Las Vegas passed on the 2026 World Cup. Now it wants to build its own soccer future — and a massive entertainment complex to go with it.
Starr Vegas Development has unveiled plans for a $10 billion multi-purpose district featuring a 50,000-seat football stadium with a retractable roof and a 25,000-seat basketball arena designed to house a future NBA franchise. The city, which lacks an MLS team and withdrew from the 2026 World Cup host city race after determining that the cost of meeting FIFA’s requirements — particularly retrofitting Allegiant Stadium’s playing surface — would not deliver a commensurate return on investment, is making an aggressive play to cement itself as a permanent destination for the beautiful game and other major sports.
The project is slated for 63 acres near West Starr Avenue and South Las Vegas Boulevard, roughly 1.7 miles south of the iconic “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign. Of the total price tag, $6 billion has already been secured through a financing structure led by Lou Weisbach, CEO of In Tickets We Trust. Beyond the two major venues, the district will feature a sportsbook and a casino — because this is still Vegas, after all — along with hotels, retail, residential and office components.
“Starr Vegas will redefine what a sports and entertainment destination should be. Our prime Strip location, integrated broadcast infrastructure, and multi-venue synergies create unmatched opportunities. We are building world-class facilities for soccer, basketball, concerts, combat sports, and more,” said CEO Chuck Haifley.
The timing feels deliberate. Las Vegas arrived late to the professional sports party but has been making up for lost time ever since. The city hosts the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights, the NFL’s Raiders, and the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces. Formula 1 races down the Strip through at least 2027, with Clark County already clearing the way for the event to continue through 2032. The Super Bowl landed there in 2024, the 2027 CFP National Championship will be played at Allegiant Stadium on January 25, and the NCAA Men’s Final Four follows in 2028. The NBA Board of Governors voted unanimously in March to formally explore expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle, while the A’s MLB stadium is under construction nearby.
Football hasn’t been a stranger either. Allegiant Stadium has welcomed Concacaf Nations League events, Gold Cup matches, Copa América fixtures, and European club friendlies. What Vegas has lacked is a permanent home purpose-built for soccer — and an MLS team to fill it. Rumors of a franchise have circulated for years, but they’ve stalled over one stubborn problem: nobody has put up the kind of money that would convince league decision-makers to place the bet.
Whether Starr Vegas Development changes that calculus remains to be seen. A 50,000-seat stadium purpose-built for soccer would remove the biggest obstacle. The cash, at least on the development side, appears to be materializing. What comes next — an MLS expansion bid, more international fixtures, or both — could determine whether Las Vegas transforms from an occasional soccer host into a genuine footballing city.
