The 2026 World Cup is just over two years away and preparations have begun for the quadrennial carnival, which moves from the cosy surroundings of Qatar 2022 to the vast expanse of the Americas, encompassing the US, Canada and Mexico.
A total of 16 cities – 11 in the United States, three in Mexico and two in Canada – have been selected to host a special edition of the World Cup.
This will be the first World Cup finals co-hosted by three countries. Also, a record number of teams will take part in it, up from 32 to 48, which means greater representation across the globe.
The return of the World Cup to North America for the first time since 1994 is significant. The rise of Major League Soccer and the move by Argentine superstar Lionel Messi to MLS club Inter Miami is a sign of the growing popularity of the sport in the region.
It was therefore no surprise when Fifa announced that the 2026 World Cup final will be held at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, beating competition from Texas and California.
Canada will host 13 games in total, including 10 in the group stage split between Toronto and Vancouver. Mexico also gets 13 games, including 10 during the group stage in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey. The rest of tournament will be held in 11 cities across the US.
The opening match of the tournament will be at Mexico City's Estadio Azteca on June 11, making it the first nation to stage the World Cup for a third time.
The final takes place on July 19 at the MetLife Stadium, which has a capacity of 82,500 and hosted the Copa America Centenario final in 2016 where Chile denied Messi's Argentina for a second time.
"The most inclusive and impactful Fifa World Cup ever is no longer a dream but a reality that will take shape in the form of 104 matches in 16 state-of-the-art stadiums across Canada, Mexico and the USA," Fifa president Gianni Infantino said.
"From the opening match at the iconic Estadio Azteca to the spectacular final in New York New Jersey, players and fans have been at the core of our extensive planning for this game-changing tournament ... that will not only set new records but also leave an indelible legacy."
The matches in US will take place at venues that were purpose-built for NFL matches. That poses a unique challenge as many venues use artificial surface for American football.
Lumen Field in Seattle has started the process of putting down a grass surface. It is not the only venue facing "surface tension". The BC Place in Canada, AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas), Mercedes Benz Stadium (Atlanta), MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford), Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Massachusetts), NRG Stadium (Houston) and SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, California) will also need to come up with grass surfaces for the finals.
Venues for the 2026 Fifa World Cup and their capacity
USA
SoFi Stadium, Inglewood (Los Angeles), California: Capacity 70,000 (expandable to 100,000)
MetLife Stadium, New Jersey: Capacity 82,500
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Dallas: Capacity 80,000
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami: Capacity 65,000
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City: Capacity 76,000
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta: Capacity 71,000
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough (Boston): Capacity 65,000
NRG Stadium, Houston: Capacity 72,000
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia: Capacity 67,000
Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, San Francisco Bay Area: Capacity 68,500
Lumen Field, Seattle: Capacity 68,000
MEXICO
Azteca Stadium, Mexico City: Capacity 83,000
Estadio Akron, Guadalajara: Capacity 46,000
Estadio BBVA, Monterrey: Capacity 53,000
CANADA
BMO Field, Toronto: Capacity 30,000
BC Place, Vancouver: Capacity 54,000
