⚽ Where is the 2026 FIFA World Cup? Host Cities, Venues, and Key Dates
The host nations. Sixteen host cities. Forty-eight teams. One-hundred-and-four fixtures. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, spanning the United States, Mexico, and Canada, is quickly approaching. Which is awesome.
Play starts on June 11, 2026, at the iconic Estadio Azteca (Mexico City Stadium) in Mexico City and wraps up on July 19 at MetLife Stadium (New York/New Jersey Stadium) in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Our guide to the 2026 World Cup host cities and venues has everything you need to know ahead of the action.
🌎 2026 World Cup host cities & venues
The 2026 will be played across three nations, with some teams travel set to be over 6,400 miles in the Group Stage alone. Groups will play in zones to limit travel. Here are a look at the venues, and their capacities.
United States
| Venue | FIFA tournament stadium name | Location | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| MetLife Stadium | New York / New Jersey Stadium | East Rutherford, New Jersey | 82,500 |
| AT&T Stadium | Dallas Stadium | Arlington, Texas | 94,000 |
| GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium | Kansas City Stadium | Kansas City, Missouri | 73,000 |
| NRG Stadium | Houston Stadium | Houston, Texas | 72,000 |
| Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta Stadium | Atlanta, Georgia | 75,000 |
| SoFi Stadium | Los Angeles Stadium | Inglewood, California | 70,000 |
| Lincoln Financial Field | Philadelphia Stadium | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 69,000 |
| Lumen Field | Seattle Stadium | Seattle, Washington | 69,000 |
| Levi's Stadium | San Francisco Bay Area Stadium | Santa Clara, California | 71,000 |
| Gillette Stadium | Boston Stadium | Foxborough, Massachusetts | 65,000 |
| Hard Rock Stadium | Miami Stadium | Miami Gardens, Florida | 65,000 |
🛑 The Final Stop
The 2026 World Cup final is set for MetLife Stadium (New York / New Jersey Stadium) on July 19. With the groups outlined and the path to the final clear, "Odds to Reach the Final" are shifting.
- Argentina (Group J): Widely seen as the tournaments weakest group; can avoid England/France until the semi-finals
- Spain (Group H): A tough draw, but should advance through their group and will have reduced cross-country flights; avoids Argentina until the final
- United States (Group D): A Group D win keeps them in San Francisco (Round of 32) and Seattle (Round of 16), limiting travel fatigue in a big way
- Portugal (Group K): The "easiest" group based on FIFA standings; could reach the quarterfinals without seeing a top 10 ranked opponent
Canada
| Venue | FIFA tournament stadium name | Location | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| BC Place | BC Place Vancouver | Vancouver, British Columbia | 54,000 |
| BMO Field | Toronto Stadium | Toronto, Ontario | 45,000 |
💨 Big Smoke / Small Venue
BMO Field (Toronto Stadium) is the smallest venue in the entire tournament, but it was purpose built for soccer: the seats are incredibly close to the field. That impacts the peripheral vision for attacking teams, which can benefit defensive underdogs who are looking to limit ball movement. The atmosphere can also cause communication issues which could lead to unforced errors for favorites looking to push the issue.
Mexico
| Venue | FIFA tournament stadium name | Location | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estadio Azteca | Mexico City Stadium | Mexico City | 83,000 |
| Estadio BBVA | Monterrey Stadium | Guadalupe, Nuevo Leon | 53,000 |
| Estadio Akron | Guadalajara Stadium | Zapopan, Jalisco | 48,000 |
🏔️ Height advantage
Mexico City's Estadio Azteca is the tallest venue in the tournament at 7,340 feet (2,240 meters). That means thinner air, which results in crosses and long-range shots traveling faster. The air also makes it difficult for goaltenders to deal with shots that aren't moving like they're used to seeing, with less drop and more flatter and faster attempts on goal. Overs should be in play early in the tournament here.
📅 Key dates and venues for each round
Group Stages (June 11 - June 27): Each of the 14 venues host Group Stage games
Round of 32 (June 28 - July 3): Each of the 14 venues will host a single Round of 32 game, with SoFi Stadium and AT&T Stadium hosting two games each
Round of 16 (July 4-7): NRG Stadium, Lincoln Financial Field, MetLife Stadium, Estadio Azteca, AT&T Stadium, Lumen Field, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and BC Place.
Quarterfinals (July 9 -11): Gillette Stadium, SoFi Stadium, Hard Rock Stadium, and Arrowhead Stadium.
Semifinals (July 14-15): AT&T Stadium and Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Third-place game (July 18): Hard Rock Stadium
Final (July 19): MetLife Stadium
🎟️ Last minute tickets?
If you haven't scored tickets yet to the event, but you're thinking you want to catch some of the best football the planet has to offer, there will be a batch of last-minute tickets available via FIFA in early April. Try your luck over at FIFA.com/tickets.
📜 Previous hosts
The World Cup is a quadrennial (every four years) sporting event and has been held on every continent except Australia (two failed bids) and Antarctica (zero failed bids, shockingly).
Here's a look at the previous host nations, how they finished, and who won the tournament.
| Year | Host Nation | Continent | Host Nation Result | Tournament Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | Uruguay | South America | Champions | Uruguay |
| 1934 | Italy | Europe | Champions | Italy |
| 1938 | France | Europe | Quarterfinals | Italy |
| 1942 | Canceled due to World War II | |||
| 1946 | Canceled due to World War II | |||
| 1950 | Brazil | South America | Runners-up | Uruguay |
| 1954 | Switzerland | Europe | Quarterfinals | West Germany |
| 1958 | Sweden | Europe | Runners-up | Brazil |
| 1962 | Chile | South America | Third place | Brazil |
| 1966 | England | Europe | Champions | England |
| 1970 | Mexico | North America | Quarterfinals | Brazil |
| 1974 | Germany | Europe | Champions | West Germany |
| 1978 | Argentina | South America | Champions | Argentina |
| 1982 | Spain | Europe | Second round (top 12) | Italy |
| 1986 | Mexico | North America | Quarterfinals | Argentina |
| 1990 | Italy | Europe | Third place | West Germany |
| 1994 | United States | North America | Round of 16 | Brazil |
| 1998 | France | Europe | Champions | France |
| 2002 | South Korea + Japan | Asia | Fourth place (South Korea), Round of 16 (Japan) | Brazil |
| 2006 | Germany | Europe | Third place | Italy |
| 2010 | South Africa | Africa | First round | Spain |
| 2014 | Brazil | South America | Fourth place | Germany |
| 2018 | Russia | Europe | Quarterfinals | France |
| 2022 | Qatar | Asia | First round | Argentina |
| 2026 | Canada + Mexico + United States | North America | TBD | |
| 2030 | Morocco + Portugal + SpainAnniversary match hosts: Argentina + Paraguay + Uruguay | Africa, Europe, South America | TBD | |
| 2024 | Saudi Arabia | Asia | TBD |
1️⃣ Firsts and onlys
- England's 1966 victory was the only time the soccer-crazy nation captured the highest orders
- South Africa's 2010 first round loss was the first time the host nation was eliminated in the group stage
- Qatar's 2022 appearance was its first in the World Cup, and it became the only host to lose all of its games
❓ 2026 World Cup FAQs
When does the 2026 World Cup start?
The 2026 World Cup starts on June 11. The first two games of the tournament are Mexico vs. South Africa at Estadio Azteca and South Korea vs. UEFA Path D winner at Estadio Akron.
When is the 2026 World Cup final?
The 2026 World Cup final is on July 19. MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., is the location for the game.
Where is the 2026 World Cup?
The 2026 will be held at 16 venues throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Who is the favorite to win the 2026 World Cup?
Spain is the betting favorite to win the 2026 World Cup.
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