Every FIFA World Cup 2026 Stadium Explained: History, Capacity, Matches & Travel Tips
Quick-Reference Master Table
| # | Stadium | FIFA Name | City/Country | Capacity | Matches | Key Match | Transit Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MetLife Stadium | NYNJ Stadium | East Rutherford, USA | 82,500 | 8 | FINAL Jul 19 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 2 | AT&T Stadium | Dallas Stadium | Arlington, USA | 92,967 | 9 | Semi Jul 14 | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 3 | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta Stadium | Atlanta, USA | 75,000 | 8 | Semi Jul 15 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 4 | SoFi Stadium | LA Stadium | Inglewood, USA | 69,650 | 8 | QF + USA opener | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 5 | Arrowhead Stadium | KC Stadium | Kansas City, USA | 76,416 | 6 | QF Jul 11 | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 6 | Hard Rock Stadium | Miami Stadium | Miami Gardens, USA | 65,326 | 7 | 3rd Place Jul 18 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 7 | NRG Stadium | Houston Stadium | Houston, USA | 72,220 | 7 | R16 Jul 4 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 8 | Lumen Field | Seattle Stadium | Seattle, USA | 69,000 | 6 | R16 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 9 | Levi’s Stadium | SF Bay Area Stadium | Santa Clara, USA | 69,391 | 6 | R32 Jul 1 | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 10 | Lincoln Financial Field | Philadelphia Stadium | Philadelphia, USA | 69,000 | 6 | R16 Jul 4 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 11 | Gillette Stadium | Boston Stadium | Foxborough, USA | 63,815 | 7 | QF Jul 9 | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 12 | Estadio Azteca | Mexico City Stadium | Mexico City, MEX | 87,523 | 5 | Opener Jun 11 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 13 | Estadio Akron | Estadio Guadalajara | Zapopan, MEX | 49,000 | 4 | Mexico Jun 18 | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 14 | Estadio BBVA | Estadio Monterrey | Guadalupe, MEX | 53,500 | 4 | Group Stage | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 15 | BC Place | BC Place | Vancouver, CAN | 54,500 | 7 | R16 Jul 7 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 16 | BMO Field | Toronto Stadium | Toronto, CAN | 45,736 | 6 | R32 Jul 2 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Transit Grade Key: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ = Direct rail to stadium | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ = Easy transit | ⭐⭐⭐ = Transit requires planning
Essential Facts by Venue
MetLife Stadium — Opened 2010. $1.6B. Natural grass (Tahoma 31 bermudagrass, specially installed). NJ Transit from Penn Station ($52.50 return). Eight matches including the Final. One of only two stadiums at this tournament where the Final venue and the tournament opener are in different countries.
AT&T Stadium — Opened 2009. Climate-controlled retractable roof. Most matches (9) of any single venue. Semi-final on July 14. No direct rail — CentrePort TRE + shuttle. England vs Croatia and Argentina vs Austria both played here in group stage.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium — Opened 2017. $1.6B. LEED Platinum certified — only professional sports venue with this certification. Halo Board: 61,900 sq ft 360° display. Fan-First pricing: hot dogs from $2. MARTA Airport-direct.
SoFi Stadium — Opened 2020. $5.5B (most expensive ever). Fixed translucent canopy. Samsung Infinity Screen. $120M WC upgrade. USA vs Paraguay opener June 12.
Arrowhead Stadium — Opened 1972 (oldest US venue). Guinness Record: 142.2 dB (2014). $42M WC renovation. Argentina vs Algeria June 16. $15 round-trip shuttles from 15 regional hubs.
Hard Rock Stadium — Opened 1987. Renovated 2016. Nearly 27,000 car spaces (most parking of any WC venue). Brightline to Aventura + free shuttle. Brazil vs Scotland June 24.
NRG Stadium — Opened 2002. First NFL retractable-roof stadium. Copa America 2024 venue. Round of 16 on July 4 (US Independence Day).
Lumen Field — Opened 2002. $19.4M WC upgrade. Guinness Record: 137.6 dB (2013). Link Light Rail direct (3-min walk). USA vs Australia June 19.
Levi’s Stadium — Opened 2014. $120M WC upgrade. Green roof (27,000 sq ft). Solar power. 45 miles from San Francisco city — use Caltrain + VTA, not a car from SF.
Lincoln Financial Field — Opened 2003. $512M construction. SEPTA Broad Street direct. Brazil vs Morocco June 19. America 250 events June 19–July 4.Rúben Dias Profile — Manchester City, Portugal and the Quest for a First World Cup Title in 2026
Gillette Stadium — Opened 2002. Site of 1994 WC (Foxboro Stadium). MBTA train from South Station ($80 return, sell out — buy in advance). England vs Ghana June 16.
Estadio Azteca — Opened 1966. Only stadium to host 3 World Cups. Two WC Finals (1970, 1986). Altitude: 7,200 ft. Post-2024 renovation. Metro Line 2 → Tren Ligero.
Estadio Akron — Opened 2010. Chivas home — Mexico-only player policy. First WC venue in Mexico with full Wi-Fi. Mexico vs South Korea June 18. Mi Macro Periférico BRT.
Estadio BBVA — Opened 2015. Open south end frames Cerro de la Silla mountain. All matches at 8:00 PM CT to avoid heat. Metro Line 1 → Exposición Station.
BC Place — Opened 1983. Retractable PTFE roof. Retains own name (not rebranded by FIFA — one of only 2 in tournament). Canada vs Qatar June 18. Transit alert: use Main St–Science World, NOT Stadium-Chinatown (closed match days).
BMO Field — Opened 2007. Standard capacity ~30,000 expanded to 45,736 with temporary stands. Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina June 12 — first ever home WC match for Canada men. TTC 509/511 streetcar from Union Station.
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