We've just begun the decade of sports for North America
North America’s "mega decade of sports" is upon us.
Over the next 10 years, five major sporting events will take place in the U.S., including two Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup.
The economic impact of hosting these big events is substantial: Cities see boosts in tourism, job creation and their "global profile," among countless other benefits. According to a report compiled for the FIFA World Cup, Los Angeles County alone is expecting a $594 million economic impact from the 2026 World Cup — where Los Angeles will host eight matches. And that’s two years before the City of Angels hosts the Summer Olympic Games in 2028.
Here’s a look at the major sporting events coming to the U.S. over the next 10 years:
FIFA World Cup 2026
The 23rd FIFA World Cup will include 104 matches across 16 venues in the following cities across Canada, Mexico and the USA: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Guadalajara, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Miami, Monterrey, New York New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver.
The 2026 World Cup final will be played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19.
RELATED: FIFA World Cup 2026: Schedule, World Cup final stadium announced
The 39-day tournament opens June 11, 2026.
Los Angeles Games 2028
FILE - The Olympic Rings logo. The US will host two Olympic Games over the next decade (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
The 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles will begin July 14 that year with a gala opening ceremony split between Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Exposition Park and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
RELATED: Five sports you'll see at the Los Angeles Olympics that you didn't see in Paris
It will mark the third time Los Angeles has hosted the Games, following 1932 and 1984. The city had initially bid to host the 2024 Games, but it was awarded the 2028 Olympics instead in a unique compromise agreement that put the 2024 event in Paris.
The Paralympic Games will follow the Olympics, beginning Aug. 15, 2028.
Men’s Rugby World Cup (2031)
Rugby’s biggest tournament is finally heading to the United States.
The Rugby World Cup will be staged in the U.S. for the first time as the host of the men’s event in 2031 and the women’s tournament two years later.
The men’s Rugby World Cup is regarded by some as the world’s third biggest sporting event, after the soccer World Cup and the summer Olympics.
Host cities have not been selected yet.
Women’s Rugby World Cup (2033)
USA Rugby’s vision is "coast to coast" staging matches for both the Men’s and Women’s Rugby World Cups. There have been around 25 venue bids, including from NFL and Major League Soccer arenas — and of significant investment in the domestic Major League Rugby so the U.S. Eagles are a competitive team in time for 2031.
USA Rugby already has some experience. The Rugby World Cup Sevens at the baseball home of the San Francisco Giants in July 2018 drew more than 100,000 people across three days, and U.S.-decent TV ratings on NBC.
The Rugby World Cup is staged during September-October, when America is already transfixed by the NFL and college football, the Major League Baseball pennant races and playoffs, and the start of the NBA and NHL.
Host cities have not been selected yet.
Winter Olympic Games 2034
The International Olympic Committee selected Salt Lake City for the 2034 games a decade in advance. It will be Salt Lake City’s second time hosting – the Winter Games were also held there in 2002.
READ MORE: Paris Olympics medal count: US had the most, but which country had the most golds?
The early decision gives the IOC a trusted partner amid changing weather patterns – the IOC has declining options for Winter Games hosts. Only 15 countries on three continents currently meet the criteria of having at least 80% of existing venues for snow sports and a "climate-reliable" outlook to host events in future decades.