The 2026 World Cup will open in Mexico Metropolis and conclude at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The U.S. males’s nationwide group will play in Southern California and Seattle. The semifinals can be staged in Atlanta and Arlington, Texas. And total, 78 of 104 video games can be in america.
These have been the top-line takeaways Sunday as FIFA revealed foundational items of essentially the most advanced World Cup schedule ever.
The — 11 within the U.S., three in Mexico and two in Canada — discovered the dates and magnitude of the video games they’ll get to host.
And officers in New York and New Jersey celebrated. The ultimate is the crown jewel, the planet’s most-watched sporting occasion, an unparalleled showpiece, and a giant motive Sunday’s announcement was so eagerly anticipated. After months of lobbying, New York and MetLife Stadium beat Dallas and AT&T Stadium to the grand prize.
FIFA publicizes 2026 World Cup last location
Years in the past, when FIFA’s members, New York was the. However all through 2022 and 2023, insider predictions wavered. Dallas emerged as one other main contender. Los Angeles additionally entered what turned a three-horse race.
Finally, although, FIFA fell again on the pure alternative, the cultural capital of the Western world, a worldwide metropolis for a very international sporting occasion. New York officers supplied to mild up outstanding landmarks and host viewing events in Central Park.
Their adjoining stadium, in close by New Jersey, was much less interesting. MetLife pales in dimension and grandeur to Jerry Jones’ palace in Texas. It . It was the one of three candidates incapable of local weather management, and due to this fact prone to suffocating temperatures or excessive climate.
However it’s the most skilled soccer venue of the three, and certain essentially the most able to sustaining well-manicured grass. All 11 U.S. venues will set up specialised pure surfaces for the World Cup. However for an indoor area like AT&T Stadium, crafting a subject that may “survive the length of the match … is a large problem,” Heimo Schirgi, the World Cup’s chief working officer, instructed reporters this previous fall.
SoFi Stadium in Southern California was additionally engaging. It boasts a translucent roof and ultra-modern facilities within the leisure business’s yard. However the $5.5 billion constructing had one deadly flaw: it’s too slim. FIFA laws for the width and size of taking part in fields will power SoFi to make vital alterations. These alterations will trim its capability for World Cup matches to nicely beneath the 80,000 that FIFA requires for the ultimate.
And so they’ll additionally price cash. All through 2023, SoFi officers and the L.A. organizing committee, led by Los Angeles Rams proprietor Stan Kroenke, . Tensions have since eased, a number of folks conversant in the scenario instructed Yahoo Sports activities, however the months-long standoff — together with inadequate capability and the nine-hour time distinction between the west coast and Europe — successfully eliminated L.A. from consideration.
So FIFA selected New York and New Jersey for the showpiece.
Different key 2026 World Cup selections
Dallas settled for a semifinal and 9 video games total, essentially the most of any host metropolis. Atlanta will host the opposite semifinal.
Los Angeles settled for a quarterfinal and two USMNT group matches, together with the primary of the 78 stateside video games, on Friday, June 12. Southern California, due to this fact, will seemingly change into the USMNT’s house base for the match, head coach Gregg Berhalter confirmed Sunday. (Berhalter additionally stated that can be prepared in time for the 2026 World Cup, and would be the group’s pre-tournament hub.)
Kansas Metropolis, Miami and Boston may even get quarterfinals. Every of the 11 U.S. cities will get no less than six matches total. Philadelphia will host a Spherical of 16 recreation on July 4, the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Mexico and Canada will get 13 video games apiece. Mexico’s nationwide group will open on the famed Estadio Azteca, which is able to change into the primary stadium to host matches at three completely different males’s World Cups (1970, 1986, 2026).
Canada’s nationwide group will open in Toronto on June 12, then journey cross-country to Vancouver for its latter two group video games.
Canada’s group, although, can be an exception. A lot of the 48 groups and 12 teams will stay in one in all three “regional clusters” to attenuate journey, in keeping with a World Cup official concerned in schedule improvement. These clusters are:
East: Miami, Atlanta, Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Toronto
Central: Kansas Metropolis, Dallas, Houston, Mexico Metropolis, Guadalajara, Monterrey
West: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver
Some 2026 schedule particulars revealed, others withheld
Sunday’s announcement delivered the “what,” “when” and “the place” of the 2026 World Cup schedule, however not the “who.” That must wait till roughly December 2025, the goal date for the World Cup draw.
In actual fact, Sunday’s announcement didn’t even ship the . Stadiums and dates haven’t but been paired with particular teams and knockout-round pathways. These, in keeping with the World Cup official, can be set and revealed later this yr.
However even then, the World Cup official stated, a selected matchup — say, Group G’s prime seed (G1) vs. G3 — gained’t be locked right into a single metropolis. On a given group-stage day, FIFA will assign two cities from the identical “regional cluster” — say, Dallas and Kansas Metropolis — to a given group. It’ll then wait till after the draw to resolve whether or not Dallas will get G1 vs. G3 or G2 vs. G4.
This unprecedented “50-50 flexibility,” because the World Cup official known as it, will guarantee organizers can place common groups in North America’s largest markets. It’ll additionally permit FIFA to keep up leverage over host cities in . By withholding some particulars, FIFA is “conserving the cities hungry, understanding that they are competing for the possibility to have Argentina, or Brazil, of their markets,” one supply conversant in the negotiations speculated.
The opposite huge unknown is kickoff occasions. One key takeaway from Sunday’s announcement, although, is that the primary two weeks of the group stage will function 4 video games per day, somewhat than the anticipated 5 – 6. This can permit organizers to position every recreation in a singular broadcast window — till the ultimate spherical of group video games, that are performed concurrently.
FIFA officers from a number of departments will collect instantly after the December 2025 draw to set all kickoff occasions, trying to optimize them, as they did — for gamers and matchgoing followers, to keep away from stifling warmth; but additionally for broadcasters and the tens of millions who’ll watch on TV, contemplating time variations between the host metropolis and the 2 collaborating nations.
Ticketing processes additionally stay to be decided. Gross sales will seemingly start someday in 2025.
2026 World Cup schedule by metropolis
Atlanta — Mercedes-Benz Stadium (8): 5 group stage, 1 Spherical of 32, 1 Spherical of 16, 1 semifinalBoston — Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. (7): 5 group stage, 1 Spherical of 32, 1 quarterfinalDallas — AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Tex. (9): 5 group stage, 2 Spherical of 32, 1 Spherical of 16, 1 semifinalHouston — NRG Stadium (7): 5 group stage, 1 Spherical of 32, 1 Spherical of 16Kansas Metropolis — Arrowhead Stadium (6): 4 group stage, 1 Spherical of 32, 1 quarterfinalLos Angeles — SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. (8): 5 group stage, 2 Spherical of 32, 1 quarterfinalMiami — Laborious Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. (7): 4 group stage, 1 Spherical of 32, 1 quarterfinal, third-place matchNew York — MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. (8): 5 group stage, 1 Spherical of 32, 1 Spherical of 16, finalPhiladelphia — Lincoln Monetary Discipline (6): 5 group stage, 1 Spherical of 16San Francisco — Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. (6): 5 group stage, 1 Spherical of 32Seattle — Lumen Discipline (6): 4 group stage, 1 Spherical of 32, 1 Spherical of 16
Toronto — BMO Discipline (6): 5 group stage, 1 Spherical of 32Vancouver — BC Place (7): 5 group stage, 1 Spherical of 32, 1 Spherical of 16
Guadalajara — Estadio Akron in Zapopan, Mexico (4): 4 group stageMexico Metropolis — Estadio Azteca (5): 3 group stage, 1 Spherical of 32, 1 Spherical of 16Monterrey — Estadio BBVA in Guadalupe, Mexico (4): 3 group stage, 1 Spherical of 32
Full day-by-day 2026 World Cup schedule
The next is the World Cup schedule, as visualized above, by date and placement.
Thursday, June 112 group stage video games
Mexico Metropolis — Estadio AztecaGuadalajara — Estadio Akron (Zapopan, Mexico)
Friday, June 122 group stage video games
Toronto — BMO FieldLos Angeles — SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, Calif.)
Saturday, June 134 group stage video games
Boston — Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.)New York — MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, N.J.)Vancouver — BC PlaceSan Francisco — Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara, Calif.)
Sunday, June 144 group stage video games
Philadelphia — Lincoln Monetary FieldHouston — NRG StadiumDallas — AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Tex.)Monterrey — Estadio BBVA (Guadalupe, Mexico)
Monday, June 154 group stage video games
Miami — Laborious Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Fla.)Atlanta — Mercedes-Benz StadiumLos Angeles — SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, Calif.)Seattle — Lumen Discipline
Tuesday, June 164 group stage video games
New York — MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, N.J.)Boston — Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.)Kansas Metropolis — Arrowhead StadiumSan Francisco — Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara, Calif.)
Wednesday, June 174 group stage video games
Toronto — BMO FieldDallas — AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Tex.)Houston — NRG StadiumMexico Metropolis — Estadio Azteca
Thursday, June 184 group stage video games
Atlanta — Mercedes-Benz StadiumGuadalajara — Estadio Akron (Zapopan, Mexico)Los Angeles — SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, Calif.)Vancouver — BC Place
Friday, June 194 group stage video games
Boston — Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.)Philadelphia — Lincoln Monetary FieldSan Francisco — Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara, Calif.)Seattle — Lumen Discipline
Saturday, June 204 group stage video games
Toronto — BMO FieldKansas Metropolis — Arrowhead StadiumHouston — NRG StadiumMonterrey — Estadio BBVA (Guadalupe, Mexico)
Sunday, June 214 group stage video games
Atlanta — Mercedes-Benz StadiumMiami — Laborious Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Fla.)Los Angeles — SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, Calif.)Vancouver — BC Place
Monday, June 224 group stage video games
New York — MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, N.J.) Philadelphia — Lincoln Monetary FieldDallas — AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Tex.)San Francisco — Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara, Calif.)
Tuesday, June 234 group stage video games
Boston — Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.)Toronto — BMO FieldHouston — NRG StadiumGuadalajara — Estadio Akron (Zapopan, Mexico)
Wednesday, June 246 group stage video games
Atlanta — Mercedes-Benz StadiumMiami — Laborious Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Fla.)Mexico Metropolis — Estadio AztecaMonterrey — Estadio BBVA (Guadalupe, Mexico)Seattle — Lumen FieldVancouver — BC Place
Thursday, June 256 group stage video games
New York — MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, N.J.)Philadelphia — Lincoln Monetary FieldDallas — AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Tex.)Kansas Metropolis — Arrowhead StadiumLos Angeles — SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, Calif.)San Francisco — Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara, Calif.)
Friday, June 266 group stage video games
Boston — Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.)Toronto — BMO FieldHouston — NRG StadiumGuadalajara — Estadio Akron (Zapopan, Mexico)Seattle — Lumen FieldVancouver — BC Place
Saturday, June 276 group stage video games
Atlanta — Mercedes-Benz StadiumMiami — Laborious Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Fla.)New York — MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, N.J.)Philadelphia — Lincoln Monetary FieldDallas — AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Tex.)Kansas Metropolis — Arrowhead Stadium
Sunday, June 281 Spherical of 32 recreation
Los Angeles — SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, Calif.)
Monday, June 293 Spherical of 32 video games
Boston — Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.)Houston — NRG StadiumMonterrey — Estadio BBVA (Guadalupe, Mexico)
Tuesday, June 303 Spherical of 32 video games
New York — MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, N.J.)Dallas — AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Tex.)Mexico Metropolis — Estadio Azteca
Wednesday, July 13 Spherical of 32 video games
Atlanta — Mercedes-Benz StadiumSan Francisco — Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara, Calif.)Seattle — Lumen Discipline
Thursday, July 23 Spherical of 32 video games
Toronto — BMO FieldLos Angeles — SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, Calif.)Vancouver — BC Place
Friday, July 33 Spherical of 32 video games
Miami — Laborious Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Fla.)Dallas — AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Tex.)Kansas Metropolis — Arrowhead Stadium
Saturday, July 42 Spherical of 16 video games
Philadelphia — Lincoln Monetary FieldHouston — NRG Stadium
Sunday, July 52 Spherical of 16 video games
New York — MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, N.J.)Mexico Metropolis — Estadio Azteca
Monday, July 62 Spherical of 16 video games
Dallas — AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Tex.)Seattle — Lumen Discipline
Tuesday, July 72 Spherical of 16 video games
Atlanta — Mercedes-Benz StadiumVancouver — BC Place
Wednesday, July 8
None
Thursday, July 91 quarterfinal
Boston — Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.)
Friday, July 101 quarterfinal
Los Angeles — SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, Calif.)
Saturday, July 112 quarterfinals
Miami — Laborious Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Fla.)Kansas Metropolis — Arrowhead Stadium
Sunday, July 12
None
Monday, July 13
None
Tuesday, July 14Semifinal
Dallas — AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Tex.)
Wednesday, July 15Semifinal
Atlanta — Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Saturday, July 18Third-place recreation
Miami — Laborious Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Fla.)
Sunday, July 19Final
New York — MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, N.J.)