Reading about UEFA's announcement last summer to stage the EURO 2020 tournament in 13 cities across the European continent turned the forecasting wheels here at SPG Sports.
What if the 2026 World Cup moved around the globe as well from stadium-to-stadium and country-to-country. Think about it for a moment. A selected "host" country would stage that nation's group matches plus the tournament's semifinals and final.
Makes sense, doesn't it; truly embracing the concept of the global game. Especially when you read about unrest in Brazil and the troubling stadium disuse in South Africa.
Using the 2014 tournament, let's have some fun and forecast.
Group A --- Brazil, Croatia, Mexico, Cameroon
Host nation Brazil welcomes the world for both semifinals and the final at Estádio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro.
In addition, Arena Corinthians in São Paulo and Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha in Brasília are the chosen venues for all of Group A's matches.
Group B --- Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Austria
In an interesting twist, only the host nation --- in this case Brazil --- earns the right to compete on home soil, thus Camp Nou in Barcelona, Amsterdam Arena and Ernst Happel Stadion in Vienna make the cut with Spain, the Netherlands and Austria competing near but not in their actual countries.
Group C --- Columbia, Greece, Ivory Coast and Japan
Moving to Asia there's many beautiful venues to select from including Japan's Saitama Stadium 2002, China's Beijing National Stadium and South Korea's Suwon World Cup Stadium.
Group D --- Uruguay, Costa Rica, England and Italy
Euro powers England and Italy endure mentally taxing trips to Central America as Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica, Estadio Rommel Fernández in Panama and Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano in Honduras cause football panic in the pubs. I'm not sure either would make it out of the group.
Group E --- Switzerland, Ecuador, France and Honduras
South America is selected to host another group with Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa in Ecuador, Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos in Chile and Estadio Centenario in Uruguay all in the mix not to mention the Argentine choices.
Group F --- Argentina, Iran, Nigeria and Bosnia and Herzegovina
Off to the Middle East with Azadi Stadium in Iran, Lusail Iconic Stadium in Qatar fresh off hosting the 2022 World Cup and King Fahd International Stadium in Saudi Arabia selected.
Group G --- Germany, USA, Ghana and Portugal
North America oversees the group with the USA asked to suit up first as the home squad in Mexico's Estadio Azteca before switching to familiar away colors at the El Tri fortress. Canada's BMO Field and The Rose Bowl round out the trio.
Group H --- Belgium, Algeria, Russia and South Korea
Africa concludes the stadium tour with Algeria's Stade 5 Juillet 1962, Egypt's Cairo International Stadium and South Africa's brilliant Soccer City.
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