The United States, Mexico and Canada will jointly host the world’s most prestigious soccer tournament in eight years’ time, after soccer governing body FIFA voted in favor of the tripartite World Cup bid Wednesday.

Of the 16 host cities three will be in Mexico (Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey), three in Canada (Toronto, Edmonton and Montreal), and the remainder in the United States, including the final.  A shortlist of 17 U.S. cities will be narrowed down to ten by the end of this year.

All three nations will presumably qualify automatically for the tournament, although this has yet to be formally announced by FIFA.

The only other bid to host the 2026 World Cup came from Morocco. FIFA representatives voted 134-65 in favor of the “United” bid, but praised Morocco’s effort – the fifth time the African nation has put down its name to host the event.

Guadalajara’s Akron Stadium – home to the Chivas soccer team – is slated to host several group games, although probably none in the latter rounds of the competition.  Local media sources have  touted the interesting possibility that Mexico could play some or all of their games in the city.

The tournament’s opening game will most likely be held at the Aztec Stadium in Mexico City or the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. And the final – although this is not set in stone – is slated for the MetLife Stadium, home to the New York Giants and New York Jets.

The successful bid makes up in part for the United States’ absence from the 2018 World Cup, which kicked off Thursday in Russia  (Russia defeated Saudi Arabia in the inaugural game, 5-0). It will also be a shot in the arm for soccer in the United States.  Although the Major League Soccer (MLS) has managed to establish a place for itself in the U.S. sporting hemisphere, it still plays second fiddle to football, baseball, basketball, and even ice hockey.

FIFA has no doubt the World Cup will be a massive hit in the United States, largely thanks its multicultural heritage. The 1994 edition saw record crowds attend games, as well as record revenues.  Even though the United States is not represented in the 2018 edition over the coming month, more tickets for the competition in Russia have been sold in the United States than any other country – over 80,000.

Co-hosts Mexico will add extra passion and atmosphere to the tournament. The two previous World Cups that the country has hosted, in 1970 and 1986, are unanimously regarded among the best ever staged.

While not known for its love of soccer – or its ability – Canada will surely be psyched up for the tournament.  Sports fans in the Great White North are fiery and excitable, as anyone who has witnessed a Winter Olympics there understands.

The 2026 Wold Cup will be expand to feature a record 48 nations – with 80 games in total. Twenty will be played in Mexico and Canada (ten each).