With the end of the 2022 Qatar World Cup in sight, some supporters will already be looking ahead hopefully to the next tournament in four years’ time.
Canada, Mexico, and the United States have been confirmed as the hosts of the 23rd FIFA World Cup after beating out a rival bid from Morocco at the 2018 FIFA Congress.
A winter World Cup has had its benefits, but the majority of fans will be relieved that the 2026 tournament will be held in the summer months once again – and that’s not the only change from Qatar, as there will be 48 nations competing (an increase from 32) and it will be the first hosted across three separate countries.
RadioTimes.com brings you all the details about where the 2026 World Cup is going to be held.
For more World Cup features check out: World Cup 2022 TV schedule | World Cup 2022 kits ranked | World Cup 2022 stadiums | Best players at the World Cup
World Cup 2026 host cities
The 2026 World Cup is set to be the biggest in the tournament’s history as 48 nations will be playing in 16 host cities across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
11 of the host cities are in the United States, three are in Mexico, and two are in Canada. When they were chosen by FIFA in June 2022, the host cities were also split into three geographical divisions – Western, Central, and Eastern.
The host cities are:
- Atlanta, US (Central)
- Boston, US (Eastern)
- Dallas, US (Central)
- Guadalajara, Mexico (Western)
- Houston, US (Central)
- Kansas City, US (Central)
- Los Angeles, US (Western)
- Mexico City, Mexico (Central)
- Miami, US (Eastern)
- Monterrey, Mexico (Central)
- New York, US (Eastern)
- Philadelphia, US (Eastern)
- San Francisco, US (Western)
- Seattle, US (Western)
- Toronto, Canada (Eastern)
- Vancouver, Canada (Western)
World Cup 2026 stadiums
With a wealth of sizeable stadiums to choose from across Canada, Mexico, and the United States, no new grounds are being constructed for the 2026 World Cup.
However, BMO Field in Toronto is being expanded to a capacity of 45,500 especially for the tournament, as FIFA guidelines dictate all host stadiums must be above 40,000.
The venues that currently have artificial turf pitches are set to replace those with grass ahead of the tournament.
It has not yet been announced where the final will be held but FIFA has confirmed that all knockout matches will be played in the US.
The 2026 World Cup host stadiums (with approx. bid book capacity where applicable) are:
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium (71,000) Atlanta, US
- Gillette Stadium (70,000) Boston, US
- AT&T Stadium (92,967) Dallas, US
- NRG Stadium (72,220) Houston, US
- Estadio Akron (48,071) Guadalajara, Mexico
- Arrowhead Stadium (76,640) Kansas City, US
- SoFi Stadium (70,240) Los Angeles, US
- Estadio Azteca (87,523) Mexico City, Mexico
- Estadio BBVA (53,460) Monterrey, Mexico
- Hard Rock Stadium (67,518) Miami, US
- MetLife Stadium (87,157) New York, US
- Lincoln Financial Field (69,328) Philadelphia, US
- Levi’s Stadium (70,909) San Francisco, US
- Lumen Field (69,000) Seattle, US
- BMO Field (45,500) Toronto, Canada
- BC Place (54,500) Vancouver, Canada
Where is the World Cup in 2030?
The host of the World Cup in 2030 has not yet been confirmed. The decision will be made at the 2024 FIFA Congress and a number of candidates have already emerged.
Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Paraguay have announced they plan to submit a four-country bid for the tournament while collaborative efforts from Egypt, Greece, and Saudi Arabia, and Portugal, Spain, and Ukraine are also expected.
England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales announced earlier this year that they would not be bidding for the 2030 World Cup and were set to focus their attention on Euro 2028 instead.
Check out our World Cup hub for all the latest from Qatar 2022, including match previews, predictions and analysis.
If you’re looking for something else to watch, check out our TV Guide or Streaming Guide, or visit our Sport hub.
The Christmas double issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times View From My Sofa podcast.