In which countries will the 2026 World Cup be played?
- January 06, 2025
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be played in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. This event will be historic for many reasons: it will be the first with 48 national teams, and above all, the first to be hosted by three countries at the same time. Yes—these three countries joined forces to host this football celebration, which starts on June 11 and ends on July 19, 2026. In total, there are 16 host cities.
Which cities will host the 2026 World Cup?
The host cities are:
Canada (2 cities):
- Toronto (BMO Field) and Vancouver (BC Place). For Canadians, it will be the first time hosting matches of a men’s World Cup, and they’re sure to bring the full excitement.
Mexico (3 cities):
- Guadalajara (Estadio Akron), Mexico City (Estadio Azteca), and Monterrey (Estadio BBVA). Mexico previously hosted in 1970 and 1986, so the Azteca—set to open the tournament—will experience its third World Cup. Pure history!
United States (11 cities):
- Atlanta, Boston (Foxborough), Dallas (Arlington), Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles (Inglewood), Miami (Miami Gardens), New York/New Jersey (East Rutherford), Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area (Santa Clara), and Seattle. The U.S. returns as the main host (as in 1994), and the final will be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
How does FIFA select World Cup host countries?
FIFA selects the host (or hosts) through a bidding process that typically takes several years. The procedure is:
- FIFA opens a period during which member associations (or groups of them) express interest in bidding.
- Minimum criteria are set: infrastructure (stadium capacity, transport, security), sustainability, human rights, sporting legacy, and continental rotation (though this was loosened for 2026).
- Bidders submit a detailed dossier with plans, government guarantees, and impact studies.
- FIFA reviews proposals (technical, financial, legal) and may disqualify those that don’t meet requirements. Inspection visits sometimes take place.
- The FIFA Congress (delegates from 211 member associations) votes in an assembly. The bid with the most votes wins (in 2018, it was by simple majority).
For 2026, continental rotation was adjusted (Europe and Asia were excluded due to hosting 2018 and 2022), and multiple-country co-hosting was allowed because of the tournament’s scale. The result: a World Cup that unites North America—Mexico opening at the Azteca, Canada debuting as a host, and the U.S. closing in New Jersey.
Why will the 2026 World Cup be hosted by 3 countries?
The 2026 World Cup will be hosted by three countries—Canada, Mexico, and the United States—because FIFA decided so in 2018 by selecting the joint bid “United 2026” with 134 votes to 65 against Morocco. It was the first time a triple-host was allowed since 2002, when Japan and South Korea shared hosting (co-hosting had previously been prohibited). Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. submitted a unified bid in 2017 after each had considered bidding separately. The idea was to leverage existing North American infrastructure (large stadiums, airports, hotels, and prior hosting experience: Mexico hosted in 1970 and 1986, the U.S. in 1994) to stage an expanded tournament of 48 teams and 104 matches—something impossible for a single country without enormous costs.
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