2026 World Cup host cities: Full list of stadiums in USA, Canada and Mexico

With the 2026 World Cup now fast approaching its conclusion , many fans from across the world are reflecting on nearly a month of travelling around North America to visit some of the continent's most iconic staidum.stadiums,

The right to stage the competition was decided back in 2018, when a joint proposal from the United States, Canada and Mexico beat Morocco’s solo bid at the FIFA Congress held in Moscow ahead of that year’s World Cup.

When the votes were counted, the North American trio secured a comfortable majority, earning well over a hundred endorsements, while Morocco finished a distant second and a few nations chose to abstain altogether.

The decision set the path for what has been the largest and most geographically spread World Cup in history.

Key facts about the 2026 World Cup location

• The 2026 World Cup was the first men's tournament to be hosted across three countries.
• Canada, Mexico and the United States hosted 104 matches across 16 stadiums.
• The tournament featured 48 teams, up from 32 at previous World Cups.
• Spain became world champions after beating Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the final.
• A record 6,810,966 fans attended the 104 matches.
• The average attendance was 65,490, while the 16 stadiums were filled to 99.7% of their combined capacity.
• Mexico became the first country to host men's World Cup matches at three different tournaments.
• Mexico City Stadium became the first venue to stage matches at three editions of the men's World Cup.
• The 2026 tournament produced 308 goals, an average of 2.96 per match.

How many World Cup 2026 host cities are there?

A total of 16 cities have played to host the 2026 World Cup. Eleven are in the USA, three in Mexico and two in Canada. The World Cup has been organised in a regional format and not country-by-country, in keeping with American sports culture.

• Western Division: Vancouver (Canada), Guadalajara (Mexico), Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles (all USA).
• Central Division: Monterrey, Mexico City (both Mexico), Kansas City, Dallas, Houston and Atlanta (all USA).
• Eastern Division: Toronto (Canada), Boston, New York City, Philadelphia and Miami (all USA).

2026 World Cup host cities bidding process

Once the North American bid for the tournament had won, cities in each of the three countries began vying to be one of the 16 chosen.

In total, 41 cities were involved in the bidding process to be host cities. This included 45 stadiums, two of which had yet to be built.

Nine of these cities and arenas were rejected at the first stage of the process, and a further nine stadiums and cities were rejected after a second phase.

Three other stadiums in three cities withdrew from the process due to frustration at FIFA's reluctance to discuss financial details. These three cities were Chicago, Minneapolis and Vancouver. The latter then rejoined Canada's bid when Montreal dropped out after being unable to source funding to renovate their Olympic Stadium.

This left a final number of 24 stadiums in 24 cities, which was then whittled down to 16, announced by FIFA on 16 June 2022.

To host the FIFA World Cup, stadiums must meet certain basic requirements. This includes a capacity of a minimum of 40,000 for group stage games, 60,000 for quarter-finals and for the opening game or World Cup final, 80,000 capacity.

Full list of 2026 World Cup host stadiums

2026 World Cup host cities in the USA (11)

Lumen Field, Seattle

Matches: 

• 16 (15 June), 32 (19th June), 52 (24 June), 63 (26 June)
• Round of 32: Match 82 (1 July)
• Round of 16: Match 94 (6 July)

Location: Seattle, Washington, USA
Capacity: 69,000 (up to 72,000)
Opened: 2002
Cost: $430m
Hosted football before: Yes
Main use: Home to the Seattle Seahawks (NFL), Seattle Sounders FC (MLS), OL Reign (NWSL),
Roof: No
Architects: Ellerbe Becket + LMN Architects

Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco

Matches:

• 8 (13 June), 20 (16 June), 31 (19 June), 44 (22 June), 60 (25 June)
• Round of 32: Match 81 (1 July)

Location: Santa Clara, California, USA
Capacity: 70,909
Opened: 2014
Cost: $1.3bn
Hosted football before: Yes
Main use: Home to the San Francisco 49ers (NFL)
Roof: No
Architects: HNTB

SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles

Matches:

• 4 (12 June), 15 (15 June), 26 (18 June), 39 (21 June), 59 (25 June)
• Round of 32: Match 73 (28 June), Match 84 (2 July)
• QF: Match 98 (10 July)

Location: Inglewood, California, USA
Capacity: 70,240
Opened: 2020
Cost: $5.5bn (including wider development)
Hosted football before: Yes
Main use: Home to the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers (NFL)
Roof: Yes
Architects: HKS

Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City

Matches: 

• 19 (16 June), 34 (20 June), 58 (26 June), 69 (27 June)
• Round of 32: Match 87 (3 July)
• QF: Match 100 (11 July)

Location: Kansas City, Missouri, USA
Capacity: 76,416
Opened: 1972
Cost: $43m (initial), $375m (2007-2010 renovation)
Hosted football before: Yes
Main use: Home to the Kansas City Chiefs (NFL)
Roof: No
Architects: Kivett & Myers

AT&T Stadium, Arlington

Matches:

• 11 (14 June), 22 (17 June), 43 (22 June), 57 (25 June), 70 (27 June)
• Round of 32: Match 78 (30 June), 88 (3 July)
• Round of 16: Match 93 (6 July)
• SF: Match 101 (14 July)

Location: Arlington, Texas (near Dallas), USA
Capacity: 80-105,000
Opened: 2009
Cost: $1.3bn
Hosted football before: Yes
Main use: Home of the NFL team Dallas Cowboys
Roof: Yes, retractable
Architects: HKS

Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

Matches:

• 14 (15 June), 25 (18 June), 38 (21 June), 50 (24 June), 72 (27 June)
• Round of 32: Match 80 (1 July)
• Round of 16: Match 95 (7 July)
• Semi-final: Match 102 (15 July)

Location: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Capacity: 71,000-83,000
Opened: 2017
Cost: $1.6bn
Hosted football before: Yes
Main use: Home to the Atlanta Falcons (NFL) and Atlanta United FC (MLS)
Roof: Yes, retractable
Architects: HOK (now Populous)

NRG Stadium, Houston

Matches: 

• 10 (14 June), 23 (17 June), 35 (20 June), 47 (23 June), 65 (26 June)
• Round of 32: Match 76 (29 June)
• Round of 16: Match 90 (4 July)

Location: Houston, Texas, USA
Capacity: 72,220
Opened: 2002
Cost: $352m
Hosted football before: Yes
Main use: Home to the Houston Texans (NFL) and often the US men's national soccer team and the Mexico national football team.
Roof: Yes, retractable.
Architects: Populous

Gillette Stadium, Boston

Matches:

• 5 (13 June), 18 (16 June), 30 (19 June), 45 (23 June), 61 (26 June)
• Round of 32: Match 74 (29 June)
• QF: Match 97 (9 July)

Location: Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA
Capacity: 65,878-70,000
Opened: 2002
Cost: $325m
Hosted football before: 
Main use: Home to the New England Patriots (NFL) and New England Revolution (MLS)
Roof: No
Architects: HOK (now Populous)

Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia

Matches:

• 9 (14 June), 29 (19 June), 42 (22 June), 55 (25 June), 68 (27 June)
• Round of 16: Match 89 (4 July)

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Capacity: 69,328
Opened: 2003
Cost: $512m
Hosted football before: Yes
Main use: Home to the Philadelphia Eagles (NFL)
Roof: No
Architects: NBBJ

Hard Rock Stadium, Miami

Matches:

• 13 (15 June), 37 (21 June), 49 (24 June), 71 (27 June)
• Round of 32: Match 86 (3 July)
• QF: Match 99 (11 July)
• AT Final: Match 103 (18 July)

Location: Miami Gardens, Florida, USA
Capacity: 67,518
Opened: 1987
Cost: $115m
Hosted football before: Yes
Main use: Home to the Miami Dolphins (NFL)
Roof: No
Architects: HOK (now Populous)

MetLife Stadium, New Jersey

Matches:

• 7 (13 June), 17 (16 June), 41 (22 June) 56 (25 June) 67 (27 June)
• Round of 32: Match 77 (30 June)
• Round of 16: Match 91 (5 July)
• Final: Match 101 (19 July)

Location: East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA
Capacity: 82,500
Opened: 2010
Cost: $1.6bn
Hosted football before: Yes
Main use: Home of the NFL teams New York Giants and the New York Jets
Roof: No
Architects: HOK (now Populous)

2026 World Cup host cities in Mexico (3)

Estadio Akron, Guadalajara

Matches:

• 2 (11 June), 28 (18 June), 48 (23 June), 66 (26 June)

Location: Zapopan, Mexico
Capacity: 48,071
Opened: 2010
Cost: $200m
Hosted football before: Yes
Main use: Home of CD Guadalajara (Liga MX)
Roof: No
Architects: Jean Marie Massaud & Daniel Pouzet, Populous, VFO

Estádio BBVA BANCOMER, Monterrey

Matches:

• 12 (14 June) 36 (20 June), 54 (24 June)
• Round of 32: Match 75 (29 June)

Location: Guadalupe, Mexico
Capacity: 53,500
Opened: 2015
Cost: $200m
Hosted football before: Yes
Main use: Home of CF Monterrey (Liga MX)
Roof: No
Architects: Populous/VFO

Estadio Azteca, Mexico City

Matches:

• 1 (11 June), 24 (17 June), 53 (24 June)
• Round of 32: Match 79 (30 June)
• Round of 16: Match 92 (5 July)

Location: Mexico City, Mexico
Capacity: 87,523
Opened: 1966 (renovated 1986, 1999, 2013, 2016)
Cost: MAX$260m
Hosted football before: Yes, including two World Cup finals (1970, 1986)
Main use: Home of Club America, Cruz Azul (Liga MX) and the Mexico national team
Roof: No
Architects: Pedro Ramirez Vazquez + Rafael Mijares

2026 World Cup host cities in Canada (2)

BC Place Stadium, Vancouver

Matches:

• 6 (13 June), 27 (18 June), 40 (21 June), 51 (24 June), 64 (26 June)
• Round of 32: Match 85 (2 July)

Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Capacity: 54,405
Opened: 1983 (renovated 2009, 2011)
Cost: Can$ 307 m
Hosted football before: Yes
Main use: Home of the Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS)
Roof: Yes, retractable
Architects: Studio Phillips Barratt

BMO Field, Toronto

Matches:

• 3 (12 June), 21 (17 June), 33 (20 June), 46 (23 June), 62 (26 June)
• Round of 32: Match 83 (2 July)

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Capacity: 45,736
Opened: 2007
Cost: Can$62,9m
Hosted football before: Yes
Main use: Home of Toronto FC (MLS)
Roof: No
Architects: Brisbin Brooks Beynon Architects.

2026 World Cup stadium attendance record

The 2026 World Cup broke the tournament's overall attendance record, with 6,810,966 supporters attending the 104 matches across the 16 stadiums.

The average crowd was 65,490, while the venues collectively operated at 99.7% capacity. The figure comfortably surpassed the previous World Cup attendance record of 3.59 million, set at the 1994 tournament in the United States.

Mexico City Stadium produced the five largest crowds of the tournament, with all five of its matches reaching its full tournament capacity of 80,824. New York New Jersey Stadium also proved hugely popular, with all eight of its matches attracting more than 80,000 spectators.

Where were the 2026 World Cup semi-finals played?

The two 2026 World Cup semi-finals were played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

AT&T Stadium hosted one semi-final on July 14, while Mercedes-Benz Stadium staged the other on July 15. Both venues were among the largest and most modern stadiums used during the tournament.

Where was the 2026 World Cup third-place match played?

The third-place match was played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on July 18, one day before the World Cup final in New York New Jersey.

The Miami venue was one of the 16 stadiums used during the tournament and hosted both group-stage and knockout matches.

Which city hosted the 2026 World Cup final?

The final game of the 2026 World Cup took place in New Jersey at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, 19 July 2026.. During the tournament, the venue was known as New York-New Jersey Stadium.

How the regional clusters worked at the 2026 World Cup

FIFA's regional-cluster system was designed to reduce the amount of long-distance travel required during the group stage, with the 16 host cities divided into Western, Central and Eastern clusters.

The system grouped nearby venues together, meaning teams could base themselves in one part of North America rather than repeatedly crossing the continent during the opening stage.

The approach was particularly important given the scale of the tournament, which featured 104 matches across Canada, Mexico and the United States. Once the knockout rounds began, however, teams faced longer journeys as the competition moved between regions.

What did the 2026 World Cup mean for stadium access?

The scale of the 2026 World Cup placed an enormous emphasis on transport, with supporters travelling between 16 host cities across three countries.

The regional-cluster format helped limit some of the longest journeys during the group stage, although supporters following teams into the knockout rounds still faced significant distances between venues.

The tournament also provided a major test of North America's ability to handle football's biggest global event across such a vast geographical area, with public transport, shuttle services, roads and airports all playing an important role in moving supporters between stadiums and city centres.

Within each region, transport will rely mainly on improved public systems, with more frequent services, longer hours and dedicated shuttles linking stadiums, fan zones and major hubs. For those that planned their wagering strategy while travelling between host cities, our 2026 World Cup betting guide helped to provide useful insights into the local markets and bookmaker offers available across North America.

Where will the 2030 World Cup be held?

Unlike the 2026 tournament that was held across three countries, the 2030 World Cup will be staged across six countries to celebrate the tournament's centenary.

The main hosts will be Spain, Portugal and Morocco. Additionally, Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay will each host one match to mark 100 years since the first tournament was staged in South America in 1930.

Introducing the hosts for the next two editions of the @FIFAWorldCup! 🏆

Morocco, Portugal and Spain will host in 2030, with centenary celebration matches in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Four years later, Saudi Arabia will host the FIFA World Cup 2034™. pic.twitter.com/WdOEdNEVxH

— FIFA (@FIFAcom) December 11, 2024

How will the expanded format of the 2026 FIFA World Cup work?

The new FIFA World Cup format means we will have 48 teams, up from 32. There will be 12 groups in the tournament, each having four teams. The top two teams in the category and the eight best outfits will then form the next round of 32. FIFA approved this new format in March 2023, which also explains why we have more stadiums in the 2026 tournament compared to previous ones.

Which will be the biggest stadiums in the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

Stadio Azteca in Mexico, with a capacity of at least 87,000 and AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with a capacity of between 80,000 to 105,000, will be the largest venues in the 2026 World Cup.

MetLife Stadium, with a capacity of 82, 600 is another huge venue for the 2026 World Cup. It has a capacity of 82,500. These are some of the biggest stadiums in the world.

What is the capacity of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final venue?

MetLife Stadium has a capacity of 82,500 and it hosted the final FIFA World Cup 2026 match on 19 July 2026.

The venue, known as New York New Jersey Stadium during the competition, saw Spain defeat Argentina 1-0 after extra time to become the first world champions of the 48-team era.

The stadium hosted eight matches in total, including group-stage fixtures, a Round of 32 match, a Round of 16 match and the final. FIFA reported that every match at the venue attracted more than 80,000 spectators.

The final also gave the stadium another piece of sporting history. After hosting the FIFA Club World Cup final in 2025, it became the venue for the finals of both FIFA's 32-team club tournament and the 48-team World Cup in consecutive years.

FGG Says: North America delivered a World Cup like no other

The 2026 World Cup was always going to be judged partly on whether North America could handle the sheer scale of a 48-team tournament spread across three countries.

The answer is now in the numbers. More than 6.8 million fans attended the 104 matches, the stadiums operated at 99.7% of capacity and the tournament produced a new attendance record. For groundhoppers, the competition also provided a fascinating mixture of traditional football grounds, huge NFL venues and modern multi-purpose stadiums.

Mexico City's historic Azteca stood apart for its World Cup history, while Seattle demonstrated how an American stadium can generate a genuinely outstanding football atmosphere. New York New Jersey Stadium, meanwhile, now has the distinction of hosting the 2026 World Cup final after also staging the FIFA Club World Cup final in 2025.

The biggest legacy question is what happens next. Many of these venues will return to their regular NFL, MLS, CFL or Liga MX schedules, while Toronto and Vancouver have already begun showing how World Cup investment can leave permanent improvements behind. For supporters, however, the 2026 tournament has created 16 new chapters in the history of football grounds across North America.