MetLife Stadium in New Jersey is set to host the 2026 World Cup final on 19 July, with the opening group game taking place at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on 11 June.
Mexico, along with the USA and Canada, is among the three countries co-hosting the expanded 48-team tournament, which will span a record 39 days. The nation has previously hosted World Cups in 1970 and 1986, while the US hosted in 1994.
Canada is hosting the tournament for the first time, with their opening game scheduled for 12 June in Toronto. The United States will kick off their campaign at So-Fi Stadium in Los Angeles, also on 12 June.
Azteca Stadium, famous for Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal in 1986, boasts a capacity of 83,000, while MetLife Stadium, home to the New York Giants and New York Jets, can hold 82,500 fans. MetLife was a host stadium for the 1994 World Cup.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino, accompanied by comedian Kevin Hart, rapper Drake, and celebrity Kim Kardashian, announced the plans, including Miami as the venue for the third-place play-off match.
Quarter-finals onwards will be held in US cities such as Los Angeles, Kansas City, Miami, and Boston, with semi-finals scheduled for Dallas and Atlanta. Dallas will host a record nine matches during the tournament, which is set to be 10 days longer than the 2022 edition in Qatar.
Sixteen cities have been selected, including Monterrey and Guadalajara in Mexico, and Vancouver in Canada, along with Philadelphia, Houston, Seattle, and San Francisco in the US.
Notably, only Guadalajara among the selected cities will not host a knockout game. Teams can expect significant travel between games, with varying distances between venues.
FIFA emphasized that players and fans were central to the extensive planning, ensuring a tournament that sets new records while leaving a lasting legacy. The schedule, developed in consultation with stakeholders, promises three days of rest for 103 out of the tournament’s 104 matches.
The innovative format includes 12 four-team groups and a last-32 knockout round, with host countries playing the group stage matches domestically. The US will remain on the West Coast, Canada will play in Toronto and Vancouver, and Mexico will feature in Azteca and Guadalajara.
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