FTA Offers $100 Million in Transit Grants to World Cup Host Cities

Championship soccer games will be held in 11 U.S. cities this summer as part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

1 minute read

March 4, 2026, 8:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Levi's sports stadium in Santa Clara, California.

Santa Clara's Levi's Stadium, where Super Bowl crowds broke transit ridership records in February 2026, will be home to several World Cup games this summer. | Marcus E Jones / Shutterstock

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced $100.3 million in public transit grants available to cities hosting 2026 World Cup events, reports Trevor Hughes in USA Today.

According to Hughes, “Atlanta, Miami, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Missouri, and Dallas are among the U.S host cities, with the July 19 final played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.” Federal officials say the grants, appropriated as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, can be used for “everything from buying additional buses to providing transportation assistance for disabled visitors and express shuttle service to fans.”

FIFA estimates roughly 5 million fans will attend at least one of the 104 matches spread out across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, but U.S. tourism could be impacted by Trump administration policies. “Though tourism worldwide grew in 2025, the United States was the only major country to experience a decline in foreign visitors, with a 6% drop in people costing the economy $19 billion, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.’”

Tuesday, March 3, 2026 in USA Today

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