World Cup 2026 Schedule: Dates, Venues and Fixtures

For the first time in its near-century history, the World Cup will sprawl across three countries. The 2026 tournament kicks off June 11 in Mexico City and runs through July 19, with 48 teams and 104 matches spread across 16 North American cities—from SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles to BMO Field in Toronto. FIFA unveiled the full schedule in December 2024, giving fans the first concrete look at how this unprecedented geography shapes the action.

Dates: June 11 to July 19, 2026 · Host Countries: USA, Canada, Mexico · Host Cities: 16 cities (11 USA, 3 Mexico, 2 Canada) · Matches: 104 · Teams: 48

When and where is the World Cup 2026?

The FIFA World Cup 2026 runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026, spanning 39 days across an unprecedented three-country footprint. This marks the first tournament jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States—a format change that also expands the field from 32 to 48 teams, according to FIFA’s official tournament page.

Tournament dates

The action starts with Mexico taking on South Africa at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on June 11, while the United States opens its campaign the following day, June 12, against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Canada’s first match comes that same day, June 12, versus Bosnia and Herzegovina at BMO Field in Toronto. Group stage play wraps June 27, followed by knockout rounds running through the final on July 19.

Host countries overview

Each host nation plays all three of its group stage matches within its own territory: Mexico across its three cities, Canada across Toronto and Vancouver, and the United States across its eleven venues. The tournament spans four time zones and multiple climate regions, from the humid Gulf Coast to the cooler Pacific Northwest.

The geographic spread means fans tracking their team through group stage must plan cross-country logistics within the USA, or prepare for cross-border travel once knockouts begin.

What cities will host the 2026 World Cup?

Sixteen cities will host matches: 11 in the United States, 3 in Mexico, and 2 in Canada. The US Soccer Federation officially announced this city lineup on June 16, 2022, selecting venues ranging from NFL mega-stadiums to a renovated Canadian soccer-specific stadium. Mexico gets the tournament’s opening match at Estadio Azteca, while the United States hosts the plurality of games—and both potential semifinals, if the bracket falls a certain way.

US cities

The eleven American host cities are Atlanta (Mercedes-Benz Stadium, capacity 75,000), Boston area (Gillette Stadium, Foxborough), Dallas (AT&T Stadium, Arlington, capacity 94,000), Houston (NRG Stadium, capacity 72,000), Kansas City (Arrowhead Stadium), Los Angeles (SoFi Stadium, Inglewood), Miami (Hard Rock Stadium), New York/New Jersey area (MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, capacity 82,500), Philadelphia (Lincoln Financial Field), San Francisco Bay Area (Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara), and Seattle (Lumen Field). Sky Sports confirms these capacities for the three largest American venues.

Mexican cities

Mexico’s three host cities are Mexico City (Estadio Azteca, capacity over 80,000), Guadalajara (Estadio Akron), and Monterrey (Estadio BBVA). Estadio Azteca carries special weight as the venue for the opening match and one of the world’s most iconic football stadiums.

Canadian cities

Canada operates just two host cities: Toronto (BMO Field, 30,000 capacity) and Vancouver (BC Place, 54,000 capacity). These smaller venues relative to the American giants mean Canada’s group matches will offer a more intimate atmosphere—a notable contrast to the 94,000-seat Dallas stadium hosting other matches.

What stadiums will be used in 2026?

The tournament uses sixteen venues, ranging from the continent’s largest stadiums to mid-sized soccer-specific fields. AT&T Stadium in Dallas leads in capacity at 94,000, while BMO Field in Toronto at roughly 30,000 is the smallest. StadiumDB confirms these venue details as part of the tournament’s official infrastructure listing.

Key venues list

Notable venues include SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, California), home to the NFL’s Rams and Chargers, which will host the USA’s opening match and potentially Mexico’s Round of 32 if they finish as Group A runners-up. MetLife Stadium in New Jersey gets the crown jewel: the final on July 19. NRG Stadium in Houston hosts Germany vs Curaçao on June 14, per Roadtrips’ schedule listing.

Capacity details

Beyond the headline numbers: Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta holds 75,000, Lumen Field in Seattle seats around 69,000, and Hard Rock Stadium in Miami sits at approximately 65,000. BC Place in Vancouver offers 54,000 seats after its 2011 renovation. These figures come from Sky Sports’ venue capacity roundup.

What city is the World Cup final in 2026?

The final lands at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19, 2026. FIFA confirmed this venue choice on its official channels, making the New York/New Jersey area the tournament’s grand finale host. The stadium, home to the NFL’s Giants and Jets, seats 82,500—making it one of the largest venues to host a World Cup final in recent decades.

Final venue details

MetLife Stadium sits just outside Manhattan, accessible via New Jersey Transit and major highways from both New York City and Philadelphia. FIFA’s Fan Festival will operate at the venue on matchday, creating an all-day football experience beyond the stadium walls. Brazil vs Morocco on June 13 at MetLife Stadium (per NYNJ FWC26’s schedule) demonstrates the venue’s early-stage prominence in the draw.

Date and context

July 19 closes a 39-day tournament and marks the first time a World Cup final has been played in the New York metropolitan area. The date falls on a Sunday, traditional American television-golden-hour scheduling. The last time the USA hosted any portion of a men’s World Cup final was 1994 at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena—but that was a single-host nation event with far fewer matches (52 total) and far fewer participating teams (24).

How much are the tickets for the World Cup 2026?

Official ticket pricing tiers have not yet been published by FIFA as of this writing, though the organization has begun its supporter pre-sale process. Sports outlets including BBC Sport have reported on pricing frameworks from the 2022 Qatar World Cup—where final tickets reached approximately $11,000 in resale markets—to contextualize what early-bird and general sale prices might look like for 2026.

Pricing ranges

For reference based on previous tournaments: 2022 Qatar World Cup group stage tickets started around $70–$100, knockout round tickets climbed to several hundred dollars, and hospitality packages reached thousands. The 2026 expansion to 48 teams means more total tickets entering the system, but also more venues across three countries complicating the pricing structure.

Final ticket insights

The secondary market for 2022 Qatar final tickets at approximately $11,000 (reported by BBC Sport) sets a benchmark for what premium seating could reach in 2026. With MetLife Stadium’s 82,500-seat capacity for the final, demand will heavily outstrip supply—and FIFA’s hospitality programs typically consume a significant portion of premium seats before general public sales begin.