Khaberni - The US capital Washington will not play any role in the 2026 World Cup beyond the draw that will be held on Friday at the Kennedy Center, unlike what most previous capitals have experienced.
Washington will host the draw but will not host a single match next summer, which is unusual and the reasons are multiple, starting from the "FedEx Field" stadium to the decisions of the "FIFA" officials.
In September 2021, the "FIFA" officials and the US Soccer Federation conducted a tour of "FedEx Field," the only stadium deemed fit for use in the area.
The distant location of the stadium immediately raised doubts, as it is 30 minutes away from the city center without any traffic, and once the officials entered the stadium, they found old suites, limited technical infrastructure, and a general feeling that the facility was not suitable for a modern World Cup.
These impressions decisively influenced the decision, particularly due to the lack of a suitable stadium as "Audi Field" lacks the required capacity and "RFK Stadium" has been abandoned for a long time, thus, the candidacy relied entirely on FedEx Field.
The stadium became notorious due to poor maintenance including pipe bursts, waterlogged suites, and even a barrier collapse that led to fans falling near NFL player Jalen Hurts.
In early 2022, Washington tried to salvage its reputation by merging with Baltimore's bid and proposed a plan where Washington would host fan events while "M&T Bank Stadium" in Baltimore would host the matches.
The officials were impressed by the stadium and considered the joint bid competitive, but it lost when "FIFA" chose 11 American host cities, with Boston being the alternative for Washington-Baltimore.
