Gregg Berhalter has spent much of his life around soccer, first as a player, then as a coach, and now as the main man leading the Chicago Fire’s rebuild. So, when the topic of Chicago missing out on hosting matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup came up during an interview with a prominent NFL analyst, it is easy to see why he was disappointed.
Why Gregg Berhalter Was Disappointed Chicago Lost 2026 World Cup Bid
NFL analyst Kay Adams has had strong ties to Chicago and often avidly discusses the city’s sports culture. During a recent episode of her show called “Up & Adams,” she asked Berhalter what he thought about Chicago not being among the host cities for the World Cup tournament.
“I’m disappointed for sure,” he replied. “You know, there is economics that goes into it. … But you know, Chicago is a soccer city, so it deserves to have the World Cup. It’s a little disappointing.”
Berhalter, being an ex-defender who represented the United States Men’s National Team in two FIFA World Cups, later became the first person to play for and coach the USMNT at a World Cup. The national team he coached reached the Round of 16 at the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
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After his second spell as USMNT head coach ended in 2024, Berhalter returned to Major League Soccer, taking over as head coach and director of football for the Chicago Fire. His hiring came at a time when the city was hoping to continue growing its reputation as one of the United States’ most passionate soccer markets. Nevertheless, the city decided not to pursue a place as a 2026 World Cup host.
Chicago had previously hosted matches during the 1994 FIFA World Cup. But this time around, city officials concluded that FIFA’s hosting requirements placed too much financial responsibility and risk on local taxpayers.
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The biggest issue, apparently, was around FIFA’s proposed hosting agreement. Under the terms, Chicago would have been responsible for expenses around security, emergency services, public transportation, and other operational costs, while FIFA retained the revenue streams, like money generated through tickets, broadcasting rights, concessions, and parking.
Another point of contention involved modifications to Soldier Field to meet FIFA’s strict stadium geometry and infrastructure requirements, which was an expense that city leaders believed was unreasonable to place on taxpayers.
Former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and city officials were not ecstatic about these conditions, saying that the agreement did not provide adequate financial protections for the city. According to officials, FIFA was inflexible about making meaningful changes to address taxpayer liability, which led to Chicago withdrawing its bid during the 2018 selection cycle.
