New Jersey pips Texas to host World Cup final 2026
The 2026 Fifa World Cup final will be played at MetLife Stadium on July 19 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Fifa announced on Sunday. The New York/New Jersey area was competing with AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, for the opportunity to stage the historic final. The US, Mexico and Canada are co-hosting the World Cup, which will expand from 32 participants to 48 for the first time and feature 104 total matches. Fifa president Gianni Infantino said the Dallas area will host the most matches (nine). AT&T Stadium and Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium will host the semifinal matches, and Miami's Hard Rock Stadium will host the bronze medal match. While qualifying is under way, the three host nations are guaranteed entry. The United States men's national team will stay on the West Coast for all three group-stage matches. They will play their first match of the World Cup on June 12 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, head to Seattle to play at Lumen Field on June 19 and return to SoFi Stadium on June 25. Mexico will play in the tournament's opening match on June 11 in Mexico City, making the famed Estadio Azteca the first stadium to host three World Cup openers. Mexico will go to Guadalajara for a match on June 18 and return to Mexico City on June 24. Canada will open their tournament on June 12 in Toronto's BMO Field. The team will then fly west and play its final two group-stage matches at BC Place in Vancouver on June 18 and 24. (Reuters)