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2026 World Cup schedule reveal: FIFA picks New York for last, Mexico for opener, West Coast for USMNT

by Soccer-News October 30, 2024

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.)

October 30, 2024 0 comments

Major League Soccer

Dejan Joveljic and Riqui Puig lead Galaxy to blowout win in playoff opener

by Soccer-News October 30, 2024

written by Soccer-News

When the Vegas oddsmakers put out betting strains on the MLS playoffs final week, they listed the because the favorites to win the Western Convention and advance to their first MLS Cup remaining in a decade.

If that raised a number of eyebrows, given the way in which the group performed in its playoff opener Saturday, possibly the sportsbooks aren’t giving the group sufficient credit score. As a result of with and every scoring two targets and John Nelson including his first MLS rating, the Galaxy blew out the at Dignity Well being Sports activities Park in a sport that was much more one-sided than the rating.

The rating matched the most important margin of victory in a playoff sport in franchise historical past, one final achieved within the first spherical towards Actual Salt Lake in 2014. That was additionally the final time the Galaxy performed within the MLS Cup remaining. And Saturday’s match was essentially the most lopsided loss for the Rapids in additional than two years.

“It was a really clear efficiency. Most likely the most effective I can keep in mind,” mentioned. “And at a superb time.”

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The Galaxy go to suburban Denver for the second sport of the best-of-three sequence Friday needing one other win to advance to the convention semifinals. A loss would drive a 3rd sport at Dignity Well being Sports activities Park on Nov. 9.

Neither consequence is good for the Galaxy, given the weird MLS playoff schedule.

Sweeping the primary two video games would ship the Galaxy to the convention semifinals, however with the playoffs pausing for the November worldwide break, the group’s subsequent sport wouldn’t be till Nov. 23 on the earliest, a 22-day pause that threatens to rob the group of its rhythm.

A loss, in the meantime, would drive a winner-take-all sport at house with the Galaxy’s season on the road. Vanney mentioned he’s not about to overthink it.

“In one of the best of three, you are taking this win and now we’ve acquired two video games to win one to get to the subsequent spherical,” he mentioned.

Given the way in which the Galaxy dominated, Saturday’s outcome could also be value slightly extra in ways in which weren’t mirrored on the rating sheet.

“Now we’ve got all of the momentum,” Nelson mentioned. “The job’s not executed. We maintain going. [But] we set the tone. We set the depth.”

The Galaxy did that from the beginning, attacking from the opening whistle and eventually getting rewarded for his or her aggression within the thirty second minute when Joveljic, cradling Colorado defender Reggie Cannon along with his chest, acquired his brow on Puig’s outswinging nook kick and looped a gentle header inside the suitable publish.

It was the seventieth purpose of the season for the Galaxy however simply the third off a nook, which has been a weak point for them.

Exterior backs Miki Yamane and Nelson teamed to double the lead seven minutes into the second half, with Yamane threading a ball by way of the field for a wide-open Nelson, who settled it with one foot then despatched a right-footed shot into the highest proper nook for the primary purpose of his six-year profession.

“As quickly as Miki performed it, I felt in my head, if this ball goes by way of, I am scoring this,” Nelson mentioned. “And it acquired by way of. I used to be composed, I used to be calm. There was little question.”

Two minutes later, Puig, who was all around the discipline, made it 3-0 after Joveljic deflected a Nelson cross in entrance of him on the prime of the field, establishing a straightforward, right-footed end. Joveljic and Puig then closed out the scoring with Joveljic operating on to the rebound of a Gabriel Pec shot, dribbling throughout the highest of the field to create area, then beating U.S. nationwide group goalkeeper Zack Steffen cleanly along with his left foot within the seventy fifth minute for his team-leading seventeenth purpose. Puig bagged his second purpose of the evening — and fifteenth of the season — 12 minutes later.

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Virtually as spectacular because the offense was the protection, which didn’t hand over a shot on purpose, permitting keeper John McCarthy to file his seventh clear sheet of the season. An enormous motive for that was Colorado not often had the ball, with the Galaxy sustaining possession for 60 of the 90 minutes, which was an enormous a part of the sport plan.

“I do not actually keep in mind having to defend one versus one, we have been on the ball a lot,” Nelson mentioned. “This entire week was, as quickly as we lose [the ball], counter press. We’re up of their face. We’re prepared. We’re fouling them. We’re profitable the ball again.

“It was relentless. And that is what we have to do, be relentless.”

Odds are in the event that they proceed enjoying that approach, they’ll stay a superb wager to return to the MLS Cup remaining.

This story initially appeared in .

October 30, 2024 0 comments

Major League Soccer

LAFC weathers shaky begin to beat Vancouver in MLS Cup playoff opener

by Soccer-News October 30, 2024

written by Soccer-News

No MLS coach has gained extra regular-season video games during the last three years than . However that’s actually been simply a gap act, an appetizer. As a result of the place Cherundolo and his staff shine brightest is within the playoffs, which they opened once more Sunday with a methodical 2-1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps earlier than a sold-out crowd of twenty-two,298 at .

With the win, on objectives from and , LAFC goes into the second sport of the best-of-three playoff subsequent weekend needing a victory to advance to the Western Convention semifinals. If Vancouver wins, the sequence will return to BMO Stadium on Nov. 8 for the third and deciding sport.

Since taking on LAFC, Cherundolo has misplaced simply as soon as in 9 postseason video games, profitable one MLS Cup and dropping by a objective in one other. If he will get his staff again to the championship sport once more this fall, he’ll change into simply the third man in league historical past — and the primary in 17 years — to take his staff to the ultimate in three consecutive seasons.

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Nonetheless, the street there may be fraught with potential potholes, a few which Cherundolo’s staff steered round Sunday.

“The fellows did sufficient to win the primary sport and nothing extra,” Cherundolo mentioned.

“There’s extra work to be accomplished. There is a couple extra video games. Perhaps just one for us.”

LAFC weathered a shaky begin that noticed Vancouver blow a golden alternative to go forward within the seventh minute when Stuart Armstrong burst within the field alone with solely LAFC keeper to beat. And he beat him cleanly, however his right-footed shot bounced off the left submit and throughout the entrance of the objective with out crossing the road.

Seven minutes later Pedro Vite threw one other scare into the house staff, sending a low right-footed shot inches vast of the opposite submit. If both had gone in, it might have spelled hassle for LAFC, which gained simply as soon as in 11 regular-season video games when conceding the primary rating.

However all that grew to become moot when a video replay satisfied referee Jair Marrufo that Vancouver defender Tristan Blackmon had blocked Mateusz Bogusz’s shot together with his arm, resulting in a penalty kick Bouanga transformed for a 1-0 LAFC lead. The objective, within the thirtieth minute, was Bouanga’s twenty first of the season and his league-best eighth from the spot.

Vancouver practically matched that in stoppage time when Ryan Gauld curled a left-footed free kick from 20 yards off the crossbar, giving the goalposts extra saves than Lloris in a primary half that ended with LAFC main. And that introduced two extra stats into play: LAFC entered Sunday 15-1-0 in MLS play when main after 45 minutes and 6-1-2 in its final 9 video games with Vancouver, together with a two-game sweep within the first spherical of final season’s playoffs.

Neither of these traits can be reversed in a second half that LAFC dominated, doubling its lead 12 minutes after the break on the finish of a passing sequence that noticed Ryan Hollingshead and Bogusz steer the ball across the field earlier than hitting Olivera charging in from the appropriate wing. Olivera then one-timed a tough right-footed shot that deflected off Whitecaps keeper Yohei Takaoka into the roof of the web.

“It was enjoyable to observe,” Cherundolo mentioned of the objective. “Precisely how we type of draw up on the tactical board.”

Vancouver made the ultimate seconds a bit dramatic when Gauld discovered the again of the web within the fifth minute of stoppage time to make the ultimate rating extra respectable — and maybe give the Whitecaps a little bit of momentum getting into the second sport subsequent weekend.

“Undoubtedly job’s not accomplished,” defender Aaron Lengthy mentioned, repeating his coach.

“It will be a sophisticated match,” Olivera added in Spanish. “We are going to go there and search for the win. It hasn’t been straightforward. However we’ve got a superb staff that deserves to advance.”

LAFC forward Kei Kamara, top, goes airborne over Vancouver midfielder Sebastian Berhalter during the second half Sunday.

Gauld’s objective got here 9 minutes after , the final member of LAFC’s authentic roster, drew an enormous ovation when he got here on for Bouanga.

When Vela, whose final look got here in December’s MLS Cup ultimate, was waved on, Lengthy rushed to the sideline, pulled the captain’s armband off his bicep and handed it to Vela, who wore it via a lot of the staff’s first six seasons.

“That was a straightforward one,” Lengthy mentioned. “Carlos approaching the sector, his first time again? Yeah, he is getting that for positive.”

The staff didn’t make Vela obtainable for remark.

This story initially appeared in .

October 30, 2024 0 comments

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