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Ask Skift Is the AI Chatbot for the Travel Industry: Ask Skift Your Questions Episode Notes Destinations across the U.S., Canada and Mexico are ramping up their preparations to welcome soccer’s World Cup in 2026. And they’ll need a substantial influx of money to make hosting the event a success, writes Global Tourism Reporter Dawit Habtemariam.  Officials at this week’s Destinations International Annual Convention addressed the challenges of welcoming thousands of visitors for the World Cup. Each of the 11 U.S. host cities is responsible for finding ways to pay for tournament-related expenses. Monica Paul, executive director of the Dallas Sports Commission, said the U.S. federal government doesn’t assume most of the cost of major international sporting events, unlike in other countries.  Visit Kansas City CEO Kathy Nelson acknowledged the difficulties of securing the funding for World Cup-related operations. Nelson said the organization has to appease governors from both Kansas and Missouri, adding that it’s