Maryland Sports Commission Going for the Goal for Baltimore To Host 2026 FIFA World Cup

Ray Lewis and Mike Rowe join Baltimore-Maryland 2026 FIFA World Cup Bid Effort

Today, Terry Hasseltine, Executive Director of the Maryland Sports Commission, led a virtual press conference to ignite our city’s hopes for the opportunity to play host to one of the world’s biggest sporting events, the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Joining Hasseltine in the event:

• Maryland Lieutenant Governor Boyd Rutherford
• CEO of Visit Baltimore, Al Hutchinson 
• Two-time gold medal Olympian & WNBA Star Angel McCoughtry 
• Two-time world cup player & former USMNT starter Oguchi Onyewu 
• As well as a recorded message from NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis and a special voice-over appearance by Mike Rowe headlining a rally video

“I truly believe there’s no place better to host the beautiful game, the World Cup, than right here in Baltimore,” said Lt. Gov. Rutherford.

 Fast facts:

• Baltimore has made the “short list” of seventeen finalists; and we can only pull this off with city and state-wide excitement. 
• One HUGE milestone remains: a site visit from FIFA and the USSF selection committee where 17 cities will get narrowed to a final 10. 
  • Delayed and complicated by Covid-19, we don’t know exactly when the committee will visit each city, but it is expected to be sometime in early 2021. 

“We are pulling all the levers and turning up all the dials to ignite our pride and excitement to prove why Baltimore should be host to – the world; making this event a true gamechanger for Baltimore in every way imaginable,” says Hasseltine. 

To help play a part in bringing the World Cup to Baltimore, we need the community’s support. Follow our social media profiles and sign the petition at https://baltimoremd2026.us/bmore-engaged/.

Watch a recorded and edited version of today’s virtual press conference, recorded statement from Ray Lewis, and enjoy the rally video to get our community pumped up and to show off our city to the international selection committee.   

• Click here for the press conference

• Click here for the campaign rally video