FIFA announces the 16 official stadiums for the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the USA By Jeronimo Santos
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FIFA has made official the 16 stadiums that will host the 104 matches of the Copa of the Mundo of 2026, scheduled for June 11th to July 19th. The tournament will be played in Canadá, México and Estados Unidos, being the first edition with 48 teams and a new format that includes a round of 32 phase.
The choice prioritized a minimum capacity of 40 thousand seats, modern infrastructure and strategic location to facilitate travel. Of the 23 initial candidates, 16 arenas were maintained after technical evaluation carried out between 2024 and 2025.
- MetLife Stadium, in East Rutherford (New Jersey), will host the final on July 19.
- AT&T Stadium, at Arlington (Texas), will have nine games, the most in the tournament.
- Azteca Stadium, in Cidade of México, will be the first to host three Copas (1970, 1986 and 2026).
Headquarters in Canadá receive specific renovations
BC Place, in
BMO Field, in
The two Canadian cities are located in the west and east of the country, facilitating logistics for fans on the coast of Pacífico and Atlântico.
Mexico maintains three traditional arenas
The Estádio Azteca remains Mexico’s largest venue, with 83,000 seats after further modernization scheduled for March 2026. The venue will open the tournament and will have five matches in total.
In Guadalajara, Estádio Akron hosts four group stage games. Construído in 2010, the 48,000-seat stadium belongs to Club Chivas and did not require major works.
Monterrey completes the Mexican list with Estádio BBVA, with 53,500 seats, which will host four matches. Inaugurado in 2015, the site has advanced lighting and lawn technology.
States Unidos concentrate the largest number of games
AT&T Stadium, in Arlington, stands out with nine matches, including a semifinal. The 94,000-seat expandable arena has been home to Dallas Cowboys since 2009.
SoFi Stadium, in Inglewood, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium, in Atlanta, appear next with eight games each. Ambos received recent investments in 5G coverage and connectivity.
MetLife Stadium, in East Rutherford, closes the list with the title decision. The 82,500-seat stadium has already hosted the Copa América Centenário finals in 2016.
Capacities vary between 45 thousand and 94 thousand spectators
The smallest arena will be BMO Field, at Toronto, with 45 thousand seats after expansion. The largest remains the AT&T Stadium, capable of reaching 100 thousand in a special configuration.
- AT&T Stadium (Arlington): 94 thousand
- Azteca (City of México): 83 thousand
- MetLife (East Rutherford): 82.5 thousand
- Mercedes-Benz (Atlanta): 75.5 thousand
- NRG Stadium (Houston): 72.2 thousand
The average capacity of the 16 stadiums is 68.2 thousand seats, above the 61 thousand in Copa of 2022 in Catar.
Main matches already have defined locations
The final takes place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium at 3pm (Costa Leste local time). The opening game will be on Estádio Azteca, at 5pm (Cidade time from México).
Three matches for third place have already been allocated, with emphasis on Hard Rock Stadium, in Miami Gardens. The semi-finals are divided between Arlington and Atlanta.
The direct knockout stages are concentrated in the largest arenas, guaranteeing an audience of over 65,000 in all knockout stages from the round of 16 onwards.
Infrastructure receives final adjustments until June
Most renovations will be completed by March 2026, including new VIP areas and access improvements. Stadiums located in hot regions, such as Houston and Miami, have advanced air conditioning systems.
The tournament will distribute 104 games over 39 days of competition. The group stage will feature 72 matches in 12 groups of four teams each.
