3 Concacaf Gold Cup stadiums we wish were part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup | OneFootball

If hosting two major international tournaments at the same time has proven anything, it's that there is a stunning abundance of capable world-class venues in North America.

Although most of the world's focus has been on the FIFA Club World Cup, the stadiums that have played host simultaneously to the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup are some of the most striking. The Gold Cup has also featured seven covered venues (six climate-controlled), compared to just one used by the Club World Cup.

And with concerns about climate and weather delays, it's becoming clear that perhaps a few of those Gold Cup venues that won't be hosting matches at next year's 2026 FIFA World Cup should be.

Of course, you can't force cities to submit a bid for games, and none of these venues were among the original list of candidates that was eventually whittled down. But perhaps the USSF should have tried to talk them into a bid.

Here's a look at three of those stadiums that are world class but won't be taking the world stage.

U.S. Bank Stadium

United States v Costa Rica - Gold Cup 2025: Quarterfinals | Carlos Gonzalez/ISI Photos/USSF/GettyImages

The home of the NFL's Minnesota Vikings, the downtown Minneapolis venue was on full display in Sunday's Concacaf Gold Cup quarterfinal doubleheader.

With a transparent roof that allows natural light into the playing surface, it also seems like this would be one of the easier venues for FIFA to grow a quality grass surface in the months before the tournament. And the Twin Cities is a phenomenal soccer market, with good transit links and two walkable downtowns.

Allegiant Stadium

Mexico v Costa Rica - Gold Cup 2025 | Ian Maule/GettyImages

The home of the Las Vegas Raiders, this has previously been a venue for previous Concacaf Gold Cup and Nations League finals. This year, it hosted a Group A group stage doubleheader. And like U.S. Bank Stadium, it's also a design that lets partial light in that could be conducive to growing a natural surface.

Additionally, the commercial opportunities of having World Cup games just miles from The Strip speak for themselves. While the transit situation isn't great, Las Vegas is uniquely adept at hosting tens of thousands of visitors for big events.

State Farm Stadium

Panama v Honduras - Gold Cup 2025: Quarter Finals | Omar Vega/GettyImages

A longtime favorite for Mexico national team games, both in Concacaf competitions and in friendlies, this might be the most surprising omission from the World Cup itinerary. That's because it was built with a system that allows the natural playing surface to slide beneath the seating bowl and outside the stadium perimeter to receive sunlight and irrigation.