On Tuesday night into Wednesday, M&T Bank Stadium will glow red, white and blue — but it’s not a two-week-early July 4th celebration.
The home of the Ravens is showing its support for the North American bid for the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosting rights, which the 200 members of the FIFA Congress will grant to either North America or Morocco. The vote will occur between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. Wednesday morning.
If North America is chosen, the United States, Mexico and Canada, who threw their hat into the ring together under the CONCACAF umbrella, will host the 80 games — 60 will go to the U.S. while Mexico and Canada host 10 apiece.
Baltimore is one of 23 cities included in the proposal, but if the united bid succeeds, only 16 of the 23 will be given a game to stage, and only 12 of those 16 will be American cities, a decision FIFA is most likely to make in 2020.
Baltimore was among the top 11 television markets in the country for the 2014 World Cup and sixth for all seven U.S. games in the 2015 Women’s World Cup.
If Charm City survives both selection processes, its game would be held at M&T Bank Stadium.
Fans are encouraged to post photos of the recolored stadium on social media using the hashtag #United2026.
