While You Were Asleep: In a first, 3 countries to host 2026 FIFA World Cup, West Indies pacers rattle Bangladesh

First time ever, the FIFA World Cup will be hosted by three different countries, and it will feature 48 teams. Matches for the 2026 World Cup will be held in 11 US cities and three host sites in Mexico and two in Canada, the game’s world governing body, announced FIFA.

Your #FIFAWorldCup 2026 Host Cities:

🇺🇸Atlanta
🇺🇸Boston
🇺🇸Dallas
🇲🇽Guadalajara
🇺🇸Houston
🇺🇸Kansas City
🇺🇸Los Angeles
🇲🇽Mexico City
🇺🇸Miami
🇲🇽Monterrey
🇺🇸New York / New Jersey
🇺🇸Philadelphia
🇺🇸San Francisco Bay Area
🇺🇸Seattle
🇨🇦Toronto
🇨🇦Vancouver

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 16, 2022

The 16 host cities will be Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Guadalajara, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Miami, Monterrey, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver.

“We congratulate the 16 FIFA World Cup Host Cities on their outstanding commitment and passion,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino was quoted as saying in the press release.

🎉🇨🇦 ᴠᴀɴᴄᴏᴜᴠᴇʀ 🇨🇦🎉

Vancouver will be a #FIFAWorldCup 2026 Host City! 🙌#HostCity2026 pic.twitter.com/8IJhekesYR

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 16, 2022

It will be the second time the US will host the World Cup after 1994, and a record third time for Mexico, which also hosted in 1970 and 1986. It will be the first time a men’s World Cup match has been held in Canada, though the country did host the Women’s World Cup in 2015.

“Today is a historic day — for everyone in those cities and states, for FIFA, for Canada, the USA and Mexico who will put on the greatest show on Earth. We look forward to working together with them to deliver what will be an unprecedented FIFA World Cup and a game-changer as we strive to make football truly global.”

The 2026 tournament is expected to smash World Cup attendance records, which peaked at 3.6 million when it was held in the United States in 1994.

West Indies on top after Day 1

The pace quartet of West Indies Kemar Roach (2/2), Jayden Sales (3/33), Alzarri Joseph (3/33) and Kyle Mayers (2/10) rattled Bangladesh’s top order as the visiting team were bowled out for a paltry 103 run on the opening day of the first Test of the two-match series at Antigua.

An exciting day of Test cricket comes to an end at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.🏏🇦🇬 #WIvBAN pic.twitter.com/2pkGEPAq71

— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) June 16, 2022

After being put in to bat, the Bangladesh team reeling at 76 for 6 at lunch, the hosts will begin day two at 95/2, just eight runs shy of Bangladesh’s first innings total.

With six ducks in their innings, Bangladesh now has three of the seven Test innings with the dreaded half-dozen of noughts, crumbling to 103 all out and again failing to negotiate opposition new ball threats.

Congratulations to Gudakesh Motie on his Test debut!🙌🏾 #WIvBAN #MenInMaroon pic.twitter.com/15ec6TiNdL

— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) June 16, 2022

Mahmudul Hasan Joy fell first ball poking at a Kemar Roach delivery, with Najmul Hossain Shanto cleaned up without scoring by a seaming delivery in the quick’s next over.

Mominul Haque’s horror run continued, edging to second slip, while Nurul Hasan was dismissed lbw not offering a shot. Mustafizur Rahman and Khaled Ahmed also failed to add to the tally.

Bowled out inside 33 overs, the collapse joins four other occasions the side have been bundled out inside two sessions during the current World Test Championship cycle in a worrying trend.

Tamim Iqbal (29) was strangled down the leg-side, and Shakib Al Hasan (51) ran out of partners.