Where is the 2026 World Cup and why is it spread across three different countries?

FIFA unveiled the schedule for the 2026 FIFA World Cup a few months ago, with the final to be played on Sunday, July 19, 2026, and which will begin at Mexico City’s iconic Estadio Azteca on Thursday, June 11, 2026 with a match involving the Mexican national team.

Like Mexico, the national teams of Canada and the United States will play their three group matches at home. Canada will kick off its World Cup campaign in Toronto on Friday, June 12, 2026, and the United States will do the same on the same day in Los Angeles.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said: “The most inclusive and impactful edition of the FIFA World Cup has gone from being a dream to a reality that will see 104 matches played in 16 state-of-the-art stadiums in Canada, Mexico and the United States. From the opening match at the iconic Estadio Azteca to the spectacular final in New York New Jersey, players and fans have been front of mind in meticulously planning this groundbreaking tournament.”

The keys to the calendar

• The FIFA World Cup 2026 will kick off at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Thursday, June 11, 2026. The final will be played on Sunday, July 19 in New York/New Jersey.
• Toronto (Canada), Mexico City (Mexico) and Los Angeles (United States)

  will host the debut of their respective national teams.

• Canada, Mexico and the United States are guaranteed to play their three group stage matches in front of their home fans. Guadalajara, Vancouver and Seattle have also been selected to host matches for the host countries during this phase.
• Miami will host the bronze final, while Dallas and Atlanta will be the venues for the eagerly awaited semifinals. Dallas will host nine matches, more than any other host city.
• The innovative schedule design ensures that teams have three days of rest ahead of 103 of the 104 tournament matches. Most of the matches will be concentrated in the east, central and west regions, to save travel for both teams and fans.

The keys to the group stage

• During the first day of the tournament, two matches will be played: the opening match of the competition in Mexico City and a match in Guadalajara.
• On the second day, two matches will be played

  : one by the Canadian national team and the other by the US team.

• Each of the last four matchdays of the group stage will consist of six matches. Matches in the same group will be played simultaneously, in order to ensure the integrity of the competition.
• All other matchdays in the group stage will consist of four matches per day in four different time slots.
• Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca will go down in FIFA World Cup history as the first to host the opening match on three occasions.
• Canada will host its first World Cup, complementing its extensive experience as an organiser of major FIFA women’s and youth tournaments, including the successful FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015.
• The United States will host the FIFA World Cup for the second time, after the historic 1994 edition.

via MARCA.com and Radio MARCA

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