There’s a complicated list of factors that go into staging a major event. It starts with the venue. Can it seat enough people? Then there’s the security. How can you get them in and out safely? And then it’s the actual, physical event itself. How do you ensure that everyone has a good time? Can you do that?
The good news for those United States charged with organizing the 2026 World Cup, there are familiar touchpoints - other events held at the same venues. For soccer, you’d figure that natural reference points include the 2024 Copa America, major USMNT games, or even summer friendlies.
And to an extent that’s true.
“You have to learn from every event, every major event, whether it's Copa or the you know, these big touring, touring shows, I think understanding fan behavior, understanding movement patterns and how people travel,” Pam Kramer, CEO of Kansas City’s 2026 World Cup host committee, told GOAL.
But the U.S. looks to host the first men’s World Cup in the country since 1994 - as they’re planning for the crowds, the transit, the parking, the influx of people and even the noise - it turns out that Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour most accurately resembles what hosting a global tournament event might look like.
“If you’re looking at something like the Eras Tour, that’s one of the sports entertainment events that people are traveling for,” Alex Lasry, CEO of New York/New Jersey’s World Cup committee, told GOAL.