FIFA announced the cities that will host games at the World Cup 2026 in a glittering ceremony in New York on Thursday, the end of a year-long competition between dozens of cities in the United States, Mexico and Canada vying for the coveted spots.

The US cities to host World Cup 2026 will be Atlanta, Los Angeles, Bay Area, Seattle, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, New York/New Jersey, Boston, Philadelphia and Miami. In Canada, Vancouver and Toronto were selected. In Mexico, matches will be played in Monterrey, Mexico City and Guadalajara.

This will be the first time that the tournament will feature 48 teams instead of the current 32-team format. This will also be the first time that the tournament will be staged in the three host countries.

The three-nation joint bid branded itself a United Bid under the motto of "Unity. Certainty. Opportunity". Their campaign highlighted the major financial opportunities in hosting games in North America, as well as the ease of access and of course the use of large-capacity stadiums.

Most of the U.S. in dispute Arenas regularly host NFL teams, and are also home to some MLS squads. Canadian stadiums host the Canadian Football League and MLS, while proposed arenas in Mexico are home to teams in Mexico's top soccer league, Liga MX.

Who will host the 2026 World Cup?

The host cities of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the United States, Canada and Mexico were revealed in New York City on Thursday. The 2026 edition of the tournament will be the biggest ever, with a new 48-team format featuring 80 games, meaning we will be treated to 16 additional teams and 16 extra games compared to the current format. This will be the first time three countries have joined forces to host a tournament, and Mexico will be the first country to have held three separate men's World Cups on its soil. As a result, 16 locations were selected in three countries divided by three regional centers: West, Central and East.

Western zone

• Vancouver, Canada -- BC Place

• Seattle, Washington -- Lumen Field

• Los Angeles, California -- Sophie Stadium

• San Francisco, California -- Levi's Stadium

• Guadalajara, Mexico -- Estadio Akron

Central Zone

• Dallas, Texas -- AT&T Stadium

• Atlanta, Georgia -- Mercedes-Benz-Stadium

• Kansas City, Missouri -- Arrowhead Stadium

• Houston, Texas -- NRG Stadium

• Monterrey, Mexico -- Estadio BBVA

• Mexico City, Mexico -- Estadio Azteca

Eastern Zone

• Toronto, Canada -- BMO Field

• Boston, Massachusetts -- Gillette Stadium

• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania -- Lincoln Financial Area

• Miami, Florida -- Hard Rock Stadium

• New York/New Jersey -- MetLife Stadium

What is the format of the FIFA World Cup 2026?

The World Cup 2026 will have 48 teams in group stages, consisting of 16 groups of three teams. There will be a total of 80 matches from the group stage to the final. The groups will be labeled alphabetically from group A to group P.

Two teams from each group will advance which means 32 teams will advance to the knockout stage. These teams will face off in the normal format, with the winner of one group facing the runner-up of the other. They would then advance to the Round of 16 and advance to the quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals.

Like the current 32-team tournament format, teams from the same group will be kept separate until the final to ensure diversity in each match until the final four stages.

When do tickets go on sale for FIFA World Cup 2026?

You just have to wait a long time for these. Tickets for the World Cup finals are sold exclusively through FIFA these days and go on sale less than a year before the tournament.

For example, the process of ticket sales for the 2018 World Cup began in September 2017. So it will be 2025 by the time the ticket sales start.

Which stadium will host the FIFA World Cup 2026 final?

Sophie Stadium to host Los Angeles as World Cup venue

How will the FIFA World Cup 2026 work?

The 2026 World Cup will be the first to feature an expanded 48-team structure, consisting of 16 groups from three nations. The top two teams in each group will advance to a 32-team single-elimination knockout stage bracket.

Which are the 16 host cities for the FIFA World Cup 2026?

World Cup 2026 host cities confirmed: What you need to know about 16 venues

United States: New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Boston, Atlanta, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Kansas City, Seattle, San Francisco/Bay Area and Los Angeles/Sophie Stadium.

Canada: Vancouver, Toronto.

Mexico: Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey.

How much will the FIFA World Cup 2026 tickets cost?

About $300

How many FIFA world cups are there?

21 world cup

How can I buy FIFA World Cup 2026 tickets?

Tickets for the FIFA World Cup 2026 can be purchased through the official FIFA website, where the audience will need to register an account on FIFA's ticketing portal.

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