World Cup 2026 host cities: The place issues stand with all 11 within the U.S.

It was a curious pairing that raised some eyebrows: FIFA president Gianni Infantino rubbing shoulders with Jerry Jones, the highly effective proprietor of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, on a Sunday afternoon inside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Infantino had been invited by the Texas billionaire to observe his staff tackle the New York Jets, and it resulted in a uncommon sighting of the FIFA head in the USA, the place 11 cities are making ready to host the World Cup in 2026.

It was additionally a precursor to one thing extra widespread: an operational planning tour to these host cities. The tour was cut up over two durations, with the primary kicking off on Sept. 20 and lasting 9 days, throughout which era a FIFA delegation of “operational specialists” visited Miami, Houston, Kansas Metropolis, Boston, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia and Toronto. The second leg will start subsequent month in Dallas, reaching the remaining host cities, and conclude in Vancouver, Canada, by early November, FIFA has mentioned.

After initially speaking to native organizers that they need to anticipate a September reveal for the websites of the opening match, the ultimate, and different key dates, sources now count on an announcement by FIFA no later than yr’s finish.

The schedule is probably going a essential first step for native organizers, who at the moment face an not possible activity: making ready for the most important World Cup ever, whereas not realizing what number of or which video games they’ll be internet hosting.

The 2026 last, which will probably be performed on July 19, stays up for grabs, with a number of reviews alluding to Dallas and New York/New Jersey as favorites to safe the coveted match. In the meantime in Los Angeles, as soon as a prime contender for the ultimate, is outwardly prone to its whole internet hosting settlement going up in flames.

Within the interim, right here’s a abstract on the 11 U.S. host cities and the place issues could stand with every.

Capability and stadium notes from FIFA.

New York / New Jersey

Stadium: MetLife Stadium

Capability: 82,500

Earlier World Cups: 1994, 1999

New Jersey is not any stranger to internet hosting World Cups.

The small city of East Rutherford, N.J., the place MetLife Stadium sits, has welcomed soccer greats like Pele and Diego Maradona, and was as soon as the house of the New York Cosmos. It hosted video games in 1994 and 1999 on the outdated Giants Stadium, which was demolished in 2010. MetLife was constructed on an adjoining lot that very same yr and has since been the location of some main video games, just like the Copa America Centenario last in 2016, when Lionel Messi infamously stop his nationwide staff after falling to Chile in penalties for a second yr in a row.

This previous summer season, the stadium broke its attendance report for a soccer match with 82,262 followers at a Manchester United vs. Arsenal pleasant in July. There’s help for soccer on the state authorities degree: New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and his spouse Tammy are longtime part-owners of the NWSL’s Gotham FC.

The area has lengthy been anticipated to be a prime contender to host the ultimate given its proximity to New York Metropolis and its stadium, which has the third-largest capability of all 16 venues bookmarked for 2026.

Dallas

Stadium: AT&T Stadium

Capability: 94,000

Earlier World Cups: 1994

Dallas has one factor that no different host metropolis can provide – the most important capability for video games.

AT&T Stadium has a capability of 80,000, however can develop to host an estimated 105,000 spectators. This has set the stage for record-setting crowds because it opened in 2009. That yr, the stadium set an NFL attendance report with 105,121 followers. In 2010, the venue set an NBA report for the most important All-Star Sport attendance with a crowd of 108,713.

Jerry Jones and the Cowboys are planning an estimated $350 million in upgrades over the subsequent a number of years – a price ticket that features, amongst different issues, changing the world’s largest center-hung HDTV video board to 4K.

Dallas hosted six World Cup video games in 1994, however that was on the Cotton Bowl in Honest Park. AT&T Stadium has hosted soccer, although, together with some Gold Cup video games this previous summer season.

SoFi Stadium’s standing may very well be in jeopardy (Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Pictures)

Los Angeles

Stadium: So-Fi Stadium

Capability: 70,000

Earlier World Cups: 1994, 1999, 2003

Los Angeles has lengthy been the favored selection for FIFA relating to marquee World Cup video games in the USA. The enduring Rose Bowl stadium, which seats upwards of 92,000 followers, was the location of the 1994 and 1999 World Cup finals.

In 2026, matches will probably be performed at SoFi Stadium, which opened in September 2020, making it the most recent of all of the World Cup venues. Nevertheless, tensions have risen between FIFA and the Kroenke household (the stadium’s homeowners), over phrases of the settlement to be a bunch venue as not too long ago as September.

A number of sources conversant in the discussions have informed The Athletic KSE is sad with the phrases of the take care of respect to how income will probably be shared between FIFA, the cities and the stadiums. In the meantime, Los Angeles has already been a key fixture of 2026, with FIFA utilizing the Metropolis of Angels because the backdrop for the model reveal for host cities this previous Might.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium attracts large crowds for Atlanta United and different soccer occasions (Alex Slitz/Getty Pictures for Premier League)

Atlanta

Stadium: Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Capability: 75,000

Earlier World Cups: 0

He could also be biased, however Atlanta mayor Andre Dickens calls his metropolis “the capital of soccer on this nation.” That was after U.S. Soccer introduced final month plans to construct a nationwide coaching facility and HQ within the Atlanta space funded partially by a $50 million donation from Atlanta United proprietor Arthur Clean.

Town’s downtown has a number of main improvement initiatives underway because the 2026 World Cup approaches, with native information organizations describing the increase as the most important concentrated funding in Atlanta’s historical past. The most important venture in that wave is closest to Mercedes-Benz Stadium, known as Centennial Yards, and can characteristic a “mini-city” of motels, workplaces, retail and residences throughout 50 acres, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has reported.

NRG Stadium internet hosting Manchester United (Matthew Peters/Manchester United by way of Getty Pictures)

Houston

Stadium: NRG Stadium

Capability: 72,220

Earlier World Cups: 0

Houston has turn out to be a daily web site for worldwide soccer matches, together with a pleasant between Actual Madrid and Manchester United in July and three CONCACAF Gold Cup matches simply weeks earlier than that. NRG Stadium was additionally host to Copa America Centenario video games in 2016 and has hosted two Tremendous Bowls in 2004 and 2017.

In December, Houston’s host metropolis committee despatched representatives to the World Cup in Qatar, the place they took half in an remark program. The aim was to study extra in regards to the operational calls for of organizing a World Cup.

Houston is among the largest cities in America by inhabitants – bigger than close by Dallas by about a million. That inhabitants can be a various one with an urge for food for soccer. Census data as of July 1, 2022, estimates the Houston space is 22.6% Black, 6.8% Asian, 44.5% Hispanic or Latino and 24.1% White (alone, not Hispanic or Latino). About 10.8% of the inhabitants recognized as two or extra races. Town’s various inhabitants has prompted the town to put money into worldwide video games, fueling a vibrant soccer tradition, organizers mentioned. It’s additionally why their focus now could be on what occurs after the World Cup is over.

Seattle Sounders have known as Lumen Discipline dwelling since becoming a member of MLS (Steph Chambers/Getty Pictures)

Seattle

Stadium: Lumen Discipline

Capability: 69,000

Earlier World Cups: 0

Seattle welcomed followers to a Copa America Centenario match in 2016 and has lengthy had probably the most well-attended and vibrant video games in MLS when the Seattle Sounders play at Lumen Discipline.

Town has been significantly clear about its actions in making ready for the 2026 World Cup. Metropolis officers have posted their settlement with FIFA on-line, shedding a small gentle onto the normally obscure negotiations between the governing physique and host cities. Town’s organizing committee this week additionally appointed Lisa Chin as its Chief Legacy Officer –a place that, to date, no different host metropolis has invested in.

When the rent was introduced, Chin in contrast the World Cup’s arrival in Seattle to the historic World’s Honest in 1962. The enduring House Needle was constructed within the Seattle Heart for the truthful and has since turn out to be an emblem synonymous with the town. Seattle hopes to copy the same influence in 2026 – partly by investing in applications just like the RAVE Basis’s “26 by 2026” initiative, which goals to construct 26 fields by 2026 in areas the place entry to free play could also be restricted.

Exhausting Rock Stadium has hosted many soccer occasions (Angel Martinez/Actual Madrid by way of Getty Pictures)

Miami

Stadium: Exhausting Rock Stadium

Capability: 65,000

Earlier World Cups: 0

Lionel Messi despatched shock waves by way of the worldwide soccer world when he introduced plans to play for Inter Miami in MLS, nevertheless it was simply the most recent in a pattern that has seen Miami turn out to be a hotbed for international soccer.

The Argentine Soccer Federation (AFA) is making ready to construct its personal Miami coaching facility because it targets a significant U.S. enlargement. FIFA additionally has its eyes set on South Florida;  the game’s international governing physique had already begun filling its latest U.S. outpost in Coral Gables, close to Miami, in preparations for World Cup 2026. Jobs have been posted on LinkedIn on the new location. Then, information broke that FIFA can be relocating greater than 100 jobs to Florida from Zurich, largely its authorized division.

It’s clear that Miami will probably be a major cease for FIFA operations in 2026, regardless of not having the stadium capability for a last match. Town has bid for the World Cup Worldwide Broadcast Heart, Media Heart and FanFest, according to the Miami Herald.

“The Linc” hosted the Premier League Summer season Sequence in 2023 (Scott Taetsch/Getty Pictures for Premier League)

Philadelphia

Stadium: Lincoln Monetary Discipline

Capability: 69,000

Earlier World Cups: 2003

Philadelphia solely hosted World Cup video games in 2003, when the ladies’s match was relocated to the USA from China on the eleventh hour following a SARS outbreak within the unique host nation. Philadelphia hosted that yr’s opening recreation between North Korea and Nigeria, in addition to a number of different matches.

The higher Pennsylvania area lays declare to some large soccer names, like Christian Pulisic of the U.S. males’s nationwide staff. Hailing from southern New Jersey, Carli Lloyd performed her farewell match as an area inside Subaru Park, the place the Philadelphia Union performs.

Native organizers say they’re conscious their infrastructure is restricted in comparison with bigger cities like New Jersey and New York and even Dallas. That’s why, they mentioned, they’ve been working carefully with their host metropolis neighbors alongside the East Coast hall to make sure a seamless transition of followers between video games.

Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Ca. (Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Pictures)

San Francisco / Bay Space

Stadium: Levi’s Stadium

Capability: 71,000

Earlier World Cups: 1994, 1999

The Bay Space can have a really busy 2026 as Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara will host World Cup video games and a Tremendous Bowl that very same yr. The San Francisco 49ers, who name that venue dwelling, are planning to borrow $120 million from the NFL’s stadium fund to improve seating and scoreboards forward of the World Cup video games.

The Bay Space has a wealthy soccer tradition and is at the moment making ready the launch of Bay FC, an NWSL enlargement staff slated to start play in 2024. Through the World Cups in 2023 and 2024, metropolis officers organized a World Cup Village in San Francisco’s downtown to host public screenings of match matches. The occasion, in accordance with officers, drew greater than 12,000 spectators for the boys’s match in 2022.

Watch events and actions, like fan festivals, are widespread in host cities whereas video games are occurring. Through the 2023 girls’s match, watch events in Australia and New Zealand attracted standing-room-only crowds inside FIFA-designated areas.

Gillette Stadium was constructed adjoining to outdated Foxboro Stadium (Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports activities)

Boston

Stadium: Gillette Stadium

Capability: 65,000

Earlier World Cups: 1994, 1999, 2003

Boston is certainly one of two cities – Los Angeles being the opposite – that has hosted World Cup video games every time the match has been performed on U.S. soil. The now-demolished Foxboro Stadium was the final place Diego Maradona scored a World Cup aim, and the venue the place he was infamously walked off the pitch hand-in-hand with a nurse earlier than failing a drug check.

Although many of the focus has been on 2026, there stays an energetic bid by U.S. Soccer to host the 2027 girls’s match collectively with Mexico. A profitable run-up to 2026 may very well be sufficient to persuade FIFA to proceed investing within the North American recreation in locations like Boston.

Arrowhead final hosted worldwide soccer in a 2015 Mexico vs. Paraguay pleasant (Omar Vega/LatinContent by way of Getty Pictures)

Kansas Metropolis

Stadium: Arrowhead Stadium

Capability: 73,000

Earlier World Cups: 0

The inspiration for soccer in Kansas Metropolis is strong. Sporting Kansas Metropolis was one of many founding golf equipment of Main League Soccer and has invested lots of of thousands and thousands of {dollars} into the native soccer scene since. On the ladies’s aspect, the Kansas Metropolis Present has pushed the envelope on what an expert girls’s membership can do. Final yr, the franchise opened an $18 million coaching facility. Subsequent yr, they plan to open a $120 million riverfront stadium the place the staff will play – calling it the primary sports activities stadium on the planet devoted solely to a girls’s skilled sports activities staff.

Town can be identified for its loyal – and loud – fandom. Arrowhead Stadium, the place World Cup video games will probably be performed, is believed to be one of many loudest stadiums in the complete world.

(Prime photograph: Wealthy Schultz/LatinContent by way of Getty Pictures)