World Cup 2026 Host Cities and Venues

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is hosted across three countries — the United States, Canada, and Mexico — making it the first tournament ever to span three nations. There are 16 venues in total, with 11 in the USA, 2 in Canada, and 3 in Mexico. Here's everything you need to know about where the matches will be played.

All 16 Venues

The Final: MetLife Stadium, New Jersey

The World Cup Final on July 19 will be played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey — just outside New York City. With a capacity of 82,500, it's the largest venue in the tournament and one of the biggest stadiums in North America. MetLife is home to both the New York Giants and New York Jets, and has hosted Super Bowls and major concerts. The New York metropolitan area hosting the World Cup Final makes it one of the most high-profile sporting events ever held in the United States.

Estadio Azteca: A Historic Venue

Mexico City's Estadio Azteca holds a unique distinction — it will become the first stadium ever to host three World Cups. It hosted matches in 1970 (including the Final) and 1986 (including the Final), and will host group stage matches in 2026. With a capacity of 87,523, it's actually larger than MetLife Stadium, though the Final was awarded to New Jersey. The Azteca has witnessed some of football's most iconic moments, including Maradona's "Hand of God" and "Goal of the Century" in 1986.

Geographic Spread and Travel

The 16 venues span over 4,000 miles from Vancouver in the northwest to Miami in the southeast. This creates unique logistical challenges for teams and fans:

• Teams may travel across multiple time zones between group stage matches — a potential fatigue factor
• Climate varies dramatically: Miami and Houston in June are hot and humid, while Vancouver is mild
• Altitude at Mexico City (2,240m above sea level) gives home-continent teams like Mexico an advantage in their group matches
• Fans following their team may need to fly domestically multiple times — something unprecedented for a single World Cup

Key Knockout Venues

FIFA has designated specific venues for the later knockout rounds: