FIFA World Cup 26™ final to be held in New York New Jersey, Mexico City to host historic opening match as schedule revealed (2024)

  • FIFA World Cup 26™ final scheduled for Sunday, 19 July 2026 in New York New Jersey, kick-off at iconic Estadio Azteca Mexico City on Thursday, 11 June 2026

  • Toronto (Canada), Mexico City (Mexico), and Los Angeles (USA) to host respective national teams’ FIFA World Cup™ opening matches

  • Innovative match schedule designed to minimise travel for teams and fans alike, ensuring that players’ rest and recovery is prioritised throughout the tournament

FIFA has revealed the match schedule for the FIFA World Cup 26™, with the final to be held in New York New Jersey on Sunday, 19 July 2026 and the opening match featuring the Mexican national team scheduled to be played at the iconic Estadio Azteca Mexico City on Thursday, 11 June 2026. Like Mexico, the national teams of Canada and the United States will each play their three group-stage matches on home soil. Canada will kick off their campaign in Toronto on Friday, 12 June 2026, while the United States will begin their journey on the same day in Los Angeles.

The schedule for the tournament was revealed live on Sunday and can be reviewed on FIFA.com and FIFA+. The match schedule can also be accessed here. FIFA President Gianni Infantino said: “The most inclusive and impactful FIFA World Cup ever is no longer a dream but a reality that will take shape in the form of 104 matches in 16 state-of-the-art stadiums across Canada, Mexico and the USA. From the opening match at the iconic Estadio Azteca to the spectacular final in New York New Jersey players and fans have been at the core of our extensive planning for this game-changing tournament.”

“I would like to thank our three host countries and 16 Host Cities for the unwavering commitment to staging a FIFA World Cup that will not only set new records but also leave an indelible legacy.”

FIFA Vice-President and Concacaf President Victor Montagliani said: “The FIFA World Cup 26 will be a watershed moment and one that will trigger massive football development in our region and worldwide. While each Host City is unique, they all have something in common – they are passionate about football and cannot wait to welcome the world in June and July 2026.” The tournament’s innovative match schedule will serve to minimise travel for teams and fans alike, while the number of rest days between fixtures will be maximised. Having been drawn up in consultation with key stakeholders, including national-team coaches and technical directors, the schedule will also increase the prospect of matches being played in the best possible conditions and ensure that fans have shorter travel times when following their teams. Match pairings and kick-off times will be confirmed following the Final Draw for FIFA World Cup 26, which is expected to take place towards the end of 2025.

FIFA World Cup 26™ final to be held in New York New Jersey, Mexico City to host historic opening match as schedule revealed (1)

FIFA World Cup 26 match schedule – summary:

•FIFA World Cup 26 to kick-off at the iconic Estadio Azteca Mexico City on Thursday, 11 June 2026, with the final scheduled for Sunday, 19 July 2026 in New York New Jersey.•Toronto, Mexico City, and Los Angeles to host the opening matches of their respective national teams. •Canada, Mexico, and the United States guaranteed to play their three group-stage matches on home soil, with Guadalajara, Vancouver, and Seattle also selected to stage host countries’ group-stage matches. •Miami to host the bronze final, Dallas and Atlanta to stage the highly anticipated semi-finals, while Dallas will host nine (9) matches – the most of any Host City at the tournament. •Innovative match schedule ensures that three days of rest for teams is observed for 103 of the tournament’s 104 matches. Majority of matches to be played in three regionalised zones (east, central and west) to reduce travel for teams and fans.Group stage:oFirst matchday of the tournament to feature two matches, including the tournament curtain-raiser in Mexico City and a match in Guadalajara.oDay two to feature two matches involving hosts Canada and the United States respectively.oThe final four matchdays of the group stage will feature six matches per day. Matches in the same group will be played simultaneously to maintain the integrity of the competition.oAll other group-stage matchdays will feature four matches per day across four kick-off times. •Estadio Azteca Mexico City set to host opening match for the third time, making FIFA World Cup history as the first stadium to do so. •Canada will host its first FIFA World Cup, complementing its proud history of hosting top FIFA women’s and youth tournaments, including the successful FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015™. •USA to host FIFA World Cup for the second time, following record-setting 1994 edition. USA has also hosted two successful editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup (1999 and 2003).•Fans can pre-register for FIFA World Cup 26 tickets at fifa.com/tickets. Pre-registration for information about hospitality packages is available at fifa.com/hospitality.Further details on the match schedule are available in the .

FIFA World Cup 2026™ schedule reveal

01/20

FIFA President Gianni Infantino

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Jenny Taft, Kevin Hart, FIFA Legend Heather O'Reilly, FIFA Legend Cafú, FIFA Vice-President and CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani and Andrés Cantor

04/20

FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Kevin Hart

05/20

FIFA World Cup Winner's Trophy

06/20

FIFA World Cup Winner's Trophy

07/20

FIFA President Gianni Infantino

08/20

Presenter Andrés Cantor

09/20

FIFA President Gianni Infantino

10/20

FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Kevin Hart and Presenter Jenny Taft

11/20

FIFA President Gianni Infantino

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FIFA Legends Heather O'Reilly and Cafu

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Presenter Andrés Cantor

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino (L) with Kevin Hart

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FIFA Vice-President and CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani

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Kevin Hart and Presenter Jenny Taft

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Kevin Hart

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FIFA Legends Heather O'Reilly, Cafu and FIFA President Gianni Infantino

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A general view during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Match Schedule announcement

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino

FIFA World Cup 26™ final to be held in New York New Jersey, Mexico City to host historic opening match as schedule revealed (2024)

FAQs

FIFA World Cup 26™ final to be held in New York New Jersey, Mexico City to host historic opening match as schedule revealed? ›

FIFA has revealed the match schedule for the FIFA World Cup 26™, with the final to be held in New York New Jersey on Sunday, 19 July 2026 and the opening match featuring the Mexican national team scheduled to be played at the iconic Estadio Azteca Mexico City on Thursday, 11 June 2026.

Where will the 2026 World Cup final be played? ›

Where is the World Cup in Mexico City Stadium 2026? ›

Estadio Azteca Mexico City has been confirmed as the venue for the opening fixture of the FIFA World Cup 26™ on Thursday, 11 June 2026, becoming the first stadium to host three FIFA World Cup™ opening matches.

Where is the FIFA World Cup 2026 schedule? ›

The tournament will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026. It will be jointly hosted by 16 cities in three North American countries: Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The tournament will be the first hosted by three nations and the first North American World Cup since 1994. Argentina is the defending champion.

Where in New York is the World Cup 2026? ›

New York New Jersey will host eight matches at New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium) during FIFA World Cup 26™, including the final on July 19, 2026. In terms of scale, the tournament will be the biggest sporting event ever held: three host countries, 16 host cities, 48 teams and 104 matches across 39 days.

Why did FIFA pick MetLife Stadium? ›

One topic that may have factored into FIFA's decision to award the final to MetLife Stadium over AT&T Stadium is the varying political climates in New Jersey, New York and Texas. In short, the two sides could not be more ideologically different or on opposite ends of the political spectrum.

Why did MetLife Stadium get the World Cup final? ›

The U.S. cities hosting the 2026 World Cup are announced

Murphy said in a tweet. When local officials first made their pitch to play host for the World Cup final, they emphasized the stadium's proximity to New York City as a media hub with central access to hotels, restaurants, entertainment and international flights.

Has Mexico ever been in a World Cup final? ›

Mexico has competed in nearly every tournament since the inaugural 1930 World Cup, but it has never been able to win. The country has advanced past the group stage in seven straight World Cups, but it has lost in the Round of 16 each time. It has been 36 years since fans have seen Mexico advance past the Round of 16.

Will Mexico host the World Cup in 2026? ›

The 2026 FIFA World Cup™ will be staged in Canada, Mexico and the United States. Football's most prestigious tournament, will be played with 48 teams.

How many games will Mexico host in 2026? ›

Canada and Mexico each will host 13 matches across their respective cities, according to FIFA – meaning the U.S. will be the home of 78 World Cup matches. With nine games, Dallas will host the most among American cities, followed by Atlanta and Los Angeles, which will each host eight.

How do I get tickets for the World Cup 2026 New Jersey? ›

How to get tickets for World Cup 2026. If you're interested in getting tickets for games being played at MetLife/New York New Jersey Stadium, right now the only way to get ahold of a ticket is to sign up with FIFA to express your interest.

What stadium is the 2026 World Cup semi final? ›

The other semi-final will be in Atlanta at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, and the third-place game will be at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be at the much-maligned MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Is the 2026 World Cup in NJ? ›

2026 World Cup final will be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The 2026 World Cup final will be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, beating out Texas and California for soccer's showcase game.

Was the World Cup in NJ? ›

With hundreds of thousands of youth players in the region, New York and New Jersey grew the game from a grassroots level tremendously after hosting the 1994 FIFA World Cup USA™, and expects to do the same after 2026.

How much would World Cup tickets cost? ›

Group stage games in 2022 ranged in price from just $11 to over $600 depending on the date, ticket category, venue, and teams involved. Tickets for the 2022 final were as expensive as $5,850, according to FIFA.

Where does the World Cup final take place? ›

World Cup Final Venues
YearHostStadium
2022QatarLusail Stadium
2018RussiaLuzhniki Stadium
2014BrazilMaracana
2010South AfricaSoccer City
19 more rows

Which stadium will host the 2030 World Cup final? ›

Santiago Bernabeu set to host 2030 FIFA World Cup Final -reports - Managing Madrid.

What stadium is the 2026 World Cup semi-final? ›

The other semi-final will be in Atlanta at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, and the third-place game will be at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be at the much-maligned MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Who will win the 2026 World Cup? ›

Analysis: France is the odds-on-favorite after finishing runner-up in what was memorable 2022 World Cup final in Qatar. Argentina, the reigning champions, currently sit in the middle of the pack at 10/1 as they try to become the first country in over 60 years to win back-to-back World Cups.

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