The 2026 FIFA World Cup final will take place at MetLife Stadium, the organization said on Sunday.
The game is scheduled to take place on July 19, 2026, at East Rutherford, New Jersey, a location with an 82,500 capacity.
“As an advocate for this region, and a lifelong soccer fan, I am thrilled that FIFA chose to place their trust in New York New Jersey to host the historic FIFA World Cup 26 Final,” Phil Murphy, the governor of New Jersey, said. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our entire region; hosting the Final provides NYNJ an unparalleled platform to brilliantly showcase what we stand for – diversity, equality, access, and inclusion.”
In July 2023, MetLife Stadium saw its largest-ever soccer crowd of 82,262 during a match between Manchester United and Arsenal. The stadium has hosted several soccer events in the past.
The United States, Mexico, and Canada will serve as the tournament’s hosts. Mexico City will host the competition’s first match. The team that Mexico will play in their group is still to be announced.
On June 12, the U.S. men’s national team will play their first game at SoFi Stadium as part of their World Cup adventure in Los Angeles. All of their group-stage games will be played on the West Coast; two of them will also be held in Seattle.
The two venues for the semifinal matches are Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta and AT&T Stadium in Dallas. SoFi, Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, and Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida are the venues for the quarterfinal matches.
Unlike the typical FIFA tournament where only one nation participates, this one is being planned by FIFA. They had to balance four time zones across three distinct nations while still attending to the welfare of the players and fans.
Rather than having teams travel across the nation, FIFA developed the schedule in collaboration with stakeholders. Teams will train and compete out of the region in which their group stage matches will take place, with the three countries divided into east, center, and west regions.
In order to optimize preparation, rest, and recuperation, FIFA will guarantee that every team has three whole days off in between games.
Additionally, supporters won’t have to make the long trip to see their favorite teams in person by keeping them in a single area.
In addition, the World Cup bracket will have 48 teams instead of 32 for the first time ever.