Where is the next FIFA World Cup being held in 2026? Know which cities will play the host

The 2026 edition of the FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by three North American countries including the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It is the first time the quadrennial international men's tournament will be hosted by three countries. The three countries won the bid to host the prestigious tournament in 2018 after beating Morocco during a final vote at the FIFA Congress in Moscow. The three countries had submitted the bid under the name 'United 2026'.

It is the first time since 2002 that the World Cup will be hosted by more than one nation and the first time in history by more than two nations. Earlier, South Korea and Japan jointly hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2002. It is the first time Canada will host the FIFA World Cup, whereas the United States will host the tournament for the second time. Meanwhile, Mexico will become the first nation in the world to host or co-host the competition for a record third time after having hosted in 1970 and 1986. 

It will be the first time that the tournament will include 48 teams after an expansion was announced by the FIFA Council in 2017. The tournament will open with a group stage comprising 16 groups of three teams each. A total of 80 matches will be played, expanded from 64 in the previous 32-team tournament. With a total seating capacity of 87,523, Mexico's Estadio Azteca Stadium will be the largest, followed by New Jersey's MetLife Stadium with a capacity of 82,500.

How many cities will host the FIFA World Cup 2026?

A total of 16 cities from the United States, Canada, and Mexico are slated to host the next edition of the FIFA World Cup. As per the list of 16 cities announced by FIFA, eleven are from the United States, three are from Mexico, and two are from Canada. The United States is going to host the most number of games at sixty with every match from the quarter-final onwards, while Canada and Mexico will host 10 matches each.  

United States:

1. New York/New Jersey
2. Dallas
3. Kansas City
4. Houston
5. Atlanta
6. Los Angeles
7. Philadelphia
8. Seattle
9. San Francisco Bay Area
10. Boston
11. Miami

Canada:

1. Toronto
2. Vancouver

Mexico:

1. Mexico City
2. Monterrey
3. Guadalajara

Image: AP