Every four years, the best players around the world vie for the chance to win a FIFA World Cup title. Back in 2018, it was announced that the world's biggest tournament – the World Cup – would be hosted across North America, in various locations throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. What does this all mean? How can one tournament take place over thousands of miles? Does North America even have big enough stadiums? Has anything like this ever been done before? We're answering all that and more, and most importantly, we'll break down what the World Cup 2026 stadiums will be and who will be playing where. And if you want to learn more about the previous World Cup winners, check out this article.
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The World Cup 2026 Stadiums: All the Host Cities, Plus the Schedule and More
Where will the next World Cup take place?
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How does FIFA pick who will host the World Cup?
To be considered as a potential host for the FIFA World Cup, a nation must submit a bid that breaks down their plans for infrastructure, stadiums, and other sorts of logistics (such as the nation's ability to provide necessary facilities, ensure security, and promote the growth of football worldwide). FIFA then evaluates such bids, does a round of inspections, and then finally, a council votes to make a decision. In the end, FIFA's main concern when deciding is about how the host will be able to represent the sport in order to help football grow globally.
When does the 2026 World Cup take place?
The group stages will begin on Thursday June 11, 2026, and the final match is set to take place at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, July 19th.
How many teams will qualify for the 2026 World Cup?
For the first time in World Cup history, there will be 48 teams that qualify for the tournament. This is up from the 32 teams that have been entered since 1998, which was the last time the tournament was expanded. Due to the expansion, there will be more groups in the initial stage, which of course means an increased number of matches played during the group stage. For the host, this means that more venues must become available, potentially across multiple cities and countries. (Cue: the North American trifecta of hosts in 2026). The goal of having more teams in the opening stages is to provide more opportunity for fans to participate and ultimately grow the game. To find out who has the most World Cup appearances all time, check out this article!
What is the format of the 2026 World Cup?
The 48 teams that enter the tournament will be divided into 16 groups of three teams each. The top two teams from each group will advance to a knockout stage, which will mean that 32 teams will progress beyond the group phase. The, the tournament will go on to traditional knockout rounds all leading up to the final match.
Where is the 2026 World Cup taking place?
The World Cup will take place in 11 cities across the United States, 3 cities across Mexico, and 2 cities in Canada. Check out this article to see all of the past World Cup hosts.
What stadiums will host 2026 World Cup games?
United States
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Mercedes-Benz Stadium
- Location: Atlanta, Georgia
- Capacity: 71,000
- Home Teams: Atlanta Falcons (NFL), Atlanta United FC (MLS)
Mercedes-Benz Stadium will host group stage matches, the round of 32, round of 16, and the semifinal.
Gillette Stadium
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts
- Capacity: 65,000
- Home Teams: New England Patriots (NFL), New England Revolution (MLS)
Gillette Stadium will host group stage matches, the round of 32, and the quarterfinal.
AT&T Stadium
- Location: Dallas, Texas
- Capacity: 100,000
- Home Teams: Dallas Cowboys (NFL)
AT&T Stadium will host group stage matches, the round of 32, round of 16, and the semifinal.
NRG Stadium
- Location: Houston
- Capacity: 80,000
- Home Teams: Houston Texans (NFL), Houston Cougars (NCAA)
NRG Stadium will host group stage matches, the round of 32, and round of 16.
GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
- Location: Kansas City
- Capacity: 76,000
- Home Teams: Kansas City Chiefs (NFL)
GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium will host group stage matches, the round of 32, and the quarterfinal.
SoFi Stadium
- Location: Los Angeles
- Capacity: 100,000
- Home Teams: Los Angeles Rams (NFL), Los Angeles Chargers (NFL)
SoFi Stadium will host group stage matches, the round of 32, and the quarterfinal.
Hard Rock Stadium
- Location: Miami
- Capacity: 65,000
- Home Teams: Miami Dolphins (NFL), Miami Hurricanes (NCAA)
Hard Rock Stadium will host group stage matches, the round of 32, quarterfinal, and the bronze final.
MetLife Stadium
- Location: New York/New Jersey
- Capacity: 82,500
- Home Teams: New York Giants (NFL), New York Jets (NFL)
MetLife Stadium will host group stage matches, the round of 16, and the World Cup Final.
Lincoln Financial Field
- Location: Philadelphia
- Capacity: 69,000
- Home Teams: Philadelphia Eagles (NFL)
Lincoln Financial Field will host group stage matches and the round of 16.
Levi’s Stadium
- Location: San Francisco/Bay Area
- Capacity: 68,500
- Home Teams: San Francisco 49ers (NFL)
Levi’s Stadium will host group stage matches and the round of 32.
Lumen Field
- Location: Seattle
- Capacity: 68,000
- Home Teams: Seattle Seahawks (NFL), Seattle Sounders FC (MLS)
Lumen Field will host group stage matches, the round of 32, and the round of 16.
Mexico
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Estadio Azteca
- Location: Mexico City, Mexico
- Capacity: 87,000
- Home Teams: Club América (Liga MX), Cruz Azul (Liga MX), Mexican national football team
Estadio Azteca will host group stage matches.
Estadio Guadalajara
- Location: Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico
- Capacity: 49,850
- Home Teams: C.D. Guadalajara (Liga MX)
Estadio Guadalajara will host group stage matches, the round of 32, and the round of 16.
Estadio Monterrey
- Location: Guadalupe, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
- Capacity: 53,500
- Home Teams: C.F. Monterrey (Liga MX)
Estadio Monterrey will host group stage matches and the round of 32.
Canada
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BMO Field
- Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Capacity: Approximately 30,000
- Home Teams: Toronto FC (MLS), Canada men's national soccer team
BMO Field will host group stages and the round of 32.
BC Place
- Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Capacity: 54,500
- Home Teams: Vancouver Whitecaps FC (MLS), Canada men's national soccer team
BC Place will host group stages, the round of 32, and the round of 16.
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