FIFA unveils scheduling framework for 2026 tournament
METLIFE STADIUM i n the American city of East Rutherford in the state of New Jersey, where the New York Giants and New York Jets play in the NFL, will stage the final of the next FIFA World Cup on Sunday, July 16, 2026.
World football’s governing body announced on Sunday the scheduling framework for the 104match tournament featuring 48 teams across 16 cities in the three host countries of Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
According to a statement on the FIFA website: “The iconic New York New Jersey venue was awarded the honour of hosting the showpiece fixture, which will bring the curtain down on the most inclusive FIFA tournament ever.
“While this stadium has been more used to hosting the superstars of the NFL down the years, the best that soccer has to offer will head to the ground come 2026 as a different sport takes centre stage.”
The stadium was opened 14 years ago and was the venue for the final of the 2016 Copa America Centenario, when Chile defeated Argentina on penalties.
Numerous A-list musical entertainers have featured at the stadium, i ncluding Bruce Springsteen, Beyonce, Ed Sheeran, and Taylor Swift.
FIFA also announced that the Azteca Stadium in Mexico has been confirmed as the venue for the opening match of the tournament on Thursday, June 11, 2026, becoming the first stadium to host three FIFA World Cup openers.
The first match in Canada, which has never hosted a World Cup match, will be on Friday, June 12 at BMO Field in Toronto, where the city’s Major League Soccer team plays, while the opening match in the United States will be on the same day at SoFi Stadium in the city of Los Angeles, the home of the NFL’s LA Rams.
Mexico will have the honour of getting the tournament started in their capital city, kicking off proceedings in the historic venue, which hosted the World Cup finals and opening matches of 1970 and 1986.
Mexico will play all three of their group fixtures on home soil, with Guadalajara Stadium hosting their second match on Thursday, June 18, before a return to the Azteca on Wednesday, June 24, for their final group match.
The Azteca currently hosts both Club America and Cruz Azul of Mexican League, as well as the Mexico national team, while clubs such as Pumas, Atlante, Atletico Espanyol, and Necaxa have all previously played there.
BMO Field has previously hosted matches the FIFA Under-17 World Cup, FIFA Under-20 World Cup, and FIFA Women’s Under-20 World Cup, and it played host to the climax of Canada’s campaign to reach the 2022 World Cup, when their ticket to Qatar was secured with victory over Jamaica.
Canada too will play all three of their group stage match on home soil, with BC Place in Vancouver hosting their second and third group fixtures on Thursday, June 18, and Wednesday, June 24.
SoFi Stadium is the newest of the venues chosen to host matches in the tournament, having opened in September 2020, and it is situated only a 30-minute drive from the iconic Rose Bowl in the city of Pasadena, which hosted the World Cup final of 1994.
The United States will also play all three of their group matches on home soil, with Lumen Field in the city of Seattle in the state of Washington, where the Seattle Sounders play their matches in the MLS, hosting the national team’s second fixture on Friday, June 19, before the Americans return to SoFi for their final group match on Thursday, June 25.
The tournament will shift entirely to the United States from the quarter-final round, which will be held in the cities of Los Angeles, Kansas City, Miami, and Boston.
Dallas and Atlanta will host the two semifinals, Miami will be the site of the consolation final for third place, while Philadelphia will host a round-of-16 match on July 4 to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in the country.
The 2026 World Cup will feature 104 matches instead of the traditional 64 games, including an additional knockout round due to the previously announced decision to expand to 48 teams from 32.