2026 FIFA World Cup Cities Awarded Matches With Dallas and Atlanta Hosting the Semi Finals
World Cup 2026 final will be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Playing host to the largest and most popular sporting event is a great honor, but winning the World Cup in New York, when the games are hosted in the USA, just makes sense.
FIFA announced the match schedule for the 2026 World Cup and the buzz was electric. According to FIFA, “The FIFA World Cup™ tournaments are the most iconic football competitions in the world, reaching and inspiring fans all across the globe,” and no one would ever disagree.
While the love and respect for the World Cup is undeniable, the high level of controversy over what city would win the coveted final also ranks high as an accepted truth.
New York/ New Jersey beat out Texas and California for world’s greatest final in the new, expanded 48-nation (up from 32 teams), 104-game tournament.
I can hear Frank Sinatra signing, “If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere … I want to wake up in a city that never sleeps…”
The FIFA World Cup 26 semi-final games were awarded to Dallas, and Altanta with the FIFA World Cup 26 quarter-finals awarded to Boston, LA, Miami and Kansas City.
“It will be a celebration of our diversity and our values,” New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy told AP in a telephone interview. “The bigger picture is what leads up to it and what we leave behind for the decades to come.”
FIFA awarded the July 19 World Cup championship to the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey which is approximately 10 short miles from Manhattan. Opened in 2010, the MetLife Stadium construction costs were $1.6 billion ($2.15 billion in 2022 dollars). The the 82,500-capacity stadium will be officially referred to as the “New York New Jersey Stadium” during the competition as FIFA does not allow commercial naming rights of stadiums.
“NJ Youth Soccer is thrilled by the success of NYNJ Host Committee. Earning the opportunity to host the FIFA World Cup 2026™ final is a dream come true for countless soccer fans in our state,” says Evan Dabby, New Jersey Youth Soccer Executive Director.
“We appreciate our partnership with NJ Youth Soccer and look forward to our collaboration that will help make the FIFA World Cup 2026 games in New Jersey world class events,” says Lauren Nathan-LaRusso, FIFA World Cup 2026™ NYNJ Host Committee, Co-Host City Manager & General Counsel.
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This is also the first time the FIFA World Cup will be staged across three host nations. Although the 2026 World Cup is shared by three nations, the majority of the matches will be played in the USA with only 7 matches held in Canada and 7 others in Mexico.
Will Lionel Messi and Argentina succeed in reaching this hallowed ground prized by athletes and artists alike to hoist the World Cup trophy for the second straight time? Or will they be halted along the way? Perhaps in one of America’s World Cup cities?
Kansas City – the smallest host city – was awarded a quarterfinal match with the game to be played Arrowhead Stadium, a familiar venue of Kansas City Chiefs fans.
“As the Soccer Capital of America, Kansas City is thrilled to have the opportunity to host a quarterfinal match,” says Katherine Holland, Executive Director of KC2026. “The confirmation of the match schedule for the 2026 FIFA World Cup provides critical information that will inform our planning and decision-making in the months to follow. We look forward to creating an unparalleled fan experience for visitors from around the world and for the lasting impact this win will have on Kansas City’s legacy.”
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas echoed the sentiment, saying “I am thrilled we are one step closer to hosting a successful and exciting World Cup in 2026. Hosting World Cup matches will leave a lasting legacy on Kansas City, bringing jobs, boosting economic activity, and global visibility to grow and strengthen our community. Kansas City truly is the Soccer Capital of America and we will continue to work to deliver the most successful and impactful World Cup event to our community.”
“The opportunity is different for us — it is transformational … Kansas City had to earn it, and I feel we have. We really invested in the sport and want to elevate our destination, our well kept secret,” says Holland. “The secret is out and we can’t wait to welcome the world to our city. We are home to Sporting KC, the United Soccer Coaches, Heartland Soccer and Kansas City Current … and, we have invested millions to grow the game.”
Holland clarified that this will be a public/private fundraising effort and that $50 million has been committed to by the state of Missouri with an additional $15 million coming from the city itself. In addition, the ask is $28 to $32 million to the state of Kansas.
