2026 FIFA World Cup Venues
The 2026 FIFA World Cup awaits us this summer in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. 16 stadiums in these three countries will host the games, and we are here to say a few words about them and some other interesting facts.
16 Stadiums, 16 Cities, 3 Countries
Previously, the closest thing to this World Cup was the one in South Korea and Japan in 2002, when the two countries organized the tournament. There were some multi-state Euros, but this will be the first time three teams have organized the planetary soccer tournament.
This practically involves the whole North American continent in the organization.
We’ve already stated that the 2026 tournament includes 16 venues. There could be some confusion among the fans about those, due to FIFA’s sponsorship policies. Those rules forbid venues from using their commercial names, therefore, they will be called differently. Don’t be confused by seeing something like “XY City Stadium” or similar.
Here are all the World Cup venues with the most important information about them
United States (11 Venues)
The US will host the majority of the matches, including the USMNT’s opening match and the World Cup finals.
| Tournament Name | Usual Stadium Name | Location | Capacity |
| Dallas Stadium | AT&T Stadium | Arlington, TX | 94,000 |
| New York NJ Stadium | MetLife Stadium | East Rutherford, NJ | 82,500 |
| Atlanta Stadium | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta, GA | 75,000 |
| Kansas City Stadium | Arrowhead Stadium | Kansas City, MO | 73,000 |
| Houston Stadium | NRG Stadium | Houston, TX | 72,000 |
| San Francisco Bay Area | Levi’s Stadium | Santa Clara, CA | 71,000 |
| Los Angeles Stadium | SoFi Stadium | Inglewood, CA | 70,000 |
| Philadelphia Stadium | Lincoln Financial Field | Philadelphia, PA | 69,000 |
| Seattle Stadium | Lumen Field | Seattle, WA | 69,000 |
| Miami Stadium | Hard Rock Stadium | Miami Gardens, FL | 65,000 |
| Boston Stadium | Gillette Stadium | Foxborough, MA | 65,000 |
Mexico (3 Venues)
Azteca Stadium hosts the opening game of the tournament, Mexico vs. South Africa, on June 11. Azteca has already hosted two World Cup finals and one Olympic Games. One final was in 1970 when Brazil trashed Italy 4-0 and the other in 1986 when Argentina beat Germany, 3-2. Apart from Azteca, two more venues will see games at the upcoming competition.
| Tournament Name | Usual Stadium Name | Location | Capacity |
| Mexico City Stadium | Estadio Azteca | Mexico City | 83,000 |
| Estadio Monterrey | Estadio BBVA | Guadalupe | 53,500 |
| Estadio Guadalajara | Estadio Akron | Zapopan | 48,000 |
Canada (2 Venues)
This marks the first time Canada has ever hosted the World Cup and its matches.
| Tournament Name | Usual Stadium Name | Location | Capacity |
| BC Place Vancouver | BC Place | Vancouver, BC | 54,000 |
| Toronto Stadium | BMO Field | Toronto, ON | 45,000 |
Indoor Stadiums at the 2026 World Cup
There are 4 indoor venues listed for the upcoming World Cup:
- Dallas: AT&T Stadium
- Houston: NRG Stadium
- Vancouver: BC Place
- Atlanta: Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Also, we have to note that even though SoFi Stadium stands as an indoor arena, it isn’t classified as such.
Natural Grass Factor
What’s important to add is that, even though they are indoors, the turf will still be natural grass.
The organizers have decided to replace all artificial turf with natural grass, no matter the circumstances, therefore, the outdoor stadiums will have the same.
This information may not be important to many. Though, for sharp bettors who are betting on totals (over/under), and stuff like that, it might be essential. Indoor arenas often provide more efficient matches due to the lack of weather conditions. The same as in the NFL.
Key Venue Milestones
- Opening Match: June 11, 2026 – Mexico City Stadium (Estadio Azteca).
- USA Opening Match: June 12, 2026 – Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi Stadium).
- Canada Opening Match: June 12, 2026 – Toronto Stadium (BMO Field).
- Semi-Finals: Dallas Stadium and Atlanta Stadium.
- The Final: July 19, 2026 – New York, New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium).
The US “Successor” Stadiums (1994 vs. 2026)
There isn’t a single stadium from the 1994 World Cup in the USA that will host games at the upcoming tournament.
| 1994 Venue | 2026 Venue | Status of 1994 Venue |
| Foxboro Stadium (Boston) | Gillette Stadium | Demolished (replaced by Gillette). |
| Giants Stadium (NY/NJ) | MetLife Stadium | Demolished (replaced by MetLife). |
| Cotton Bowl (Dallas) | AT&T Stadium | Still stands, but not being used for 2026. |
| Stanford Stadium (SF Bay) | Levi’s Stadium | Heavily renovated/downsized; not used for 2026. |
| Rose Bowl (LA) | SoFi Stadium | Still stands (iconic), but 2026 matches moved to SoFi. |
| Soldier Field (Chicago) | Not a 2026 Host | Still stands, but Chicago isn’t a host city in 2026. |
