To promote their upcoming World Cup soccer coverage, ESPN showed Michigan Stadium crammed with 109,000 people for a soccer game, so why didn't the Big House get a 2026 World Cup game?

The World Cup Is Coming To North America In 2026

Unlike the 1994 World Cup, where the United States hosted all of the games, the 2026 World Cup games will be split between the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Which means Michigan, which hosted four 1994 games at the now defunct Pontiac Silverdome, has been left out of the festivities in 2026. (By the way, those Silverdome games were historic, because they were the first World Cup matches ever to be played indoors).

United States V Switzerland
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What U.S. Cities Are Hosting World Cup Games In 2026?

The US host cities for games in 2026 are: New Jersey, Philadelphia, Boston, Atlanta, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Kansas City, Seattle, San Francisco/Bay Area and Los Angeles.

Why Did ESPN Promote World Cup 2026 By Showing Michigan Stadium Jammed Packed?

Which leads one to wonder why ESPN used a 2014 sell out crowd of 109,000 at Michigan Stadium to help promote the World Cup on their Facebook page.

So, Why Isn't The Big House In Michigan Hosting A Big World Cup Match?

Yeah, ESPN, the 2026 World Cup will be special, but it could have been even more special with another 110k on hand in the Big House, but NO, that's not gonna happen.

The 109,000 was the most ever to watch a soccer match played in US soil, and it was for a fairly meaningless exhibition game! Michigan turned out big time for high level soccer and they got dissed when it came time to hand out venues for the World Cup.

So why didn't Michigan Stadium get a game?

I'm not sure, but knowing how corrupt the ruling organization, FIFA, is, we probably didn't grease the right palm, if you know what I mean, and I think you do.

I was fortunate enough to go to the Sweden-Brazil match in the Silverdome in 1994, and I can tell you first hand that the Big House would have been off the hook insane if they'd have landed a game in 2026. Your loss, FIFA.

Some people went to bat for the Big House in the comments:

A real shame that they’re not coming back to the big house during the WC. Michigan is such a hot bed of youth talent in the US it should have gotten a chance to represent the USMNT

...and yet they didn’t even select this stadium as one of the venues

 

lol whoever tweeted this gonna be fired

 

Michigan stadium puts any European stadium to shame. Can’t wait to watch the USMNT there in a few years

9 Iconic Michigan Arenas & Stadiums and What They Would Cost Now

Michigan is home to many iconic arenas and stadiums from Tiger Stadium to Little Caesars Arena. Find out here what they would cost to build today.

 

 

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