Today, Representative Rick Larsen (D-WA-02), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Representative Burgess Owens (R-UT-04) introduced the Transportation Assistance for Olympic and World Cup Cities Act to authorize $50 million in funding each year to improve transportation infrastructure in the cities hosting next year’s—and future—Olympic and World Cup games.

“USMNT’s success on the field is inevitable, and this bipartisan bill makes sure the United States succeeds off the field, too,” Rep. Larsen said. “The World Cup needs world-class infrastructure to ensure teams and their fans can safely travel to and from every game. That’s why we’re unlocking millions of dollars in funding for host cities—like Seattle in my home state—to improve their transportation infrastructure before the opening whistle.”

“As the host of the 2002 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, Utah knows how to welcome the world, and we’re gearing up to do it again in 2034,” Rep. Owens said. “I’m proud to be Utah’s top advocate on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and to co-lead this effort to give host cities across America the dependable federal partner they need while preparing to host major international sporting events like the Olympics and World Cup. This support strengthens transportation planning, boosts local collaboration, and ensures the United States is ready to shine on the global stage.”

Legislation Background

Funds authorized by this legislation can be used to help host cities prepare their transit routes, roads, sidewalks and other transportation infrastructure for multiday international sporting events, including the FIFA Women’s and Men’s World Cups, the Olympics, Paralympics and Special Olympics. Hosting a single World Cup match can cost cities roughly $100 to $200 million. Under this legislation, cities would be eligible for up to $10 million per event per year. To learn more, click here.

This legislation is a House companion to the identically named bill introduced by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Jerry Moran (R-KS).

World Cup Background

The 2026 World Cup will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Seventy-eight games will be played in the United States across 11 host cities: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York and New Jersey, Philadelphia, Seattle and the San Francisco Bay Area. For the 2022 World Cup, Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) estimated its television viewership at 2.7 billion people.

This Friday, December 5th, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will host the FIFA 2026 World Cup Final Draw in Washington, D.C.

For more information about the 2026 World Cup, click here.

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