The World Cup 2026 promises to be an epic event for football fans as Canada, Mexico and the United States have joined forces to host the first ever 48 team World Cup. With dynamic cities spread across the three countries, visitors will be able to experience the local sights, culture and cuisine of some of the best cities North America has to offer.
If you’re thinking about heading to the matches, use this region-by-region guide covering all the host cities to start planning your trip to North America and book those match tickets. With cities spread from coast to coast across three countries, 2026 promises awesome action on and off the pitch.
Featuring more teams and more cities than ever before, this guide breaks down World Cup 2026 by region helping you navigate each destination. With so many amazing venues, choose your base then start planning that epic stadium hopping adventure! . Lets gets started!
World Cup 2026 Tickets
The general sale for World Cup 2026 tickets opens on September 10, 2025, through FIFA.com/tickets. You’ll need to create a FIFA ID to enter the random draw for tickets.
Ticket sales will be rolled out in phases and continue all the way up to the tournament, ending around July 19, 2026. After the public rollout you should be able to find World Cup Tickets on the resale market at places like Vivid Seats.
Types of World Cup Tickets
1. General Public Sales (Random Draw)
- Enter the draw through FIFA’s official ticketing portal.
- You’ll select matches or cities and be randomly selected (or not).
- If selected, you’ll have a limited window to purchase tickets.
2. Hospitality Packages (Available Now)
- These are premium tickets already on sale.
- Packages include VIP lounges, gourmet dining, and reserved seating.
- Hospitality tickets for U.S. venues like NRG Stadium start around $1,475 and go up from there.
3. Dynamic Pricing (Possibly Coming)
- FIFA may introduce demand-based pricing in future phases, meaning prices could rise for high-demand matches.
Estimated 2026 World Cup Ticket Prices
While final pricing hasn’t been announced yet, here are the expected price ranges based on 2022 trends:
| Match Stage | Estimated Price Range |
|---|---|
| Group Stage | $80 – $260 |
| Round of 16 | $120 – $320 |
| Quarterfinals | $235 – $494 |
| Semifinals | $410 – $1,120 |
| Final | $706 – $1,882 |
Traveling To North America For The 2026 World Cup
The best ways to reach the United States, Mexico and Canada and attend the 2026 World Cup:
From Europe: The most popular options for European-based fans attending games will be flying into one of the East Coast hubs like New York (JFK or Newark airports) or Washington D.C.. Multiple direct flights available from major European cities. Travel time usually 7-8 hours.
From Africa: Many options via Europe or the Gulf countries. Travelers from Northern Africa can take direct flights or stopovers in Europe. Sub-Saharan fans often transit via the Middle East airport hubs in Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi before taking flights to East Coast destinations Washington, New York or Miami.
From South America: The proximity makes direct flights feasible from across South America to North American gateways. Miami features heavily given its role as Americas passenger hub, while New York and Houston also see good traffic from Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires etc. Stopovers sometimes required from smaller South American airports.
From Asia/Oceania: East Asian fans should target West Coast entry points like Los Angeles, San Francisco and Vancouver. Qantas offers connections from Australia to Dallas & Vancouver. Middle East stopovers like Dubai open more options to various US cities. Auckland also potential gateway.
From Mexico & the Caribbean: Being a co-host, Mexico enjoys easy access across land borders or frequent domestic connections into flights heading northbound. For the Caribbean islands, Miami is the natural gateway flying into the south Florida hub.
Check out our Gameday Guides AI tool for any information about the host cities, travel, tickets and more. Wherever your starting point, route your journey to arrive through the designated host city nearest your World Cup matches for most direct stadium access!
How The 2026 World Cup Tournament Works
48 Teams will qualify for the 2026 World Cup. The qualification process began in September of 2023 and runs through March 2026. Slots per region are:
- Europe (UEFA): 16 spots
- South America (CONMEBOL): 6 spots
- Africa (CAF): 9 spots
- Asia (AFC): 8 spots
- North/Central America (CONCACAF): 6 spots
- Oceania (OFC): 1 spot
In addition, the 3 host countries qualify automatically.
The formats vary by region but generally involve group and knockout stages. For example, in South America the top 6 teams qualify directly and 7th place enters an intercontinental playoff.
World Cup Tournament Format
The 48 qualified teams will compete in a group stage with 16 groups of 3 teams each. The top 2 teams in the groups advance to a knockout round of 32. From there, standard knockout rounds proceed from Round of 16 to quarterfinals, semifinals and the Final.
2026 World Cup Host Cities
The games will take place across several cities in the 3 host countries in 2026 these countries are the United States, Canada and Mexico. The specific host cities and stadium assignments will be determined leading up to the event. The Final will take place on July 19th at MetLife Stadium just outside of New York City. Check out links below (click on pictures) for guides to the different stadiums and great things to do in the host cities. Here is a link to the full schedule for the 2026 World Cup
Western Region Host Cities
From the Pacific Coast beaches up to the towering evergreens, get ready for a thrilling fusion of football and natural beauty as the West welcomes the world’s best players. With acclaimed cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco rolling out star treatment across state-of-the-art stadiums, the Western region sets the stage for a World Cup to remember.
BC Place (Capacity 54,000) in Vancouver, Canada
- Stay downtown to walk/take transit for sightseeing
- Fly into Vancouver International Airport (YVR) then ride SkyTrain
- Must try: Stanley Park seawall, Granville Island Public Market
Lumen Field (Capacity 69,000) Seattle, USA
- Light rail goes from airport straight to downtown
- Use transit Day Pass for easy access across the city
- Can’t miss: Space Needle tower views, Pike Place Market
Levi’s Stadium (Capacity 68,500) San Francisco Bay Area, USA
- Book hotels near BART or Caltrain stations for easy connections
- Rental cars provide flexibility to also visit top area sights
- Top sights: Golden Gate Bridge, Pier 39, Alcatraz Island
SoFi Stadium (Capacity 70,240) Los Angeles, USA
- Rideshares, metro rail or special event buses to SoFi Stadium
- Stay downtown or Beverly Hills for walking proximity to attractions
- Must see: Santa Monica Pier, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Dodger Stadium
With the opening US match on June 12 at Los Angeles’ dazzling new $5 billion SoFi Stadium, the Western cities hosting a total of 13 matches will ignite plenty of action in the group stage. Vancouver’s BC Place closes group play by hosting an intriguing June 23rd battle between Brazil and Germany.
Central Region Host Cities
Prepare for thunderous crowds and blazing passion as the Central region forms the tournament’s pounding heartbeat. Iconic Mexican venues that have hosted epic World Cup finals in the past will drive intense regional pride while high-tech legendary NFL stadiums in the U.S. cities on the great plains provide the perfect contrast.
Estadio Akron (Capacity 49,850) Guadalajara, Mexico
- Fly into Miguel Hidalgo International Airport (GDL)
- Rideshares or bus transfers work best for stadium access
- Top sights: Tlaquepaque craft village, Instituto Cultural Cabañas
Estadio Azteca (Capacity 87,523) Mexico City, Mexico
- Fly into Mexico City International Airport (MEX)
- Use metro system for connections around the massive city
- Can’t miss: Zócalo Square, Teotihuacan Pyramids, Frida Kahlo Museum
Estadio BBVA (Capacity 53,500) Monterrey, Mexico
- Flight access via Monterrey International Airport (MTY)
- Walk downtown core sights or take metro as needed
- Top attractions: Macroplaza central square, Santa Lucía Riverwalk
NRG Stadium (Capacity 72,220) Houston, USA
- Fly into Houston George Bush Airport (IAH)
- Drive or use Metro rail serving downtown
- Must see: NASA Space Center, Museum District
AT&T Stadium (Capacity 80,000) Dallas, USA
- Fly to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
- DART rail useful but driving easier for stadium access
- Top sights: Dallas Arts District, Sixth Floor JFK Museum
Arrowhead Stadium (Capacity 76,416) Kansas City, USA
- Fly into Kansas City International Airport (MCI)
- Free streetcar loops downtown. Use special shuttles for match days at Arrowhead Stadium
- Can’t miss: Country Club Plaza Spanish architecture, BBQ!
Mexico City’s legendary Estadio Azteca which hosted the 1970 and 1986 finals gets the tournament underway on June 11th as Mexico takes on Poland in Group C. The 87,000 seat venue will continue showcasing Latin American flair and thunderous crowds during 10 total matches concluding with a Round of 16 match on June 30.
Other highlights include high-tech modern venues like AT&T Stadium near Dallas hosting 9 fixtures thanks to its 80,000 retractable roof capacity. And arrowhead Stadium brings raucous NFL energy through insane crowd noise for Kansas City’s three group matches and you never know if Taylor Swift will make an appearance!
Eastern Region Host Cities
From Toronto’s revitalized waterfront to the famed beaches of Miami then upwards culminating under the bright lights of New York City, the Eastern cities bask in the grand finale spotlight. Combining world-famous destinations with rapidly developed state-of-the-art stadiums, this region promises a crescendo towards the defining World Cup final at MetLife Stadium.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Capacity 71,000) Atlanta, USA
- Fly to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport (ATL)
- Use MARTA rail or drive to Mercedes-Benz Stadium
- Top sights: World of Coca-Cola, Georgia Aquarium
Hard Rock Stadium (Capacity 64,767) Miami, USA
- Fly to Miami International Airport (MIA)
- Use rideshares or special event transports to Hard Rock Stadium
- Must see: Art Deco South Beach, Little Havana
BMO Field (Capacity 45, 736) Toronto, Canada
- Fly to Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
- Subway and UP Express train link airport to downtown
- Can’t miss: CN Tower panoramic views, Niagara Falls day trip, Rogers Centre
Gillette Stadium (Capacity 65,878) Boston, USA
- Fly into Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
- Use MBTA Commuter Rail to Gillette Stadium
- Top sights: Freedom Trail, Faneuil Hall Marketplace
Lincoln Financial Field (Capacity 69,796) Philadelphia, USA
- Fly to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
- SEPTA Regional Rail ideal for Lincoln Financial Field
- Top sights: Liberty Bell, Philadelphia Museum of Art
Met Life Stadium (Capacity 82,500) New York/New Jersey, USA
- Site of the 2026 World Cup Final
- Fly to Newark Liberty (EWR), JFK or LaGuardia (LGA) airports
- Use special Fan Shuttle services for MetLife Stadium
- Must see: Times Square, Statue of Liberty
The Eastern region takes on marquee duties as host for the final at MetLife Stadium on July 19 capping off an unforgettable month of football. Stadium hopping super fans could catch matches at all six venues while more modest travelers can take amazing long weekends in cities like Boston with its revolutionary spirit or soak up the glamour of South Beach in Miami.
With Canada playing in Toronto and their as yet unnamed opponents (to be drawn later) facing off on June 12, every country from North America gets opening match thrills across a four day span early in the tournament.
Other key fixtures include Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium hosting eight knockout matches offering comfortable climate control for players and fans while Philadelphia and the New York stadium just across the Hudson river in New Jersey add East coast intimacy during group play.
By combining world-famous cities with stunning new arenas like Miami’s $650 million Hard Rock Stadium overhaul, the Eastern region melds worldwide appeal with rapidly evolving infrastructure across North America.
World Cup 2026 Tickets
The main ticketing process involves filling out an application online during the 2025 application window. Fans then get assigned to random selection draws or lotteries for specific match tickets they applied for. So set up your FIFA ticketing account ahead of time to be ready to submit the online application.
As with past World Cups, expect many more ticket applications than available seats per match. So while not guaranteed, applying for early round group games or matches not involving your home country can increase chances as they are likely to have relatively more tickets available.
Secondary Options
If unsuccessful obtaining directly through FIFA, secondary ticket marketplaces will emerge offering re-sale opportunities like Vivid Seats. Official Soccer Travel Agencies appointed by FIFA also get allocated a portion of inventory. While costs go up, this can allow secure guaranteed entry to matches.
No matter which path taken to get seats, plan way in advance for the 2026 games! With 48 teams and several favorite countries across the three host nations, demand will be unprecedented for the biggest FIFA World Cup ever held!
As the countdown continues towards the unprecedented 48-team 2026 FIFA World Cup unfolding across North America, use this city-by-city guide to start planning your epic football adventure.
Whether you’re traveling to one region or ambitious enough to stadium-hop multiple countries, book accommodation and transports early once your desired matches get confirmed. And be sure to leave extra time to soak up the local culture through sightseeing and cuisine in amazing destinations like Mexico City, Los Angeles and Toronto on your journey towards the Finals.
With world-class cities and venues ready to roll out the red carpet for fans while the planet’s best players dazzle on the pitches, the 2026 World Cup will capture thrills, passion and culture like never before! We’ll keep updating this site so revisit this region-by-region breakdown as we will keep the excitement building as we anticipate the greatest football show on Earth coming soon to Canada, Mexico and the USA.
If you’re looking for other football adventures check out our match guides to the Premier League teams like Tottenham, Liverpool and Arsenal. And for those of you in Miami who want to see Messi, we have you covered with our Guide to Inter Miami.