Between the WNBA draft last week, the MLB season now in full swing, and my beloved Liverpool FC on the cusp of winning the English Premier League title across the pond, our sports fandom is being pulled in dozens of directions across a slew of sports around the world. Of course it’s easy to get caught up in what sporting events and narratives are unspooling right here and right now, but we’d be remiss to not look down the field at what’s to come— especially when the United States is set to co-host the men’s FIFA World Cup in the summer of 2026 with Mexico and Canada.
In an attempt to drum up some excitement for a tournament that’s over a year away, FIFA smartly turned to the power of eye-catching artwork. Last week, they released a collection of 16 posters, one from each of the host cities across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, in which World Cup games will be played. This marks the first time FIFA has created official city-specific posters for a World Cup, with the intention of the designs reflecting the unique cultural and artistic spirit of each host city, while showcasing a shared love of the beautiful game.
So what do I make of the designs? I’m not going to be coy or contrarian: these posters slap. Of course, I’m personally drawn to some more than others—Miami, Seattle, and Toronto rise to the top of my list, with Kansas City, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia bringing up the rear—but as a collection, they are incredibly strong. A different local artist designed each poster, save for the three representing the host cities in Mexico, which were all created by Mexican illustrator Cuemanche.
Let’s take a look, shall we?
Atlanta – Jose Hadathy
Boston – John Rego
Dallas – Matt Cliff
Guadalajara – Cuemanche
Houston – Stephanie Leal
Kansas City – Jadie Arnett
Los Angeles – Thieb Delaporte-Richard
Miami – Rubem Robierb
Mexico City – Cuemanche
Monterrey – Cuemanche
New York/New Jersey – Rich Tu
Philadelphia – Nick McClintock
San Francisco Bay Area – Leroid David
Seattle – Shogo Ota
Toronto – David Murray
Vancouver – Jamin Zuroski
Which of the 16 tops your list? I’m a total sucker for Miami aesthetics, pink-and-aqua color palettes, and literally anything with a flamingo on it, so Rubem Robierb’s Miami poster is pure catnip to me. David Murray’s design for Toronto stands out from the pack because of his distinct retro geometric style. I have to add that I would like to have seen more women designers represented in the collection, seeing as 14 of the 16 posters were created by men. FIFA is far from a moral authority on anything, though, so this comes as no surprise. Obviously, everyone checking out these designs will have their own opinions, too, and that’s entirely the point! With this in mind, I couldn’t help but reach out to my go-to sports design specialist, Todd Radom, for his gut check on the collection.
When asked what makes a successful World Cup host city poster, Radom said, “The host cities are so varied, so I’d say that capturing a piece of that city’s essence and conveying a sense of place would be really important.” A few of his favorites align with mine, including Miami and Toronto. “The Miami poster is fun and unmistakably Miami,” he said. “It has a strong and effective focal point and a beautiful palette.” He added, “I’m a huge fan of Dave Murray’s work—he created the Toronto poster, which harkens back to something that Cassandre might have done a century ago.”
Radom also called out a few more standouts: “I love the posters for all three Mexican host cities, rich and colorful and full of local symbolism. The San Francisco Bay Area version gives us Oakland and San Francisco and soccer, all delivered with impact. And I love Boston’s, which is just fun and silly, attributes that Boston hasn’t always been known for.” He mentioned Vancouver’s poster as the design that lacked the same level of panache as the others. “It’s a little flat,” he said. “A pop of northwest green or aqua or vivid blue might have helped things pop a little more.”
In summation, we’re all very proud of FIFA for doing something fun and cool in the design space, instead of their usual flair for doing something corrupt and anti-human rights.
See, FIFA, doesn’t that feel better?
Featured image credit: EPA Images via Free Malaysia Today.
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