The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held on July 11 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, FIFA, the governing body of world football, announced.
The world’s most popular sport will take place in 16 cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, according to the FIFA tournament schedule released on Sunday. The 48th World Cup will open June 11 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City and conclude July 19 at the 82,500-capacity MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
FIFA officials did not explain their decision-making process regarding the venue. Canada will host 13 games in total, including 10 at the group stage, split between Toronto and Vancouver. Mexico will also play 13 matches, including 10 in the group stage, in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey. Other competitions will take place in 11 cities across the United States.
Toronto, Mexico City, and Los Angeles will host
Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca will host the tournament’s opening game on June 11, when Mexico will become the first country to host the World Cup for the third time. The opening day will also feature a game in Guadalajara.
Mexico hosted the World Cup in 1970 and 1986, with the finals of both editions held at the Estadio Azteca where Brazil’s Pelé beat Italy 4-1 and Argentina’s Diego Maradona beat West Germany 3-2. Maradona also scored the famous ‘hand of God’ goal and ‘goal of the century’ at the same venue in a 2-1 win over England in the 1986 quarter-finals.
