The Justice Department, in collaboration with Mexico's Federal Economic Competition Commission (COFECE) and Canada's Competition Bureau, has unveiled a joint effort aimed at preventing, identifying, and prosecuting collusive activities linked to the provision of goods and services associated with the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be hosted jointly by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, with matches set to take place in 11 locations in the United States, three cities in Mexico, and two cities in Canada.
Through this initiative, these enforcement agencies will work together on public outreach and engage with the business community to raise awareness about anti-competitive behaviors. They will also collaborate on investigations by sharing intelligence and utilizing existing international cooperation tools.
Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division emphasized the economic significance of the event, stating, “This historic event will bring billions of dollars in economic activity to cities across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The Antitrust Division will be vigilant in detecting anticompetitive conduct by any businesses and individuals that exploit the economic opportunities created by the games. We look forward to working with our international partners on this effort.”
Chairwoman Andrea Marván of COFECE stressed the importance of fair competition, both in soccer and economic markets, saying, “For Mexico, competition in soccer means passion and enjoyment. Just as in the World Cup, for competition to happen in the economic markets, a level playing field for all those interested in offering their goods and services should be guaranteed. Today we announce a historic collaboration to promote the inclusive benefits of economic and sports competition. In this regard, COFECE will be as vigilant as ever to guarantee that the economic benefits derived from this event are not affected by anti-competitive conducts that could harm both local and international fans. We will work alongside the U.S. and Canadian antitrust agencies to ensure that, no matter where, all markets are working in a competitive and efficient way during this historic event.”
Commissioner Matthew Boswell of the Competition Bureau of Canada emphasized the importance of cooperation in combating illegal conduct, stating, “Strong cooperation among law enforcers and partner organizations is key to ensuring that illegal conduct is investigated, and that appropriate action is taken. The Competition Bureau will do everything in its power to pursue those who seek to unjustly profit from the World Cup.”
The World Cup is expected to have a positive impact on various sectors of the economy, including construction, entertainment, and tourism, in the host cities across the three nations, including Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New York/New Jersey, Miami, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Seattle. Collaborative efforts with international partners aim to deter anti-competitive practices that could affect the games in these host locations.
Anyone with information regarding market allocation, price fixing, bid rigging or other anticompetitive conduct should contact the Procurement Collusion Strike Force at www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force or the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 1-888-647-3258.
