There is still a long way to go until the first whistle of the World Cup in North America. However, three years before the start of the tournament, one of the most exciting battles is about to be decided, and it has nothing to do with the fight on the pitch. Three American cities are leading the competition to host the final match of the World Cup. Which of them will get the honour?

Who is in the running for the 2026 World Cup final?

Three years before the start of the most important football event of the quadrennium, we still do not know which American city will go down in football history as the host of the World Cup final. The major metropolises have their sights set on hosting the tournament's most important match, but only three really count. These are Los Angeles, New York and Dallas. These cities are home to SoFi Stadium, AT&T Stadium and MetLife Stadium, respectively. And what do the cities' representatives have to say about their candidature? Let's give them the floor.

President and CEO of NYC Tourism+Conventions, Fred Dixon: We’re the media capital of the world, the nation’s largest city, the largest catchment of soccer fans in the world, the most diverse community in America. The fans around the world think we’re hosting the finals. If you ask people just randomly, where do you think the finals? They’re like, well, it’ll be in New York.

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Monica Paul, executive director of the Dallas Sports Commission, at the Destinations International 2023 annual convention said: We’ve been very vocal about hosting the finals, at the very least semifinals, and being considered for numerous reasons.

President and CEO of LA Tourism, Adam Burke, confirmed that his city is pushing hard for the World Cup finals and stressed the economic importance of hosting the game right here in Southern California. He also praised the local stadium: There’s not a bad seat in the house. It’s got this massive infinity board that runs the entire periphery, - he is of course referring to the huge panoramic screen suspended from the roof of SoFi Stadium.

Which city has the best chance?

Los Angeles is also a huge media market, and because the city is so vast, huge traffic jams are less likely, allowing visitors to get around the metropolis more efficiently. The City of Angels has already hosted the men's World Cup final in 1994 and the women's World Cup final in 1999, both held at Rose Bowl. Los Angeles is also preparing to host the 2028 Olympic Games. However, Los Angeles' historic advantage has been somewhat diminished by the need to address the width of SoFi Stadium, which was built with American football in mind.

© Rich Fury

AT&T Stadium in Dallas, with the addition of extra seats, can accommodate more than 100,000 fans. The facility opened in 2009 and will undergo an upgrade before the World Cup. The first part of the work will cost $180m and will include refreshing the interior of the stadium, as well as renovating the premium space and business boxes. Once this phase is complete, the developer is expected to look into commissioning work to upgrade the video screens and upgrade them to 4K quality, refurbish the food and beverage areas and souvenir shops - while increasing their number - and upgrade the fan areas.

The entire planned investment is expected to cost $300 million. Adding the money spent on renovations over the past 14 years, the amount spent by the stadium upgrade is expected to reach almost $500 million. The final match would boost the region's status in tourism. Dallas estimates that hosting the World Cup would bring an economic boost of more than $400 million and 3,000 new jobs. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has long seen winning the right to host the finals as a supreme point of pride and is not afraid to lobby for it. However, it is worth noting that Arlington, where AT&T Stadium is located, is the largest city in the United States without a public transport system.

However, the presence of a roof could also boost AT&T Stadium's chances, especially in a direct match against New York City. Each World Cup match at, completed in 2010, MetLife Stadium will be attended by 80,000 fans. The potentially higher number of matches may compensate for the lack of a final in terms of economic impact, but will not compensate for the prestige associated with hosting the most important match of the tournament.

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What's the verdict?

In virtually every tournament to date, there has been such an obvious candidate to host the final that the issue has not been a matter of debate. Last year in Qatar, Lusail Stadium was designed and built for exactly that purpose. In 2018, there was no way the World Cup in Russia could have its final outside Moscow, and of the pair of stadiums in the city, Luzhniki was chosen. Where else in 2014 in Brazil than at the iconic Maracana in Rio de Janeiro? 

Los Angeles thinks it is the most important city in the country, and in New York they think exactly the same. As for Dallas, well, everything is bigger there, including the optimism they could bring to this spectacular show. Each city has its own strengths and problems. FIFA is expected to publish the schedule and match locations in September.

You can find all the 2026 World Cup stadiums in ae video on our YouTub channel. Enjoy!