Despite its booming sports scene and multi-billion-dollar venues, Las Vegas was ultimately excluded from hosting 2026 World Cup matches because Allegiant Stadium, the $2 billion home of the Raiders, did not meet FIFA’s field-width standards and could not be modified without shutting the venue down for months.
City officials also concluded that hosting would require “at least $100 million,” a financial commitment no local authority could sign off on. Although Las Vegas was initially expected to host the World Cup draw, that event was later moved to the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., after U.S. President Donald Trump intervened.