The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be played in the United States, Canada and Mexico between June and July, with the final scheduled on July 19.
The 20th edition of the global football/soccer (in the USA) extravaganza will be its biggest-ever edition, featuring 48 teams – 16 more than Qatar 2022 – and 104 matches. FIFA has said that it will also be the most inclusive of all editions of the World Cup.
On February 4, the global football/soccer body announced the schedule of the tournament in Miami. During the ceremony, it was declared the MetLife Stadium in New York will host the FIFA World Cup 2026 final.
It will be the second time that the US men’s national team will walk out for FIFA World Cup matches on home soil, with the 1994 tournament across the USA living long in the memories of football fans.
Venues for the FIFA World Cup have often gone on to become iconic venues, be it the Maracana Stadium in Brazil (2014) or the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, in the last edition.
New York’s bid held off a strong challenge from Dallas to secure the July 19 game, the culmination of the expanded 48-team tournament being co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico.
The competition will kick-off with the opening game at Mexico City’s iconic Azteca Stadium on June 11.
The 2026 World Cup final will be held at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey, organisers FIFA announced on Sunday. Atlanta and Dallas will host the semi-finals while the third-place game will take place in Miami.
The decisions were announced on a live television broadcast in North America which featured FIFA president Gianni Infantino alongside comedian and actor Kevin Hart, rapper Drake and celebrity Kim Kardashian.
The 82,500-seat MetLife Stadium, across the Hudson river in East Rutherford, New Jersey, is the home of the NFL’s New York Giants and New York Jets but has held a number of international football games including the final of the 2016 Copa America tournament.
The New York bid had lobbied hard on the city’s experience at hosting major international events and it’s position as a global city with easy transportation connections for fans.
Dallas had hoped that AT&T Stadium, in Arlington, Texas, home to the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, would benefit from having a roof to protect the game from the elements.
Los Angeles had also thrown their hat into the ring but their attempt struggled amid disagreements with FIFA about tournament upgrades needed to their NFL venue, SoFi Stadium.
(with inputs from AFP)
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