David Beckham has thrown his support behind the combined United States, Canada and Mexico bid to host the 2026 World Cup.
The three North American countries are competing with Morocco to host world football's showpiece event, with a decision to be made on June 13.
Last week, FIFA confirmed the joint bid had scored four out of five in its evaluation report, receiving a better score than their African opponents, who managed just 2.7.
Disgraced former FIFA president Sepp Blatter publicly backed Morocco's proposal, but the United bid has its own high-profile supporter in Beckham.
"A competition like the World Cup deserves to be in great places and if the US, Canada and Mexico get that it will be very special," said the former England captain, who finished his career with LA Galaxy and is launching his own MLS franchise in 2020.
"I've been able to play in one of these countries and I've been to the other two as well and also played in Canada for the Galaxy. But I know the passion that runs through in all three of those countries.
"To have played in LA for six years in the US, and when we travelled to Canada, some of the teams we played there ... I've seen that passion. And don't get me started on the passion that runs through Mexico. I've played against them as a nation before and there's not many nations as passionate as them."
As the World Cup vote draws near, two of North America's brightest stars unite for @United2026. But come this fall... pic.twitter.com/vytZ9MdhtL
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) May 24, 2018
Beckham added: "I remember the last time the US hosted the World Cup [in 1994] and I actually went to a couple of games and it was incredible.
"So now the infrastructure is more there, the excitement is more there and there's more people throughout the US that are really starting to understand the game, get excited about the game and that's not just people inside the US getting excited about European football, they're getting excited about the MLS and what's happening in the MLS.
"I've see how much the game has grown over the last 10 years and it's incredible for it to have happened so fast and change in so many different ways.
"It's great to see and it's great to be part of and I'm excited about 2026."