By: Bender, Reich, Gordon, Fletcher, Cunningham, Ellison, Warsame, Goodman, Jenkins, Cano, Schroeder, A. Johnson, and Palmisano SUPPORTING THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS IN ITS EFFORTS TO BE SELECTED AS A HOST CITY FOR THE 2026 FIFA World Cup™. WHEREAS: The FIFA World Cup™ is the premier global soccer event that is watched by over 3.2 billion fans worldwide; and WHEREAS: It is the pinnacle event in soccer, the FIFA World Cup™ is a quadrennial multi-city festival where culture, diversity and sport are expressed by thousands of fans, athletes and community legacy and sustainability initiatives; and WHEREAS: The competition will be expanded in 2026, from 32 teams to 48 teams, each representing their own country, as well as an expanded format from 60 matches to a record 80 World Cup™ matches of which Minneapolis would host some of these important matches; and WHEREAS: The United Bid Committee representing North America (Canada, Mexico and the United States) is competing with the country of Morocco for the right to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup™; and WHEREAS: The City of Minneapolis offers ready-made, centrally-located and transit-accessible facilities for matches at U.S. Bank Stadium, the FIFA Fan Fest and other community celebration locations in the Downtown East Commons Park, Nicollet, River First district, as well as dining, entertainment, theater, and art galleries throughout the city; and WHEREAS: Minneapolis is a vibrant, creative, beautiful, sports-loving city that welcomes the talents of all individuals and athletes, and is ready to showcase itself as a premier destination for world- class sporting events to all FIFA World Cup™ participants and fans; and —NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED— That the Mayor and City Council do hereby support the City of Minneapolis being selected as a host city of the 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP™ in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Passed this the twenty-sixth Day of January, 2018 _______________________________________ Lisa Bender, President of the Council Approved: _______________________________________ Jacob Frey, Mayor Attest: _______________________________________ Casey Joe Carl, City Clerk .