By: Carys Wee

In 2026, cities across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico will host soccer’s World Cup. The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) announced the host cities on June 16.

The host cities will be Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Guadalajara, Kansas City, Dallas, Atlanta, Houston, Monterrey, Mexico City, Toronto, Boston, Philadelphia, Miami, and New York. In total, there are 16 sites: 11 in the U.S, two in Canada, and three in Mexico.

The 2026 tournament will be the first in which 48 teams compete. In the past, 32 teams qualified. It will also be new for the World Cup to be hosted by three host countries. According to Lauren Wamsley, “the three countries’ joint bid branded itself the United Bid, under the motto ‘Unity. Certainty. Opportunity.’”

To host the tournament the country would have to bid. Bidding for the tournament is important because it tells you who is going to provide the services the players need, along with the field. When the countries bid there is a person that goes and represents the countries with a budget so that they don’t spend too much.

Most of the U.S. arenas that will be used to host the World Cup games regularly host other sports events. During the tournament, games will be played in cities moving from west to east.

Link: FIFA announces 2026 World Cup host cities in U.S., Canada and Mexico _ NPR.pdf