The 2026 World Cup will be the 23rd edition of the quadrennial international men’s soccer tournament contested by various national teams from across the world.
The Mundial will be held in 16 cities spread across three North American countries: Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The United States will host 60 matches, including the quarterfinals, semi-finals, and final while neighboring Canada and Mexico will each host 10 matches.
The tournament will be the first tournament hosted by three nations and the first to include 48 teams, expanded from 32.
On January 10, 2017, the FIFA Council voted to raise the number of national team participation, and the event was expanded to 48 nations with an overwhelming vote. The competition will begin with a group stage comprised of 16 groups of three teams each, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the knockout round, which will begin with a round of 32 countries.
Even though there will be an increase in the overall number of games played from 64 to 80, the finalist will still participate in the same number of games—seven—as when there were 32 teams. To compensate for the extra knockout round, each country will play one fewer group match than they would have under the previous system.
Check Out The 2026 World Cup Stadiums & Cities
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium – Atlanta
Atlanta United of Major League Soccer and the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons share Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which debuted in 2017. It has a capacity of over 70,000 spectators and offers a staggering variety of attractions both inside and outside the stadium to keep fans amused. The Benz, as it’s known locally, has a retractable roof that resembles a pinwheel, emphasizing its contemporary look.
FUN FACT: Atlanta contains a plethora of tourist hotspots for foreign tourists, much like any other worldwide city. For instance, take the World of Coca-Cola. However, Atlanta is also rich in diversity and heritage. Martin Luther King Jr., a leader in the civil rights movement, was born in this city.
Both his birthplace and Ebenezer Baptist Church, where MLK served as pastor until his murder in 1968, are open to visitors. However, a word of caution—never shouts “Hotlanta”. Nobody expresses that.
- Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA – Boston
The Men’s and women’s World Cups were previously held in this stadium in the 1990s and early 2000s. Even while Gillette Stadium isn’t the most modern stadium on the list, it is slated to get a makeover with a massive new video board and other enhancements under renovation. Although the United States men’s or women’s national teams haven’t played there since 2015 owing to the artificial pitch. Gillette, home of the New England Revolution, has played host to a number of international friendlies.
FUN FACT: Actually, there is a Dunkin’ in almost every neighborhood in downtown Boston if you stay there. This is not really a problem. If you want to go all out and follow the Freedom Trail through the city, take a little detour to pay your respects to NBA star Bill Russell at his statue outside of City Hall, then proceed to the North End for a cannoli.
- AT&T Stadium – Dallas
The Jerry World affectionately known as the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, was given to it by Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys, the stadium’s major user. Although more than 100,000 people have watched American football there, only about 85,000 fans can enjoy soccer there.
FUN FACT: This stadium resides in the largest urban area in an inland region without a navigable waterway.
- Arrowhead Stadium – Kansas City
Arrowhead Stadium is the home of the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. A little more than 76,000 people can be accommodated. It features a natural grass surface and last hosted a non-friendly international soccer match in 2001 when the USMNT defeated Costa Rica 1-0 in a World Cup qualifier. Arrowhead opened in 1972 and will be the oldest American stadium in the 2026 World Cup.
FUN FACT: The Kansas City metro region spans the Kansas/Missouri state line, although Kansas City, Missouri is the major focus. Kansas City, Kansas is likewise located just across the Missouri and Kansas Rivers. Many people reside in the suburbs of Kansas City, Missouri, which are in Kansas but not in Kansas City, Kansas.
- NRG Stadium – Houston
The retractable roof NRG stadium having a seating capacity of around 72,000 was opened in 2002. It has hosted lots of international soccer games, such as Gold Cup knockout games, Copa America Centenario games, and several friendlies, NRG is the regular home of the NFL’s Houston Texans.
FUN FACT: Because of its diverse population, Houston boasts one of the greatest culinary scenes of any American city, with the delicious cuisine of all kinds being accessible all around the metropolitan area.
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- SoFi Stadium – Los Angeles
SoFi Stadium, which can accommodate up to 100,000 spectators was opened in 2020. The stadium is home to two NFL clubs and served as the venue for the 2022 Super Bowl. In August, it will host its maiden soccer matches. SoFi Stadium is being considered as the potential stadium for the 2026 World Cup final.
FUN FACT: Those who love frogs might have second thoughts about going to the game in Los Angeles. After the city’s young hippies uncovered the psychedelic effects of licking the Colorado River Toad, the city of Los Angeles passed a regulation making it illegal for individuals to lick toads.
- Hard Rock Stadium – Miami
Hard Rock Stadium was designed to FIFA requirements and has undergone extensive modifications in recent years to improve its overall look and feel. It isn’t very big (capacity: 67,518) and isn’t close to the city center or beaches.
The stadium has over the years seen sell-out audiences for several club friendlies as well as countless soccer matches involving South American national teams. The stadium has held six Super Bowls, the Miami Open tennis tournament, and most recently, the Miami Grand Prix Formula One race.
FUN FACT: Due to scheduling dilemmas at Hard Rock Stadium with the then-Florida Marlins, who have since evolved into one of the subjectively miserable teams in all of North American professional sports, Miami was unable to host any matches during the 1994 World Cup.
- MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ – New York
Having a capacity of 82,500, MetLife Stadium opened its doors in 2010. Although the typical playing surface is synthetic turf, grass has been placed down in the past without any problems. The stadium was designed with moveable stands so the field may fulfill FIFA rules for soccer matches.
- Lincoln Financial Field – Philadelphia
The Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL play their home games at Lincoln Financial Field, but soccer has a significant history there as well. Manchester United and Barcelona played a friendly there when it initially opened in 2003. With a seating capacity of just under 70,000, “The Linc” has also hosted several club and USMNT/USWNT friendlies throughout the years, as well as everything from Copa America Centenario games to the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
FUN FACT: Don’t be surprised to come across over 4,000 murals in the city of Philadelphia.
- Levi’s Stadium – San Fransisco
In order to accommodate the NFL’s 49ers, Levi’s Stadium was opened in 2014. It is situated in Santa Clara and features a Bermuda grass surface and a 70,000 seating capacity. In its short history, it has hosted 17 soccer games, with two of the most notable ones being the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final and the 2016 Copa América Centenario (when Chile thrashed Mexico 7-0 in the quarterfinals).
FUN FACT: Fortune cookies were created in San Francisco by the Hagiwara family, who moved to the United States from Japan, even though they are a mainstay takeaway Chinese food.
- Lumen Field – Seattle
Lumen Field is home to the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL, the Seattle Sounders of Major League Soccer, and the OL Reign of the NWSL. Lumen, which was opened in 2002, was designed with soccer in mind, and the viewing lines are excellent from nearly every seat.
- BMO Field – Toronto
BMO Field is Toronto FC’s home stadium and, more recently, the primary stadium for Canadian men’s national team matches.
The downtown stadium features spectacular views of Lake Ontario, but with a present capacity of 30,000 for soccer matches, it will need to be expanded to fulfill FIFA’s standards for hosting World Cup games. That is a priority for Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, the stadium operators and owners of TFC, and they are enthusiastic about it.
FUN FACT: Over 11 million trees were planted throughout the city, encompassing more than 25% of the city.
- BC Place – Vancouver
BC Place is Canada’s third-largest stadium, with a capacity of nearly 54,000 people. It is the home of the Vancouver Whitecaps of Major League Soccer and the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. The stadium previously held the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics.
FUN FACT: A vacation to Vancouver would be incomplete without a stop at the Dude Chilling Park sign in east Vancouver. There is a reclining, chilling, figure installation in the park, and a local artist installed a sign that reads “Dude Chilling Park,” like Vancouver parks do.
Despite the city’s efforts to have it removed, enough signatures were acquired through a petition to keep it standing, making it a local landmark.
- Estadio Akron – Guadalajara
Chivas, one of Mexico’s top teams, plays its home games in the Estadio Akron. It can hold slightly about 50,000 spectators. J ust after stadium’s opening in 2010, it played hosted a friendly match featuring Manchester United and Chivas to highlight United’s star signing of the season, Mexican forward Javier “Chicharito” Hernández.
FUN FACT: The original turf pitch that filled the stadium was widely despised by Mexican fans, athletes, and commentators. Chivas was forced to put up an actual grass pitch following the uproar
- Estadio Azteca – Mexico City
One of the stunning architecture of football is the Estadio Azteca stadium. El Coloso de Santa Ursula, the home of Club América and Cruz Azul, has over 100,000 seating capacity and has witnessed two of the best players in World Cup history lift the FIFA World Cup trophy.
Both Pelé and Maradona led their countries to World Cup triumphs in 1970 and Argentina in 1986. The Azteca will intensify its illustrious status in the sport by hosting three World Cups.
FUN FACT: Mexico City not only has the highest population in the Western Hemisphere, it also has 180 museums, which is a global record.
- Estadio BBVA – Monterrey
The Estadio BBVA stadium in Monterrey is simply stunning. The venue has a capacity of 51,000 people, and its background is one of the most beautiful stadium views in the whole world. The futuristic arena known as “The Steel Giant,” with its towering aerial panoramas, is anticipated to be the focal point of the 2026 World Cup.
FUN FACT: Locals of Monterrey are known as regios, or regals. One of Mexico’s biggest football rivalries has its home base in this city. CF Monterrey and Tigres UANL compete for dominance in the region.
2026 World Cup Stadiums Venue & Capacity
| Market | State | Country | Venue | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico City | Mexico | Estadio Azteca | 87,523 | |
| New York City | NY/NJ | USA | MetLife Stadium | 82,500 |
| Dallas | TX | USA | AT&T Stadium | 80,000 |
| Kansas City | KS | USA | Arrowhead Stadium | 76,416 |
| Houston | TX | USA | NRG Stadium | 71,795 |
| Atlanta | GA | USA | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | 71,000 |
| Los Angeles | CA | USA | SoFi Stadium | 70,240 |
| Philadelphia | PA | USA | Lincoln Financial Field | 69,176 |
| Seattle | WA | USA | Lumen Field | 69,000 |
| San Francisco | CA | USA | Levi’s Stadium | 68,500 |
| Boston | MA | USA | Gillette Stadium | 65,878 |
| Miami | FL | USA | Hard Rock Stadium | 64,767 |
| Vancouver | BC | Canada | BC Place | 54,000 |
| Monterrey | NL | Mexico | Estadio BBVA | 53,500 |
| Guadalajara | JAL | Mexico | Estadio Akron | 46,232 |
| Toronto | ON | Canada | BMO Field | 45,500* |
FIFA in a statement on July 16:
“We congratulate the 16 FIFA World Cup Host Cities on their outstanding commitment and passion. Today is a historic day – for everyone in those cities and states, for FIFA, for Canada, the USA, and Mexico who will put on the greatest show on Earth. We look forward to working together with them to deliver what will be an unprecedented FIFA World Cup and a game-changer as we strive to make football truly global,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
“We were delighted by the unparalleled competitiveness of this selection process. We are extremely grateful not only to the 16 cities that have been selected but also to the other six – with whom we look forward to continuing to engage and explore additional opportunities to welcome fans and participating teams. This has always been a FIFA World Cup of three countries, and that undoubtedly will have a tremendous impact on the whole region and the wider football community,” added FIFA Vice President and Concacaf President Victor Montagliani.
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Which City Wasn’t Selected For the 2026 World Cup?
16 cities were selected out of 22 candidates, leaving six empty-handed: Baltimore (M&T Bank Stadium), Nashville (Nissan Stadium), Orlando (Camping World Stadium), Cincinnati (Paul Brown Stadium), Denver (Mile High Stadium), and Edmonton (Commonwealth Stadium) all fell short of a bid In addition to those six, Los Angeles’ bid for the Rose Bowl in neighboring Pasadena was also passed over.
Baltimore (+320) entered Thursday’s announcement with the best odds of any city not selected, while Cincinnati was the longest shot at +1000. Of the 16 cities chosen, Kansas City (+105) entered Thursday with the worst odds.
What Should We Expect In the 2026 World Cup?
There were no American soccer stadiums chosen since none satisfied FIFA’s minimum capacity requirement of 40,000 supporters. All 11 American stadiums chosen host NFL teams throughout the winter, with the most recent being SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Some of them also house an MLS franchise, such the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Despite the fact that this year’s World Cup is being held in November and December, the event in 2026 is expected to return to its traditional summer date, avoiding any clashes with the NFL.
In June of 2018, the North American candidacy for the 2026 World Cup was accepted over a proposal from Morocco. The World Cup in 2026 will be the first on American soil since 1994, when the tournament was still restricted to 24 nations. In 1994, the competition was divided into nine locations, three of which have since been destroyed. Only New York, Boston, Los Angeles, and Dallas have been chosen as hosts in both 1994 and 2026. Despite the Rose Bowl and Orlando’s Camping World Stadium being considered, no venue utilized in 1994 will be used in 2026.
Mexico has previously hosted the World Cup on its own twice, in 1970 and 1986, but Canada has never hosted the Men’s World Cup but did host the Women’s World Cup in 2015.
