FIFA World Cup 2026 schedule: Mexico to play opener at Azteca on June 11, New York to host final

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FIFA World Cup 2026: Mexico to stage opener at Azteca, New York to host final

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be played from June 11 to July 19, with Mexico playing opening fixture at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.

The New York/ New Jersey Stadium will host the FIFA World Cup final.

Which stadium will host the FIFA World Cup 2026 final?

The 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup will be its biggest-ever edition, featuring 48 teams – 16 more than the previous edition in Qatar – and 104 matches.

13 FIFA World Cup 2026 games will be in Canada.

VANCOUVER: 7 games -- 2 group stage (June 18, June 24), 1 Round of 32 1 Round of 16

TORONTO: 6 games, 1 Round of 32

Miami will host the Bronze medal match. The Hard Rock Stadium in Miami will host the third-place match in the FIFA World Cup 2026.

One city will host nine of the World Cup matches and it is Dallas. Dallas will host the most number of games in the tournament.

The USA will be playing its first match at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. The United States will start its match on June 12, 2026.

Toronto will host the first game for Canada in the FIFA World Cup 2026. Canada will open its World Cup campaign on June 12 at the BMO Field.

The Azteca Stadium will host the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on June 11, 2024, with Mexico playing the game at home.

FIFA World Cup 2026: Which stadium will host the opening match?

The iconic Azteca Stadium in Mexico will host the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026, on June 11, 2024.

The ceremony for the schedule of the FIFA World Cup 2026 is on, with eyes of all football fans around the world stuck to when and where will the countries play for the coveted crown.

The following stadiums have been selected for hosting the FIFA World Cup across the USA, Canada and Mexico: 

United States

Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta), Gillette Stadium (Massachusetts), At&T Arena (Dallas), NRG Stadium (Houston), Arrowhead Stadium (Missouri), Los Angeles Stadium (Los Angeles), Hard Rock Stadium (Miami), MetLife Stadium (New Jersey), Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia), Lumen Field (Seattle), Levi’s Stadium (San Jose)

Mexico

Akron Stadium (Guadalajara), Estadio Azteca (Mexico City), Estadio BBVA (Guadalupe) 

Canada

BC Place (Vancouver), BMO Field (Toronto)

Started as a 13-team tournament in 1930, the World Cup has expanded to 32 teams eventually. The FIFA World Cup 2026 will feature 48 teams and 104 matches, the biggest pool of teams, and thus, the most number of matches. 

Though the venue of the final has not been announced, AFP reported that the AT&T Arena in Dallas will host the summit clash.

The next edition of the FIFA World Cup, the biggest tournament in international football, will be played in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The 2026 World Cup, deemed as the ‘biggest and most inclusive’ edition of the tournament by FIFA, will have the most number of teams in any World Cup and thus, will have the maximum number of matches as well.

Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, is the defending champion in the FIFA World Cup and is expected to start as one of the clear favourites in the next edition of the tournament.