The first World Cup tournament featuring 48 teams will be held in three countries: Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

The announcement will be made at 2 PM PT on Thursday with a live watch party held at BC Place.

Twenty-two cities submitted hosting bids, three of which are in Canada, including Vancouver, Toronto, and Edmonton.

Vancouver initially bid to be a host city in 2017 but withdrew when Premier John Horgan raised concerns about the cost.

However, he later changed his mind, with his government describing it as a great opportunity. In March, the City of Vancouver said it would contribute up to $5 million with BC Place proposed as a venue.

The city submitted a successful late bid last April. It is the biggest sporting event in the world and is expected to generate billions of dollars in economic activity in North America. The 2026 World Cup will feature a total of 80 matches.

Sixty of these will be played in the United States, with the remaining twenty matches held in Canada and Mexico.

If Vancouver is chosen, there will be a lot of work to do. For example, the BC Place site has artificial turf and will need to be changed to natural grass to meet FIFA standards.