ICYMI: 2026 World Cup Bid Cities; Cali 2021; Future of Athletics

#ICYMI -- In Case You Missed It ... Sometimes the best stories don't get the attention we think they deserve. Here are our staff picks for articles this week they really want you to know about..

(ATR) Baltimore, Maryland is the only one of the 17 U.S. cities bidding to host matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup that does not have a major professional soccer team.

But Terry Hasseltine, president of the Baltimore-Maryland 2026 bid, tells Around the Rings that not having a Major League Soccer franchise could help the city win hosting rights.

"One of the things I believe is beneficial to FIFA is the bigger footprint that they could potentially leave on our market," Hasseltine says.

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Cali 2021 Could Have Crowds

(ATR) The I Junior Pan American Games in Cali, Colombia, could be held in front of spectators.

During the most recent visit by representatives of Panam Sports to supervise their preparations, there was a request from the local authorities to the Colombia's Ministry of Health to allow up to 30 percent capacity at the sports venues.

But the President of the Organizing Committee, Baltazar Medina, clarified to Around the Rings that there are still more than five months to go until the event and the epidemiological situation will determine the conditions for holding the Games.

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ATRadio: A Global Conversation on Athletics

Through the end of April World Athletics is seeking direction from the public on the future of the sport. Olympian Willie Banks is heading the campaign to gather opinions with a survey known as Global Conversation. He joins ATR Editor Ed Hula to talk about the project.

Click here to listen to ATRadio.