What host cities will get FIFA World Cup 2026 matches? Ranking the venue selection for USA, Canada, Mexico tournament

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With the announcement of the 2026 FIFA World Cup venues set for Thursday, June 16, there's plenty of speculation as to who will host matches in the crowning event of global football.

FIFA announced in 2018 that the joint bid of the United States, Mexico and Canada would host the 2026 World Cup, and since then cities and venues have submitted their final proposals for hosting matches during the big event. While FIFA is not expected to announce what cities will host which stage of competition just yet, the list of stadiums and cities will be cut to a final list of about 16.

Currently, there are 23 venues on the list for FIFA to choose from. The list was originally longer, but some cities, such as Montreal and Chicago, withdrew from contention due to bid difficulties or issues with FIFA negotiations.

The Sporting News brings you a snapshot of each venue and where it is believed to rank in likelihood of making the final cut.

MORE: How to watch 2026 World Cup host city announcement

What host cities will be selected for 2026 World Cup?
Below is a list of all candidate cities and venues to host 2026 FIFA World Cup matches. They are ranked in order of likelihood of being selected, with a final prediction at the bottom.

2026 World Cup venues — Locks
Los Angeles (Rose Bowl & SoFi Stadium)

The Los Angeles bid is the only one to feature two stadiums. While the initial United Bid packet only included the Rose Bowl, the bid now officially includes the brand new SoFi Stadium. It's unclear how selection here would work, with FIFA potentially picking LA as one selection or counting this as two separate destinations. While this remains to be seen upon the official announcement, the current assumption is that Los Angeles would count as one host city and could allocate its matches between the two venues.

• Rose Bowl Location: Pasadena, California
• Opened: 1922
• Capacity: 88,565 (record attendance 106,869)
• Regular tenant: UCLA Bruins

One of the world's most famous stadiums, the Rose Bowl has been here before. The site of the largest soccer attendance for any U.S. national team match on home soil in history, the Rose Bowl saw over 94,000 pack in for the U.S. to face Romania in the 1994 World Cup. It also hosted the 1994 World Cup final and 1999 Women's World Cup final. There's no chance FIFA doesn't go back to the well here.

• SoFi Stadium Location: Inglewood, California
• Opened: 2020
• Capacity: 70,240
• Regular tenant: Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers

SoFi Stadium is one of the modern stadium marvels. A stunning multi-billion dollar structure, the sparkling new venue meant to house the pair of NFL franchises in Los Angeles is fit for a king. The centerpiece of the city's successful 2028 Olympics bid, it is the perfect foil to the historic but boring concrete mecca that is the Rose Bowl.

New York/New Jersey (MetLife Stadium)

• Location: East Rutherford, New Jersey
• Opened: 2010
• Capacity: 82,500
• Regular tenant: New York Giants, New York Jets

Built in 2010, MetLife Stadium is hardly a stunning sight to behold, nor does it provide a high-quality fan experience, looking more like a metal cage than anything else. But FIFA can't turn New York down, and while MetLife isn't exactly in the heart of the city, it's close enough. Some reports, including by independent journalist Grant Wahl, say that MetLife is expected to be the host for the 2026 World Cup final, although that won't be revealed until sometime in 2023.

Dallas (AT&T Stadium)

• Location: Arlington, Texas
• Opened: 2009
• Capacity: 80,000 (expandable to 105,000)
• Regular tenant: Dallas Cowboys

One of the most impressive and visually stunning stadiums in the United States, not to mention one of the largest, this venue's inclusion is a must-have for FIFA. The retractable roof helps stave off the Texas heat, and the U.S. has history in the stadium as well. Dallas is a great market, and this stadium has hosted countless major events across all sports.

Mexico City (Estadio Azteca)

• Location: Mexico City, Mexico
• Opened: 1966
• Capacity: 87,523
• Regular tenant: Club America, Cruz Azul

One of the most famous football venues in North America and even the world, Estadio Azteca has hosted countless major events in the past. A veteran of the World Cup thanks to Mexico's hosting of the event in 1986, Estadio Azteca has seen the likes of Diego Maradona, Pele, and countless other famous players compete on its pitch, and along with the Maracana in Rio is one of only two venues to host multiple World Cup finals. There's no way Azteca is passed up.


Almost guaranteed
Atlanta (Mercedes-Benz Stadium)

• Location: Atlanta, Georgia
• Opened: 2017
• Capacity: 71,000
• Regular tenant: Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United

Of all the new stadiums in the United States over the last 20 years, this one might be the best of the bunch. An utterly gorgeous engineering marvel, Mercedes-Benz Stadium is a fabulous place to watch a match, and could host some of the most important matches in the event. It would be shocking to see Atlanta passed up.

San Francisco (Levi's Stadium)

• Location: Santa Clara, California
• Opened: 2014
• Capacity: 68,500
• Regular tenant: San Francisco 49ers

While Los Angeles is a total lock, San Francisco is close behind. Levi's Stadium is a beautiful new venue in a huge, must-have market for FIFA. It's also an eco-friendly stadium, which will appeal to FIFA from a marketing standpoint. The 2017 Gold Cup final was played here, so there's soccer history at Levi's as well.

Houston (NRG Stadium)

• Location: Houston, Texas
• Opened: 2002
• Capacity: 72,200
• Regular tenant: Houston Texans

While not the newest stadium across the board, NRG Stadium is a popular site for both club and international matches in the United States over recent years, with both the U.S. and Mexico men's sides playing games there. This is a battle-tested venue with a big market, and will most definitely be included.

Miami (Hard Rock Stadium)

• Location: Miami Gardens, Florida
• Opened: 1987
• Capacity: 64,767 (record attendance 80,120)
• Regular tenant: Miami Dolphins, Miami Hurricanes

While Orlando is probably a better pure Florida soccer market and touts a better stadium, FIFA just can't resist the allure of Miami. Hard Rock Stadium isn't the glitziest of venues for this World Cup, but the market sure is, and a $500 million renovation in 2016 helps add to the allure.

Monterrey (Estadio BBVA)

• Location: Guadalupe, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon
• Opened: 2015
• Capacity: 51,000
• Regular tenant: Monterrey

Nicknamed "The Steel Giant" for its massive silver roof, this is the newest of the three Mexican venues, and one of the newest of the entire World Cup bid. The Mexican trio of venues is already known, so there's no stopping this bid unless FIFA does something funky with the layout of the World Cup format.

Guadalajara (Estadio Akron)

• Location: Zapopan, Guadalajara, Jalisco
• Opened: 2010
• Capacity: 48,071
• Regular tenant: CD Guadalajara

Another Mexican stadium on the newer side, Estadio Akron is no stranger to controversy, with issues regarding both its construction and playing surface causing turmoil in the past. Now, however, the stadium is considered one of the best in the country, hosting one of the most successful teams in Liga MX. Like Estadio BBVA, Mexico's three venues are already considered locked in.

Toronto (BMO Field)

• Location: Toronto, Ontario
• Opened: 2007
• Capacity: 30,000
• Regular tenant: Toronto FC

FIFA mandates that all World Cup venues seat at least 40,000 fans, which means that BMO Field would need expanding to fit the requirements. Plans for expansion therefore have been submitted as part of the official bid. Still, with the other two Canadian bids on the western side of the nation, it makes sense to have Toronto included in the mix. The market makes up for the smaller venue.


Vancouver (BC Place)

• Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
• Opened: 1983
• Capacity: 54,500
• Regular tenant: Vancouver Whitecaps

Despite having withdrawn its bid earlier in the process, Vancouver was added back in after Montreal dropped out. BC Place is a common venue for the Canadian national team, and thus is a natural selection for FIFA. There was a leak on Wednesday evening reporting that Vancouver will be selected by FIFA as a World Cup venue.

Probably but not guaranteed
Philadelphia (Lincoln Financial Field)

• Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Opened: 2003
• Capacity: 69,796
• Regular tenant: Philadelphia Eagles, Temple Owls

While the Linc isn't considered one of the premier soccer destinations in the United States, nor is it one of the more notable venues in the nation, it still has a consistent presence in the national sports landscape and has delivered with the sport in the past. Recent reports indicate that FIFA is high on this bid thanks to its proximity to MetLife Stadium.

Seattle (Lumen Field)

• Location: Seattle, Washington
• Opened: 2002
• Capacity: 68,740
• Regular tenant: Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Sounders, OL Reign

The Pacific Northwest region is known across the nation for its cult soccer presence, and it's only fitting that Seattle is featured among the World Cup venues. The travel for any teams selected to participate in Seattle would be difficult, but such is the nature of a North American World Cup.

On the bubble
Boston (Gillette Stadium)

• Location: Foxborough, Massachusetts
• Opened: 2002
• Capacity: 65,878
• Regular tenant: New England Patriots, New England Revolution

Gillette Stadium is one of the more storied venues in the United States, and it has been used for countless events across a host of different sports. Still, there are issues with this bid, such as its distance from downtown Boston and reported issues with city financial assistance, along with the notorious public transport system. A report from the Philadelphia Inquirer states that industry rumors believe Boston officials may already know they have missed out.

Baltimore & Washington DC (M&T Bank Stadium)

• Location: Baltimore, Maryland
• Opened: 1998
• Capacity: 70,745
• Regular tenant: Baltimore Ravens

While the two separate bids of Washington DC and Baltimore were dead in the water on their own, the combined bid offers a chance to compete. FIFA would love to have a presence in the nation's capital, but FedEx Field is a dump and was hindering the bid's chance. With the combined bid, Baltimore would host games in the much nicer M&T Bank Stadium while D.C. hosts a fan fest. It still might not be enough, though, especially if Philadelphia, which is right up the road, is also selected.

Kansas City (Arrowhead Stadium)

• Location: Kansas City, Missouri
• Opened: 1972
• Capacity: 76,416
• Regular tenant: Kansas City Chiefs

This bid appears to be one teetering on the edge. Kansas City has hosted multiple U.S. international matches over the past few years, but it isn't exactly a showcase city in the United States. Furthermore, the geography of the other bids leave KC stuck in the middle of an East Coast-West Coast split. Kansas City has a tough road ahead, but there are reports that FIFA's opinion of Kansas City's bid is rising.

Likely out
Orlando (Camping World Stadium)

• Location: Orlando, Florida
• Opened: 1936
• Capacity: 60,219
• Regular tenant: None

While Orlando has proven its worth as a soccer market over the years, especially in the smaller Exploria Stadium, which is home to the city's MLS and NWSL sides, it just doesn't stand a chance with Miami offering the glitz and glamour just down the road. It's a testament to the fans and city that it even made it this far in the bidding process, but there's just not enough meat on the bone for FIFA, which cares about more than just a great in-game atmosphere.

Denver (Empower Field at Mile High)

• Location: Denver, Colorado
• Opened: 2001
• Capacity: 76,125
• Regular tenants: Denver Broncos

While Mile High is a gorgeous venue and Denver offers a great mix of big market with excellent scenery, there's one thing holding this bid back: the altitude (5,280 feet/1,610 meters). It's unlikely FIFA wants to open the can of worms that the altitude presents from a sporting perspective with teams flying around the continent in short periods of time, especially with Azteca (7,200 feet/2,200 meters) all but assured a slot.

Nashville (Nissan Stadium)

• Location: Nashville, Tennessee
• Opened: 1999
• Capacity: 69,143
• Regular tenant: Tennessee Titans

Ultimately, while Nashville is a solid contender, it falls just short in various categories that other bids excel in. It's not a top U.S. media market, the stadium isn't considered a gem, and it has soccer history but nothing iconic. When you look across the other bids, there's just nowhere to put Nashville.

Cincinnati (Paul Brown Stadium)

• Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
• Opened: 2000
• Capacity: 65,515
• Regular tenant: Cincinnati Bengals

While Ohio is a regular host of U.S. national team games, there just wasn't enough allure for FIFA to select an Ohio stadium as one of the showcase cities. Cleveland was eliminated in a previous round, and while Cincinnati made the cut then, it just doesn't have enough to put forth to make the cut.

Edmonton (Commonwealth Stadium)

• Location: Edmonton, Alberta
• Opened: 1978
• Capacity: 56,302
• Regular tenant: Edmonton Elks

While Edmonton is a common destination for the Canadian national team, it falls significantly behind the other two Canadian bids and won't be given a second thought. FIFA will surely look to spread the two Canadian venues across the east and west, and Edmonton is stuck behind Vancouver for that West Coast slot. According to Grant Wahl, "no one wants to go to Edmonton," a sentiment which has been echoed by the Canadian media of late. Edmonton's exclusion would mean 11 U.S. venues instead of 10, which seems likely at this point.

Predicting which host cities will be selected for 2026 FIFA World Cup
IN:
The Sporting News predicts these 16 markets to be selected to host 2026 World Cup matches, though it remains to be seen how FIFA will handle Los Angeles' dual-venue bid. There are 11 host cities from the United States, three from Mexico, and two from Canada, making up the final list of 16.

Market	Country	Venue	Capacity
Los Angeles	USA	Rose Bowl	92,000
		SoFi Stadium	70,240
Mexico City	Mexico	Estadio Azteca	87,523
New York/New Jersey	USA	MetLife Stadium	82,500
Dallas	USA	AT&T Stadium	80,000
Kansas City	USA	Arrowhead Stadium	76,416
Houston	USA	NRG Stadium	71,795
Baltimore/Washington DC	USA	M&T Bank Stadium	71,006
Atlanta	USA	Mercedes-Benz Stadium	71,000
Philadelphia	USA	Lincoln Financial Field	69,176
Seattle	USA	Lumen Field	69,000
San Francisco	USA	Levi's Stadium	68,500
Miami	USA	Hard Rock Stadium	64,767
Vancouver	Canada	BC Place	54,000
Monterrey	Mexico	Estadio BBVA	53,500
Guadalajara	Mexico	Estadio Akron	46,232
Toronto	Canada	BMO Field	45,500*

*BMO Field's current capacity is 30,000, which is below FIFA's World Cup regulation minimum. Part of BMO Field's bid submission is an expansion to a capacity of 45,500.

OUT:

The Sporting News predicts the following venues to be cut from the final list of 2026 FIFA World Cup host cities.

Market	Country	Venue	Capacity
Denver	USA	Mile High Stadium	76,125
Nashville	USA	Nissan Stadium	69,143
Boston	USA	Gillette Stadium	65,878
Cincinnati	USA	Paul Brown Stadium	65,515
Orlando	USA	Camping World Stadium	60,219
Edmonton	Canada	Commonwealth Stadium	56,302

What host cities will get FIFA World Cup 2026 matches? Ranking the venue selection for USA, Canada, Mexico tournament | Sporting News

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[slewdem100]

Damn....lost out to Boston and Philly (NYC was a lock)...fuck it, gonna have to be a quick drive up to Philly

 

[lightbright]

Final game is said to definitely be in the US... not a soccer fan but I hope it's at MetLife stadium

FIFA snubs Washington D.C., selects 16 North American cities to host 2026 World Cup

NEW YORK — Kansas City and Boston are among the North American cities that will stage 2026 men’s World Cup matches — but Washington D.C. and Baltimore are not.
FIFA, soccer’s global governing body, revealed the tournament’s hosts on Thursday here in Manhattan. It selected three Mexican cities, two Canadian ones, and 11 in the United States — New York/East Rutherford, N.J.; Philadelphia; Boston/Foxborough; Miami; Atlanta; Houston; Dallas/Arlington; Kansas City; Los Angeles/Inglewood; San Francisco/Santa Clara; and Seattle.

It did not, however, select the U.S. capital, and one of the country's most robust soccer markets. "This was a very, very difficult choice," Colin Smith, FIFA's chief competitions and events officer, said. He acknowledged that "it's hard to imagine ... a World Cup coming to the U.S. and the capital city not taking a major role."


Washington D.C. merged its bid with Baltimore's earlier this spring to counter FIFA's concerns about FedEx Field, the oft-ridiculed home of the Washington Commanders. FIFA officials confirmed widespread negative perceptions of the stadium when they toured it last fall, sources told Yahoo Sports. In response, organizers pitched a plan to play games at M&T Bank Stadium, the home of the Baltimore Ravens, while hosting festivities and VIP events in Washington.

But FIFA ultimately snubbed the joint bid, and instead chose Boston and Kansas City, two other bubble cities. FIFA officials said they made their final decisions Wednesday night and Thursday morning. Boston's candidacy was boosted by Robert Kraft, who was the honorary chair of the North American bid committee, and who has a personal relationship with FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

A FIFA spokesman also confirmed to Yahoo Sports that the Los Angeles games will be held at SoFi Stadium, not the Rose Bowl. (Organizers had considered staging games at both.)

The U.S., Canada and Mexico won the right to host the 2026 edition of the world’s most-watched sporting event back in 2018, and offered two dozen metropolitan areas as potential venues for matches. They originally proposed that there’d be 10 in the U.S., and three each in Mexico and Canada.

Instead, on Thursday, they chose 11 U.S. cities and just two north of the border. They confirmed all three Mexican candidates — Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey — but only Toronto and Vancouver in Canada. With Montreal withdrawing its bid last summer, citing hefty costs, but Vancouver then reemerging as a candidate this spring, FIFA officials turned away from Edmonton.

The four other finalists not chosen were Orlando, Cincinnati, Nashville and Denver. Nashville's hopes were torpedoed by uncertainty around the future of its NFL stadium. But those four, like the 16 match sites and other non-finalists, could still host team base camps and pre-tournament friendlies. Most participating national teams will train at colleges and MLS facilities across the U.S.

There'll also be “Fan Fests” — FIFA-sponsored outdoor watch parties — in non-host cities. Washington D.C. had envisioned one on the National Mall. When asked whether that would still happen, Smith began to give a non-committal answer, but Infantino cut him off with a smile and one word: "Yes."



U.S. Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone said that her goal is "to make sure that this World Cup touches all 50 states," and "every level of this sport."

With the men's World Cup expanding to 48 teams in 2026, 60 of 80 games will likely be held in the U.S. FIFA has not said how many matches each city will host, but the North American bid committee originally proposed a minimum of five per U.S. city, including at least two knockout-round games each. A schedule shell, which "is being worked on," according to FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani, could be released as soon as next year.

There’ll likely be three games on opening day, one in each country, with venues for specific matches still to be determined. “We’ll take our time with that decision," Infantino said Thursday.

The top two candidates to host the final, according to a source familiar with the planning process, are MetLife Stadium in North Jersey and AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The other stadiums will be Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia); Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Massachusetts); Hard Rock Stadium (Miami); Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta); NRG Stadium (Houston); Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City); SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, California); Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara, California); Lumen Field (Seattle); Estadio Azteca (Mexico City); Estadio Akron (Guadalajara); Estadio BBVA (Monterrey); BMO Field (Toronto); and BC Place (Vancouver).

Why some U.S. cities won't be involved
Like Montreal, some U.S. cities chose not to be involved. Chicago, citing taxpayer risk and “FIFA’s inflexibility and unwillingness to negotiate,” pulled out of the running in 2018, months before the so-called United Bid had even been chosen by the 200-plus international soccer executives who comprise FIFA’s membership.

Minneapolis also withdrew due to FIFA’s demands, which include tax breaks and various local government guarantees. Host cities essentially pay to stage 3-7 games, a “Fan Fest” and other events. They welcome thousands of tourists, but FIFA collects the vast majority of revenue from the games themselves and makes a multi-billion-dollar profit.

“Specifically, we were requesting flexibility on the financial liability caps and/or stronger estimates on anticipated costs associated with the events,” the Minneapolis bid committee said in a statement. “The inability to negotiate the terms of the various bid agreements did not provide our partners, and our community, with sufficient protections from future liability and unforeseen changes in commitments.”

Like with the Olympics, host-city contracts are widely viewed as one-sided, granting FIFA widespread power to dictate the tournament while shirking financial risk. When asked about the tax breaks, and why FIFA pushes for extra money that could serve local governments, Infantino argued that cities derive economic benefits stemming from tourism, and explained that FIFA distributes its revenues to its 211 member associations, many of whom rely on the payouts to function. He defended the practice as "a fair compromise."

World Cups also come with civil concerns. They often bring heavy policing and, in some cases, displacement of vulnerable people. A coalition of labor and human rights groups wrote to FIFA late last year to demand a series of minimum rights standards around the 2026 tournament, and on Thursday “expressed concern regarding negotiations with FIFA over human rights and worker rights.” Cathy Feingold, the international director at the AFL-CIO, told Yahoo Sports in a phone interview that the human rights plans presented by the selected U.S. cities were “very uneven.” (FIFA plans to follow up on the North American bid's human rights commitments over the coming months and years.)

Host cities celebrate
Nonetheless, the 16 cities and their residents celebrated on Thursday. Many hosted downtown watch parties promoted and graced by mayors.




Tickets will likely go on sale in 2025. The tournament will likely begin Thursday, June 11, 2026, unless organizers push for an earlier start date to avoid extreme heat. Eight of the 16 cities cities regularly experience June temperatures in the 90s, and only three of those eight stadiums have roofs. Infantino indicated that those climate-proof venues could be candidates for afternoon games, while games at outdoor grounds kick off in the evening.

He also said that teams would play in "clusters," meaning the three teams in a given group would play their two first-round games in the same or adjacent regions — so as to not force them and their fans to "travel crazy distances," Infantino said.

The tournament will feature 16 groups of three, and then a first-of-its-kind 32-team knockout round. It will be the first World Cup with 48 teams, and will almost surely smash the tournament-wide attendance record — which is still held by the 1994 men's World Cup in the U.S.

This is the first men's World Cup on North American soil since that one, the first jointly hosted by three countries. Smith, considering those factors and the size of NFL stadiums, said audience could double previous highs. The 1994 mark, he said, is "gonna be blown out of the water."

"2026 will be much, much, much bigger [than 1994]," Infantino agreed. "I think this part of the world doesn't realize what'll happen here in 2026. I mean, these three countries will be upside down. The world will be invading Canada, Mexico and the United States. And they will be invaded by a big wave of joy and happiness."

A year later, the Women's World Cup could return to the United States. Cone said U.S. Soccer "definitely plan on bidding" for either the 2027 or 2031 edition. But FIFA has not yet asked for bids and, according to one source, might not open the process until after the 2022 men's World Cup in November and December.



2026 World Cup host cities: FIFA selects 11 U.S. stadiums (yahoo.com)