Welcome Remarks
34th Concacaf Congress
Las Vegas, Nevada
Thursday, March 28, 2019
“The Culture We Share”
Thank you, Mr. President, and good morning everyone. On behalf of all of us at the U.S. Soccer Federation, welcome to the United States.
In addition to our great friend, partner, and Concacaf President, Victor Montagliani, I especially want to welcome fellow members of the Concacaf Council; fellow presidents, general secretaries, and delegates from the 41 nations of Concacaf; and, of course, the Concacaf staff, led by Philippe Moggio. And, last but not least, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who is making his second visit to the United States this month. Thank you, Gianni.
Now, I know it’s often said that what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. But today, we hope that what’s happening in Vegas—its spirit of diversity and inclusion—is celebrated far beyond Vegas. This is one of the fastest-growing and most diverse communities in our country. In this sense, it’s a bit like football. It’s a powerful reminder of what makes us strong as communities, as countries and as a region. It’s the power of our unity, our diversity and our respect for one another.
We see this spirit across our region in our shared culture of football.
We see this spirit in our “One Concacaf Vision”—because the only way we’re going to grow the game in our region is by growing it together, as one, unified Concacaf Family.
And we saw this spirit of unity in our historic bid—Canada, Mexico and the United States—the first time that three nations have come together to bid for and win the privilege of hosting the FIFA World Cup! Thank you, Concacaf, for your support.
We see 2026 and the years leading up to it as an extraordinary opportunity not just for our three countries, but for our region—the chance to turn Concacaf into one of the most vibrant football communities in the world. And didn’t we get a sense of that last night at the Nations League draw?
During the bid, as we met with federations around the world, we came to appreciate that all our countries—big or small, developed or developing—face similar challenges. It’s a reminder for all of us. We can learn from each other, share experiences and work together to grow the game in all our countries.
That’s the spirit of football. That’s the culture we share. And that’s what brings us together at this Concacaf Congress. Welcome to the United States!