World Cup 2026 Host Cities: Your Complete Guide to Watching in the US
By World Soccer Wire Editorial
The World Cup is coming to your backyard. Here's everything you need to know about each of the 11 US host cities — the stadiums, the matches, and how to make the most of the experience whether you're attending in person or watching from home.
For the first time since 1994, the FIFA World Cup is back on American soil. This time it's bigger than ever — 48 teams, 104 matches, and 11 US cities sharing the stage with Canada and Mexico across 39 days of soccer. The US alone hosts 78 of those matches, including every quarterfinal, both semifinals, and the Final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Whether you're lucky enough to have tickets, planning a watch party, or just want to know what's happening where, here's your city-by-city breakdown.
New York / New Jersey — The Final
Venue: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ Capacity: 82,500 Matches: 8 total, including the Final (July 19)
The crown jewel of the tournament. MetLife Stadium hosts the World Cup Final — and Coldplay will perform at halftime in a Super Bowl-style show confirmed by FIFA. It's the largest stadium in the tournament and one of the most recognizable venues in American sports.
New York City itself needs no introduction. The area has gone all-in on the tournament with countdown installations at Columbus Circle and iconic landmarks lit up in celebration. Fan festivals are confirmed at Liberty State Park in Jersey City, with some of the biggest names in music headlining — Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla among those announced.
For home viewers in the area: Every Final match airs on FOX.
Los Angeles — The USMNT's Home Base
Venue: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood Capacity: 70,000 Matches: 8 total, including a Quarterfinal — plus 2 of the 3 USMNT group stage matches
LA is the epicenter of the US team's tournament. The USMNT opens against Paraguay here on June 12 and closes the group stage against Turkey on June 25, both in primetime. SoFi Stadium is a $5 billion indoor-outdoor venue with a translucent roof and a 70,000-square-foot two-sided video board — one of the most technologically impressive sports facilities in the world.
The city will also host a full calendar of fan events. With two USMNT matches and a quarterfinal, LA has more high-stakes soccer than any other city in the tournament.
USMNT matches here:
June 12 — USA vs. Paraguay, 9:00 PM ET on FOX
June 25 — USA vs. Turkey, 10:00 PM ET on FOX
Dallas — The Loudest Stadium
Venue: AT&T Stadium, Arlington Capacity: 80,000+ Matches: 7 total, including a Quarterfinal
AT&T Stadium is the largest-capacity venue in the US portion of the tournament and hosts one of the semifinals. The retractable roof and massive video board make it one of the most impressive game-day environments in American sports. Arlington sits between Dallas and Fort Worth — easy to reach from either city.
Kansas City's Arrowhead holds the Guinness World Record for loudest crowd roar at a sports stadium, but Dallas brings the sheer size. Argentina's group stage matches are scheduled here, which means Messi — and the biggest crowds outside of USMNT games.
Atlanta — The Semifinal City
Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium Capacity: 71,000 Matches: 7 total, including a Semifinal
Mercedes-Benz Stadium is widely considered one of the most technologically advanced stadiums in the world, with a retractable roof that opens like a camera aperture. Atlanta hosting a semifinal makes it one of the four most important venues of the entire tournament.
The city has a vibrant soccer culture — Atlanta United consistently draws some of the biggest crowds in MLS — and the fan atmosphere here will be electric.
Miami — Third Place and More
Venue: Hard Rock Stadium Capacity: 65,000 Matches: 6 total, including the Third-Place Match
Miami's Hard Rock Stadium hosts the third-place match, which always draws a full house of fans from both nations. South Florida's enormous Latin American soccer fanbase makes this one of the most culturally rich venues in the tournament — expect passionate crowds for every group stage match regardless of which teams are playing.
Houston — Fan Fest and Semiquincentennial
Venue: NRG Stadium Capacity: 72,220 Matches: 7 total, including a Quarterfinal
NRG Stadium's retractable roof and state-of-the-art audio/visual setup make it one of the best indoor game-day experiences in the country. Houston also hosts one of two special July 4th ceremonies honoring the US Semiquincentennial (250th anniversary of American independence), with East Downtown Houston confirmed as a fan fest location.
Kansas City — The World Record Venue
Venue: Arrowhead Stadium Capacity: 76,000 Matches: 6 total, including a Quarterfinal
Arrowhead Stadium holds the Guinness World Record for the loudest crowd roar at a sports stadium. Six matches including a quarterfinal means Kansas City will be one of the most intense atmospheres of the tournament. The city itself punches above its weight — craft breweries, legendary BBQ, live jazz, and the National WWI Museum make it a genuinely great destination.
Argentina's group stage match against Algeria is scheduled here — Messi's World Cup debut venue. Expect a sellout and an extraordinary atmosphere.
Philadelphia — Independence Day Soccer
Venue: Lincoln Financial Field Capacity: 69,000 Matches: 6 total
Philadelphia hosts one of the two July 4th Semiquincentennial ceremonies, making it a uniquely American World Cup experience. Fairmount Park is confirmed as a fan fest location. Lincoln Financial Field — home of the Eagles — is a no-frills, loud, passionate sports venue that should generate a great atmosphere for group stage matches.
Boston — Quarterfinal City
Venue: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough Capacity: 65,000 Matches: 7 total, including a Quarterfinal
Boston hosts seven matches and a quarterfinal, making it one of the more significant venues on the US schedule. Gillette Stadium is about 30 miles south of the city in Foxborough — easy by commuter rail from South Station. Boston's massive international student population and European ties make it one of the most naturally soccer-savvy cities in the country.
Seattle — USMNT's Pacific Northwest Fortress
Venue: Lumen Field Capacity: 69,000 Matches: 6 total, including a Knockout stage fixture — plus the USMNT vs. Australia
Lumen Field is one of the loudest stadiums in American sports on a regular day. For a USMNT World Cup match it'll be something else entirely. Seattle has one of the strongest soccer cultures in the US — the Sounders have been an MLS powerhouse for over a decade — and the crowd for USA vs. Australia on June 19 will be deafening.
USMNT match here:
June 19 — USA vs. Australia, 3:00 PM ET on FOX
San Francisco Bay Area — Silicon Valley Soccer
Venue: Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara Capacity: 70,909 Matches: 6 total
Levi's Stadium is also the host venue for Super Bowl LX in 2026, making it one of the most active major event venues in the country this year. The Bay Area's large and passionate international soccer community — particularly strong South American and European communities — will make for diverse and lively crowds throughout the group stage.
Watching From Home
Can't make it to a venue? Every match airs on FOX or FS1. Here's the fastest way to stream:
FuboTV — Carries FOX, FS1, Telemundo and Universo. Best all-in-one option for the full tournament.
Sling TV — Budget option. Sling Blue includes FS1 and FOX in select markets.
Peacock Premium — All Spanish-language coverage via Telemundo and Universo for $7.99/month.
FOX One — Standalone streaming for all 104 matches at $19.99/month. No cable required.
Affiliate disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. If you sign up through them, World Soccer Wire may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.