On Sunday afternoon, the official announcement of the schedule for the 2026 World Cup took place. The tournament will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The stadium that will have the honor of hosting the final has also been revealed.

First such edition in history

The 2026 World Cup will be the first tournament of this caliber in history to feature 48 teams. This marks another change in the number of participants, with the previous adjustment occurring in 1998 when the tournament expanded to include 32 teams. Additionally, it will be the first time the tournament is hosted by three countries. Previously, in 2002, matches were played in more than one country, specifically Japan and South Korea. The joint bid of the USA, Mexico, and Canada won the vote against Morocco with a score of 134:65. It took place during the FIFA Congress in 2018.

Matches of this World Cup edition will be played across 16 stadiums: eleven in American cities, three in Mexican cities, and two in Canadian cities. Starting from the quarter-finals, the competition will be exclusively held in the United States. The top contenders for hosting the final were three stadiums almost from the beginning: MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. However, due to these stadiums primarily serving purposes other than football, several adjustments will need to be made to meet FIFA's requirements. We previously covered the challenges faced by American venues in organizing the final.

Estadio Azteca - 2026 World Cup opening match venue

In mid-January of this year, leaks suggested that FIFA officials had already made their decision, and the crucial final match would take place at AT&T Stadium. Are these reports consistent with the official decision announced by the federation on February 4? Let's find out!

Three countries, three opening matches

The Mexican one will take place on June 11 at Estadio Azteca, the Canadian one on June 12 at BMO Field in Toronto. On the same day, the World Cup will also visit the USA, with the opening match hosted at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

World Cup final in New Jersey!

Contrary to leaks, the 2026 World Cup final will be held at MetLife Stadium. The facility in New Jersey was opened in 2010 and serves as the home for two teams: the New York Jets and the New York Giants. In preparation for the World Cup, 1,740 seats are set to be removed from the MetLife Stadium to expand the field to FIFA's required dimensions (68 by 105 meters). This will reduce the capacity to approximately 80,000 seats. The renovation is expected to cost over $14 million in total and is likely to commence after the conclusion of the 2024 Copa América. The final match will be played on July 19.

© Hari Menon (cc: by-nc-sa) | MetLife Stadium - 2026 World Cup final venue