The 2026 World Cup is expected to be an event like no other.
Held in North America alongside the United States, Mexico and Canada, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first 48-team tournament in the event’s history.
With just four years left until a long-awaited tournament, fans are hoping to learn everything they can about where and when each major event in the competition will take place. The central moment of the tournament will be the final of the 2026 World Cup, which will captivate audiences both in the United States and around the world.
sports news brings you all the latest information available on the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final, which has been scheduled for July 19, 2026.
The World Cup schedule will reportedly be released soon. The New York Times reported that the schedule will be released in October or November of this year, and both The Miami Herald and the Philadelphia Inquirer cited FIFA in the file indicating that their goal is to make it public “before the end of the year.”
Where will the 2026 World Cup final be?
It is currently unknown where the 2026 World Cup final will be held. FIFA announced on July 18, 2022 which venues would host the tournament matches, but the specific matches assigned to those stadiums have not yet been officially determined.
However, it is believed that there are still some stadiums in contention to host the massive event. Reports indicate that SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles), AT&T Stadium (Dallas/Arlington) and MetLife Stadium (New York/New Jersey) are the leading candidates.
According Jorge Ramos of ESPN Deportes In mid-August 2023, AT&T Stadium has the advantage of hosting the 2026 World Cup final over the other two venues mentioned.
SoFi would be an ideal setting as one of the most spectacular new places in the world. However, it appears that SoFi has not only been eliminated from finals contention, but may not host any matches in the tournament. Reports emerged in the fall of 2023 about a dispute between SoFi Stadium owner Stan Kroenke and FIFA over how to divide matchday revenue, and that has led to a fight.
According John Sutcliffe of ESPN Deportes in mid-October 2023, SoFi Stadium will not host any matches throughout the 2026 World Cup, sparking speculation about whether FIFA will replace the venue and who could be in the mix. The Rose Bowl could be an iconic replacement to keep Los Angeles in the mix, or Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas is nearby and widely acclaimed.
There are also some iconic locations that probably won’t compete for this prestigious honor.
A famous stadium that does not The venue for the 2026 World Cup final is the Azteca Stadium. FIFA announced that all knockout stage matches will be played in the United States, meaning the Mexico City stadium, which has hosted two previous World Cup finals, will not be a candidate for selection.
The Rose Bowl was left off the final list of venues for the 2026 World Cup. While it could return to the tournament after the elimination of SoFi Stadium, it is highly unlikely that the former Los Angeles venue will suddenly find itself in the race for the final. The massive stadium in Los Angeles hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup final between Brazil and Italy, but was overshadowed by the new SoFi Stadium in the selection process.
What stadiums are in contention for the 2026 World Cup final?
Two stadiums are reportedly believed to be in the running to be selected to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
MetLife Stadium
- Location: East Rutherford, New Jersey (New York City Market)
- Opened: 2010
- Ability: 82,500
- Regular tenant: New York Giants, New York Jets
Unlike SoFi Stadium, MetLife Stadium is not an impressive sight to behold, nor does it offer a high-quality fan experience, as it looks more like a metal cage than anything else. But FIFA can’t turn down New York, and while MetLife isn’t exactly in the heart of the city, it’s close enough.
According to a report earlier this year by the late independent journalist Grant Wahlwho tragically died covering the 2022 Qatar World Cup, in the lead-up to the host selection announcement in June 2022, MetLife was expected to host the 2026 World Cup final. Since, however, other reports have challenged MetLife’s pedestal.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York Governor Phil Murphy. He is co-author of an article in Sportico detailing New York’s preparation to host the event, indicating that they are not out of the race yet, but also pointing out the need for a more widespread public relations push.
In January 2024. ESPN reported that MetLife Stadium has reconfigured its bid to host the important match by proposing the elimination of more than 1,000 seats to better meet FIFA field size standards.
AT&T Stadium
- Location: Arlington, Texas (Dallas Market)
- Opened: 2009
- Ability: 80,000 (expandable to 105,000)
- Regular tenant: Dallas Cowboys
One of the most impressive and visually stunning stadiums in the United States, not to mention one of the largest, the inclusion of this venue was a must for FIFA and a no-brainer for viewing World Cup matches. However, their inclusion among the favorites to host the final was a surprise.
In September 2022, Hérculez Gómez, ESPN analyst shared a report from his ESPN colleague John Sutcliffe that claimed the Dallas stadium would host the World Cup final.
That report was premature, according to those responsible for the Dallas candidacybut Sutcliffe would endorse his report a year later, indicating in October 2023 that AT&T Stadium was still in line to host the game.
“We believe Dallas is the perfect host for the 2026 World Cup,” Dallas Sports Commission CEO Monica Paul said following the ESPN report. “FIFA has been an incredible partner at every step of the bid process and we look forward to an announcement from the host city in 2023. We are delighted that football fans around the world are eagerly awaiting news from FIFA.”
It would be a decent place. The retractable roof helps keep out the Texas heat, and the United States also has history at the stadium. Dallas is a big market and the stadium has hosted countless major events across all sports.
Sofia Stadium
According to recent reports, SoFi Stadium is no longer in the running to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
- SoFi Stadium Location: Inglewood, California (Los Angeles market)
- Opened: 2020
- Ability: 70,240
- Regular tenant: Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers
It was a surprise when FIFA selected the new SoFi Stadium to host games, earning the honor over its more historically acclaimed neighbor, the Rose Bowl.
Built just a few years ago, SoFi Stadium is one of the marvels of modern stadiums. An impressive multi-million dollar structure, the shiny new venue destined to house the pair of NFL franchises in Los Angeles is fit for a king. The centerpiece of the city’s successful bid for the 2028 Olympics, and its choice over the nearby Rose Bowl speaks volumes about its value.
With the Rose Bowl eliminated, SoFi Stadium was immediately considered a candidate to host the World Cup final. However, there are stadium field size concerns, with very little room to extend the American football field beyond its 300 feet long and 160 feet wide to the 345 feet long and 223 feet wide recommended by FIFA for a field. While it has earned the right to host matches, difficulties with the setup could prove problematic in a bid for the tournament’s showpiece match.
Besides, there are recent reports that tensions have risen between SoFi Stadium owner Stan Kroenke and FIFA over how match day revenue will be divided between the various parties, putting the stadium’s inclusion on the World Cup calendar in doubt. .
In the midst of all this uncertainty, the New York Times has reported that SoFi Stadium is no longer in the running for the 2026 World Cup final, and the decision falls to New York or Dallas. Furthermore, J.Ohn Sutcliffe of ESPN Deportes stated that SoFi may not host any matches in the 2026 World Cup.
When is the 2026 World Cup final?
The official dates for the 2026 World Cup are unknown, but there are also preliminary reports about it.
A quick Google search shows a World Cup time period from Monday, June 8 to Friday, July 3, although it’s unclear where that information comes from. Those dates are also reflected in the Wikipedia snapshot panel on the right, although a closer look at the Wikipedia page for the 2026 World Cup shows that no dates are reflected, so again it’s unclear where Google is getting those from. dates.
That would suggest that the World Cup final will take place on Friday, July 3, 2026. That would be a break from the norm, as the World Cup final has historically been held on a Sunday.
Venues of past World Cup finals
Hosting a World Cup final has been a prestigious honor bestowed upon some of the world’s most famous venues.
Only two stadiums have hosted multiple World Cup finals: the Azteca Stadium in Mexico became the first, followed by the Maracaná Stadium in Brazil.
The highest attendance ever seen at a World Cup final was 173,850 at the 1950 event. This will likely never be surpassed in stadiums as we know them, as safety protocols and ticket sales procedures Modern tickets will prevent such a large number of people from watching a football game in person.
88,966 fans attended the final of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the highest number since 1994.
* Attendance figures via Wikipedia
| Year | final place | Final location | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | Centennial Stadium | Monteviedo, Uruguay | 68,346 |
| 1934 | National Stadium | Rome Italy | 55,000 |
| 1938 | Olympic Stadium | Colombes, France | 45,000 |
| 1950 | Maracana Stadium | Rio de Janeiro Brazil | 173,850 |
| 1954 | Wankdorf Stadium | Bern, Switzerland | 62,500 |
| 1958 | Rasunda Stadium | Solna, Sweden | 51,800 |
| 1962 | National Stadium | Santiago, Chile | 69,000 |
| 1966 | wembley stadium | London England | 96,924 |
| 1970 | Aztec stadium | Mexico City, Mexico | 107,412 |
| 1974 | Olympic Stadium | Munich, West Germany | 75,200 |
| 1978 | Monumental Stadium | Buenos Aires, Argentina | 71,483 |
| 1982 | Santiago Bernabeu | Madrid Spain | 90,000 |
| 1986 | Aztec stadium | Mexico City, Mexico | 114,600 |
| 1990 | Olympic Stadium | Rome Italy | 73,603 |
| 1994 | Vase | Pasadena, United States | 94,194 |
| 1998 | France Stadium | Saint-Denis, France | 75,000 |
| 2002 | International Stadium | Yokohama, Japan | 69,029 |
| 2006 | Olympic Stadium | Berlin Germany | 69,000 |
| 2010 | Soccer City | Johannesburg, South Africa | 84,490 |
| 2014 | Maracana Stadium | Rio de Janeiro Brazil | 74,738 |
| 2018 | Luzhniki Stadium | Moscow, Russia | 78,011 |
| 2022 | Lusail Stadium | Doha, Qatar | 88,966 |
| 2026 | Determined | to confirm | — |
