The 2026 World Cup final will be held at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey, organisers FIFA have announced.
MetLife Stadium won the race to hold FIFA World Cup Final In 2026. The New York bid held off a strong challenge from Dallas to secure the July 19 game, the culmination of the expanded 48-team tournament being co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico.
The competition will kick-off with the opening game at Mexico City’s iconic Azteca Stadium on June 11.
Atlanta and Dallas will host the semi-finals while the third-place game will take place in Miami.
The decisions were announced on a live television broadcast in North America which featured FIFA president Gianni Infantino alongside comedian and actor Kevin Hart, rapper Drake and celebrity Kim Kardashian.
The 82,500-seat MetLife Stadium, across the Hudson river in East Rutherford, New Jersey, is the home of the NFL’s New York Giants and New York Jets but has held a number of international football games including the final of the 2016 Copa America tournament.
The New York bid had lobbied hard on the city’s experience at hosting major international events and it’s position as a global city with easy transportation connections for fans.
Dallas had hoped that AT&T Stadium, in Arlington, Texas, home to the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, would benefit from having a roof to protect the game from the elements.
The New York host committee for the 2026 World Cup overcame a big push by Dallas to win the marquee game. That effort was led by FC Dallas President Dan Hunt and backed by Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who promised transportation upgrades and ambitious plans for fan events in addition to the final at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
“I cannot believe we lost to Jersey,” former Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith joked at a media event.
Softening the blow, the Dallas area will host nine games, more than any other city, including a semifinal — an outcome Jones called “a fabulous success.” The other semifinal will be played in Atlanta, while Miami will host the third-place game.
The quarterfinals will be held in Boston, Los Angeles, Miami and Kansas City, Missouri.
In addition to matches played at MetLife Stadium, New York and New Jersey will set up FIFA Fan Fest sites, where soccer enthusiasts can watch game screenings and hold their own matches.
Los Angeles had also thrown their hat into the ring but their attempt struggled amid disagreements with FIFA about tournament upgrades needed to their NFL venue, SoFi Stadium.
The Azteca will become the first stadium to host World Cup tournament games in three separate editions after 1970 and 1986.
The venue hosted the finals of the 1970 and 1986 tournaments.
The United States will kick off their group stage campaign at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on June 12 and will also play in Seattle.
Toronto was selected to host the first game for the Canadian team. Vancouver is the other Canadian venue which will host the team.
