According to FIFA, the 2026 World Cup will be played in 16 cities. The locations for the opening game and final are still open.
The 2026 tournament will be the first with 48 participants. The world governing body FIFA also considered a stadium south of Los Angeles, which was only opened two years ago, for the award, which was broadcast live on US television, although the playing field of the stadium, which costs around five billion US dollars, is too narrow and has to be specially converted.
A total of 16 cities will get World Cup games – Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey in Mexico, Vancouver and Toronto in Canada and, in addition to Los Angeles, ten other cities in the USA.
From the quarterfinals only in the USA
Which cities will host the final and the opening game has not yet been decided. “We will take our time with the decision. We will select the best cities for this”, said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
60 of the 80 games are to take place in the USA, including all games from the quarterfinals onwards. Ten games each are planned in Canada and Mexico.
1994 final stadium not included
With Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York/New Jersey and San Francisco, five cities have been selected that were already hosts at the 1994 World Cup. Also played in the US are Atlanta, Houston, Kansas City, Miami, Philadelphia and Seattle.
Of the rose bowl in Los Angeles, the venue for the final between Brazil and Italy at the last World Cup in the USA in 1994, this time ended empty-handed.