Enrique Bonilla is not a well-known name in American soccer fans circles but Bonilla is well known in Mexico as the President of Mexico’s First Division in soccer and he has a thought about the future of soccer in North America. Bonilla thinks that the legacy of the 2026 World Cup that will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico could be a league that features teams from the United States, Canada and Mexico. Bonilla’s notion is a bit odd in that there is a league in existence, Major League Soccer that features American and Canadian teams. But Bonilla is probably onto something. Mexican teams usually win Champions League tournaments and Mexico’s Liga MX is the most watched soccer league on American TV on FOX and Univision platforms in weekly ratings. There is an agreement between Major League Soccer and Liga XM to send teams to the Champions League tournaments.
Could Liga XM expand into the United States and Canada? Maybe not but Bonilla is thinking that Liga XM and the MLS could join together in some way and that would strengthen soccer in both the United States and in Canada. The 2026 World Cup will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico with the United States hosted most of the matches but not everyone in the United States and Canada is keen on seeing games in their cities. Chicago, Minneapolis and Vancouver elected officials have said no to the demands of soccer’s governing body FIFA for holding contests in those cities. Mexico and Canada will have up to six of the 2026 World Cup games. The United States the rest in NFL stadiums. It is expected, New Jersey, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Arlington, Texas, the Washington D. C. market, Santa Clara, California and Foxboro, Massachusetts will get some of the matches. The MLS doesn’t seem to want to add teams from Mexico but money talks.
