New York to host 2026 FIFA World Cup final; opening game will be in Mexico City

New York’s MetLife Stadium will host the 2026 World Cup football final on July 19, announced FIFA on Sunday (February 4). The city warded off a strong challenge from Dallas to capture the privilege.

The 2026 World Cup will feature 48 teams for the first time (as against 32 teams in previous tournaments), and will be played in stadiums in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. The expanded tournament will have a total of 104 matches played across 16 venues in the three nations.

The opening game of the World Cup will be played in Mexico’s famous Azteca stadium on June 11. The Azteca will become the first stadium in the world to host world cup matches in three different editions. The finals of the 1970 and 1986 tournaments were played in this iconic stadium.

The 82,500-seat MetLife Stadium in New Jersey is the home of the NFL’s New York Giants and New York Jets. Several international football matches have also been played in the stadium, including the final of the 2016 Copa America tournament. What might have clinched the decision in favour of New York is its experience in holding major international sporting events and its standing as a global city with adequate transportation facilities for spectators.

Dallas’ AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas will however host nine games in the tournament, the most of any venue.

Most of the games will be held in the USA, with Atlanta and Dallas slated to host the semi-finals, and Miami the third-place game. All the quarter-final matches will also be played in the US, in Los Angeles, Kansas City, Miami, and Boston.

The 2026 World Cup will take place during the 250^th anniversary of American independence.