The World Cup is coming to America.
For the first time since 1994, the United States will host the world’s biggest sporting event — and this time it is on a scale the tournament has never seen before. Forty-eight teams. Three countries. Sixteen stadiums. One hundred and four matches. Ninety days.
If you have been living in the US and quietly curious about soccer for years, this is your moment.
When and Where
The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Matches will be played across 16 venues in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The tournament opens on June 11 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City — a stadium that has hosted two previous World Cup finals (1970 and 1986) and is the most storied soccer venue in the Americas. The final takes place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, just outside New York City.
In between, matches will be played in cities including Los Angeles, Dallas, San Francisco, Seattle, Atlanta, Miami, Kansas City, Philadelphia, Boston, Vancouver, Toronto, and Guadalajara.
Why 48 Teams?
Every previous World Cup since 1998 featured 32 teams. This time, FIFA expanded the field to 48 teams for the first time in history.
That means more nations, more stories, and more upsets. Countries that have never qualified before will get their shot. The group stage alone will feature 12 groups of 4 teams each, with an entirely new round — the Round of 32 — added before the traditional Round of 16.
It also means significantly more soccer to watch. A total of 104 matches over 39 days of group stage play, followed by a knockout bracket that carries through to the final.
The Teams
Forty-eight of FIFA’s 211 member associations have earned their place. The field includes:
- 16 UEFA teams from Europe, including powerhouses like France, Germany, Spain, England, and Brazil’s eternal rival Argentina
- 9 CONMEBOL teams from South America
- 8.5 CONCACAF teams, with the USA, Mexico, and Canada all earning automatic berths as co-hosts
- Teams from Africa, Asia, and Oceania rounding out the field
For American fans, the US Men’s National Team enters as a legitimate contender on home soil. After a disappointing 2018 cycle, the USMNT has rebuilt around a core of young talent — many of them playing for top clubs in Europe — and will be performing in front of the most supportive home crowd in tournament history.
The Stadiums
The sixteen World Cup stadiums span an entire continent, each with its own character:
- Estadio Azteca (Mexico City) — The cathedral. Has hosted more major international matches than any other stadium on earth.
- MetLife Stadium (New Jersey) — The largest stadium in the tournament, and home of the final.
- SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles) — One of the newest and most technologically advanced stadiums in the world.
- AT&T Stadium (Dallas) — Known as “Jerry’s World,” an American football palace being converted for soccer.
- Levi’s Stadium (San Francisco Bay Area), Lumen Field (Seattle), Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta), Hard Rock Stadium (Miami), Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City), Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia), Gillette Stadium (Boston), and three stadiums in Canada and Mexico.
Why This One Feels Different
Every World Cup matters. But this one carries extra weight for American soccer.
The 1994 World Cup, the last time the US hosted, is widely credited with planting the seed that became Major League Soccer, the rapid growth of youth soccer, and the slow cultural shift that has made the sport genuinely mainstream in America over the past 30 years.
The 2026 tournament arrives at a different moment. The MLS has 30 clubs. Millions of American kids grew up playing the sport. The USMNT has legitimate stars. Hundreds of thousands of international fans will pour into American cities.
For those who have been following soccer for years, the 2026 World Cup is a homecoming. For those just tuning in — welcome. You picked a good time to start watching.
Want to follow every team, track every match, and explore all 16 stadiums? Download Trivela — free on iPhone.
