FIFA will publish the schedule for the 2026 World Cup on Sunday. Then it will also be clear where the final will take place – it could be the first time there will be a World Cup final under a closed roof.
At 9 p.m. Central European Time, a FIFA show will begin on Sunday (February 4, 2024) via live stream from Miami in Florida, during which the world association wants to explain in detail the schedule for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada. The question is answered as to which stadium the final will take place in. There were two candidates in the running for the most important football game in the world: Dallas and New York.
New York and Dallas in the Favorite roles for the final
New York: MetLife Stadium is not in New York or even Manhattan, but in the state of New Jersey. With almost 20 million people, New York is the largest metropolitan region in the USA and has countless flight connections and hotel rooms. Another argument in favor of New York is the time zone, which is a little closer to the European television market compared to the competition. And: New York probably has the greatest possible cultural significance. The disadvantages are the extreme heat in summer, the lack of a roof and the fact that the area around the stadium has little to offer. FIFA reports it as having 82,500 seats.
MetLife Stadium in New Jersey
FIFA President Gianni Infantino visited at the end of September 2023 and met the owners of the local NFL team New York Jets. The New York Giants also play here.
Dallas: AT&T Stadium in Dallas has all the modern amenities, from a huge video wall to a retractable roof, that the stadium in New York lacks. That could be a deciding factor – Dallas, like New York, can experience extreme heat in the summer. The options for fans in the immediate vicinity before and after the game are also greater than in New Jersey. FIFA says the capacity is 94,000 seats, which is significantly more than the stadium in New York. The stadium in Arlington, around 30 kilometers outside of Dallas, is regularly used in the NFL by the Dallas Cowboys.
The stadium in Arlington near Dallas
The smaller number of hotel rooms speaks against Dallas, and accessibility is also not at the same level as New York. It is probably only a problem for FIFA from a PR perspective that laws were recently passed in Texas that restrict the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community or trans people. Infantino also appeared at the Dallas stadium with Governor Greg Abbott.
Los Angeles: SoFi Stadium is considered an underdog, but it’s not completely out of the running. There were disagreements with FIFA over the issue of the space between the pitch and the stands; certain renovations are necessary, which could reduce the capacity. FIFA requires 80,000 seats for the final; 73,000 fans could fit in the final of the Gold Cup 2023, the continental tournament for North America. FIFA says there are 70,000 places for Los Angeles. Los Angeles in the western part of the USA also has probably the worst time zone for the global television market.
Big crowd: 73,000 fans in the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles for the Gold Cup final
Opening game: Aztec Stadium as an obvious choice
There is less guesswork surrounding the opening game. The opening game is expected to take place at the Aztec Stadium in Mexico City. It is one of the most traditional stadiums in World Cup history. Pelé and Diego Maradona won the World Cup here. Maradona’s “Hand of God” in the game against England in 1986 is just as much a part of the history of this stadium as the “game of the century” between Italy and Germany in the semi-finals in 1970.
Fifa
The venues of the 2026 World Cup
| Stadium in | capacity |
|---|---|
Dallas | 94,000 |
Mexico City | 83,000 |
New York/New Jersey | 82,500 |
Atlanta | 75,000 |
Kansas City | 73,000 |
Houston | 72,000 |
San Francisco | 71,000 |
Los Angeles | 70,000 |
Philadelphia | 69,000 |
Seattle | 69,000 |
Boston | 65,000 |
Miami | 65,000 |
Vancouver | 54,000 |
Monterrey | 53,500 |
Guadalajara | 48,000 |
Toronto | 45,000 |
The game plan: Great complexity due to distances, heat, hosts and time zones
The overall game plan takes the organization to a new level of complexity:
- With the USA, Mexico and Canada there are three hosts for the first timewhich have to be kept apart in the game plan for a long time.
- For the first time, 48 teams are playing, there are a record number of 104 World Cup games. Since groups of four are to remain, FIFA must identify eight best third-place teams in the group and then place them in the tournament tree in the knockout phase.
- The distances must be distributed fairly in sporting terms. In 1994, Italy had to travel from the semifinals in New York to the final in Los Angeles, while Brazil could simply stay in Los Angeles. FIFA announced that group games should be divided regionally.
- Find the games in four different time zones instead, which needs to be brought into line commercially with television times in relevant markets.
- The heat In many North American cities during the summer plays a role in kickoff times.