. This is why it has become one of Tourisme Montréal's top priorities.

About Tourisme Montréal
Tourisme Montréal is a private, non-profit organization that works to position Montréal as an international-calibre leisure and business travel destination. The organization leads innovative tourist welcome strategies with a twofold objective: ensuring that visitors enjoy a quality experience and maximizing the economic benefits of tourism. Uniting more than 800 tourism professionals, Tourisme Montréal plays a leading role in the management and development of Montréal's tourism business, and makes recommendations on issues surrounding the city's economic, urban and cultural development. For more information, go to www.mtl.org. 

SOURCE Tourisme Montréal

For further information: and interviews: Andrée-Anne Pelletier, Manager - Corporate Public Relations, Tourisme Montréal, 514-844-3344, 514-248-7844, [email protected]