Office of the Spokesperson

The United States congratulates the city of Belgrade and the government of Serbia for winning the bid to host Expo 2027 at today’s vote at the 172^nd General Assembly meeting of the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE) in Paris, France.

While we are disappointed that Expo 2027 will not be held in the United States, we are proud of the Minnesota Bid Committee’s strong proposal that addressed the universal, timely themes of global health and sustainability.  We are grateful for the tireless support of our champions on Capitol Hill – namely, Senator Amy Klobuchar and the Minnesota Congressional delegation – and those across the administration who ensured we made our strongest possible case.

The Department looks forward to participating in Expo 2027 and working with other U.S. cities and states interested in bidding to host a future World’s Fair.  We also look forward to continuing our work with the BIE and other important partners ahead of Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan.

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State

On June 21 in Paris the United States will present to the member states of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) our bid to bring an international expo to Minnesota ahead of the selection vote.  With a projected 14 million visits, it will serve as a gateway to the heartland of America.

The U.S. bid, and theme of “Healthy People, Healthy Planet – Wellness and Wellbeing for All,” has never been more timely.  In addition to offering nations of the world an unrivaled forum to expand business, trade, and tourism opportunities, our theme will spur conversations on cutting edge innovations in healthcare, green tech, and agriculture—convening the global community around international health and protecting our planet.

The state of Minnesota is the ideal choice to host, as it is home to the world’s largest health tech cluster, Medical Alley, and the nation’s top-rated hospital, Mayo Clinic.  The region boasts one of the country’s most diverse economies and ranks first per capita among the 30 largest U.S. metro areas in concentration of Fortune 500 companies.  The proposed U.S. site is “expo ready” with world-class and environmentally sustainable infrastructure, and easily accessible by nearby Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

The United States is eager to host Expo 2027 in Minnesota to convene international partners to work together in pursuit of innovative solutions to some of our most pressing shared challenges for our people and our planet.

I encourage all BIE member states to vote for the U.S. bid to host the Specialized World Expo in 2027 in Minnesota.