Revealed: ‘Monumental’ Man City development as £67m US outlay confirmed
Man City are among the clubs to have played a key role in the explosion of football’s popularity in the United States, Football Insider has been told.
The US will co-host the 2026 World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico, and the MLS is among the game’s fastest-growing leagues.
City spent pre-season ahead of 2022-23 in America, playing friendlies against Club America and Bayern Munich in Houston and Green Bay respectively.
It was the seventh time the club has visited the States since they were catapulted to global attention by their Abu Dhabi-backed takeover in 2008.
City’s parent company, City Football Group, also has an outpost across the pond in the form of 2021 MLS champions New York City.
Chris Canetti, president of Houston’s successful 2026 World Cup bid, believes City’s visits to Houston in 2017 and 2022 were instrumental in FIFA’s decision to grant them host status.
“We’ve had many major other major soccer matches,” he told Football Insider.
“Real Madrid and Bayern Munich have been here, as well as Man City in 2017 and last year. Having those matches here during the last two decades was helpful to our bid.
“It illustrated to Fifa that Houston is a football city. It was great to see City play Club America. It was a unique match-up, and it was amazing to see the enthusiasm for it.
Cannetti has previously worked as president of MLS side Houston Dynamo and assistant general manager of New York Red Bulls, rivals of City Football Group’s New York City.
“I think it’s key to have global players on the football stage like City Football Group. They own clubs throughout the world. It brings credibility to what is happening in the MLS and draws worldwide interest.
“Some fans from Europe might not be paying attention otherwise but now have their eyes on what is going on here. The league is not just a small domestic league anymore. The MLS wants to be in the top five or 10 leagues in the world.
“The growth has been monumental, and there is no doubt the World Cup will enhance that. We’re prepared to host thousands and thousands of fans.
Cannetti has previously confirmed that Houston is likely to spend up to £67million to host World Cup matches, but he believes the investment will be returned with interest – financially and in terms of social value.
“We’re very focused on legacy. We want the power of the event to make Houston a better place in the long term. We’re all about growing the game. Also, social and environmental impact. We have subcommittees thinking through these areas.
“We’ve run think tanks with local stakeholders and created a very specific legacy of creating a soccer club for the underserved, inner-city youth in Houston. That can provide social value for thousands.
The Premier League are keen to introduce a new pre-season tournament in the US next summer, while Uefa also have plans to take an expanded Super Cup competition to the country in the coming years.
Canetti is confident that Houston is well placed to host elite sides like City during blue-chip football events both after and in the lead-up to the World Cup.
“The Copa America is coming here in 2024. It was here in 2016 and was extremely successful. Houston had the third-best attendance of all the cities that hosted.
“There used to be the International Champions Cup, with big clubs from England, Spain etc. I’m not sure if that will come back, but I assume so. This is a place where people can make a lot of money from putting on marquee football matches.“
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