It is less than 300 days until the 2026 World Cup host cities make history. It will be the first tournament held across three nations and the first since 2002 to involve multiple host countries.
In 2002, Brazil defeated Germany 2-0 in the final, while South Korea and Japan served as joint hosts.
A 2026 World Cup bid from Canada, Mexico, and the USA won against Morocco's proposal. The final vote took place at the 86th FIFA Congress in Moscow in 2018, just before the start of the 2018 World Cup.
In the voting, the Canada-Mexico-USA joint bid received 134 votes, Morocco received 65 votes, while Iran opted not to support either bid.
Key facts about the 2026 World Cup location
- It is the first men's World Cup since 2002 to be hosted across more than one country.
- It is the first football World Cup to be hosted across three countries.
- Canada will be the fifth country to host both a men's and women's World Cup. They hosted the 2015 Women's World Cup.
- Mexico will become the first country to host three men's World Cups, having hosted alone in 1970 and 1986.
- The United States will be the first country to host the men's and women's World Cups on two separate occasions (1994, 2026; 1999, 2003).
How many World Cup 2026 host cities are there?
A total of 16 cities will host the 2026 World Cup. Eleven are in the USA, three in Mexico and two in Canada. However, the World Cup will be organised in a regional format and not country-by-country.
- 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).
In recent months, Donald Trump, President of the USA, has repeatedly warned that matches could be relocated away from cities that he deems to be unsafe,, with Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Boston all namechecked as areas of potential concern, meaning there could still be changes to the host cities in the months leading up to the World Cup.
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), 82 (1 July), 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), 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)
- Seni-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 semi-final stadiums
According to the official FIFA schedule for the 2026 World Cup, AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas, will host one of the semi-finals on 14 July 2026. Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta will host the other semi-final on 15 July 2026.
Which stadium will host the bronze final?
The bronze final, also known as the third-place playoff for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, will be held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida, on Saturday, 18 July 2026.
What city will host the 2026 World Cup final?
The final game of the 2026 World Cup will take place in New Jersey at MetLife Stadium. During the tournament, the venue will be known as New York-New Jersey Stadium. The final is scheduled to take place on Sunday, 19 July 2026.
Where is the next World Cup 2030?
Unlike the 2026 tournament that will be 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 is scheduled to host the final FIFA World Cup 2026 match on 19 July 2026.
Will Trump's administration's sanctions impact the 2026 World Cup?
When Donald Trump returned to office in the USA, implementing sanctions on Mexico and Canada became a significant part of his immediate agenda. Given that Canada and Mexico are both host nations for the 2026 World Cup, these sanctions could create interesting repercussions. While they may not directly affect the tournament itself, they could lead to awkward social implications in the event's coverage.
FGG says: The sleeping football giant awakens?
The 2026 World Cup offers a unique chance to awaken the largest English-speaking nation in the world as a football nation. Football, or as they insist on calling it, soccer, is on the rise in the USA. While their neighbour to the south in Mexico, has always been more of a football nation than the USA, there is the potential for the USA to bloom into a huge football powerhouse.
While the 2026 World Cup being a success is important for the sport in the region, the men's national team will need to put on a big display when the football world descends on the USA.