The 2026 World Cup is expected to be an event like no other.
Held across North America joint hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first 48-team tournament in the event's history.
With such a highly-anticipated competition just four years away, fans are hoping to learn all they can about where and when each milestone event of the competition will take place. The culminating moment of the tournament will be the 2026 World Cup final, which will captivate audiences both in the United States and around the globe.
The Sporting News brings you all the latest information available regarding the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, which has been scheduled for July 19, 2026. The World Cup schedule was released on February 4, 2024 and the location of the final was unveiled at that time.
MORE: Full match schedule for 2026 FIFA World Cup in USA, Canada, Mexico
Where is the 2026 World Cup final?
FIFA announced on July 18, 2022 what venues would host matches for the tournament, but the specific matches assigned to those stadiums were not revealed for another two years.
It was widely reported for months in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup schedule reveal that AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas would be selected to host the tournament final, but that was ultimately not the case.
In an upset, it was revealed by FIFA in February of 2024 that MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, part of the New York City metro area, will be given the lucrative and historic honor of hosting the 2026 World Cup final. Reports had widely circulated that the home of the Dallas Cowboys had beaten challengers MetLife Stadium as well as SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles to the game's most visible and important honor, and thus the announcement came as a shock to many.
MORE: Estadio Azteca in Mexico City will host the opening match of the 2026 World Cup
MetLife Stadium
- Location: East Rutherford, New Jersey (New York City market)
- Opened: 2010
- Capacity: 82,500
- Regular tenant: New York Giants, New York Jets
Unlike SoFi Stadium, MetLife Stadium is hardly a stunning sight to behold, nor does it provide a high-quality fan experience, looking more like a metal cage than anything else. But FIFA can't turn New York down, and while MetLife isn't exactly in the heart of the city, it's close enough.
With reports of AT&T Stadium in Dallas as the favorite for selection, New York CIty mayor Eric Adams and New York governor Phil Murphy co-authored an article in Sportico detailing New York's readiness to host the event, indicating they are not out of the running yet, but also signaling a need for a more mainstream PR push.
In January, 2024 ESPN reported that MetLife Stadium reconfigured its bid to host the all-important match by proposing the removal of over 1,000 seats in order to better comply with FIFA's pitch size standards.
MORE: All venues selected to host matches in the 2026 FIFA World Cup
MetLife Stadium chosen despite reports of Dallas selection
The selection of MetLife Stadium to host the 2026 World Cup final was considered a massive upset. Multiple outlets reported that AT&T Stadium in Dallas would be the host of the iconic match.
In the run-up to the venue selection announcement in June 2022, a report from the late independent journalist Grant Wahl, who tragically died while covering the Qatar 2022 World Cup, said MetLife was expected to be the host for the 2026 World Cup final. Since, however, other reports challenged MetLife's pedestal.
According to Jorge Ramos of ESPN Deportes in mid-August 2023, AT&T Stadium has the lead to host the 2026 World Cup final over the other two venues mentioned.
Then, in January of 2024, at the time FIFA announced the date of the schedule unveiling, AT&T Stadium's official X (formerly Twitter) account reposted FIFA's release with the eye emojis, indicating something big may be on the horizon. At that same time, Martin Lipton of The Sun in the UK reported that AT&T Stadium had been assigned the 2026 final.
— AT&T Stadium (@ATTStadium) January 18, 2024
There were also a few celebrated venues that were not in contention for the prestigious honor from an early stage.
One famous stadium that will not host the 2026 World Cup final is Estadio Azteca. FIFA announced that all matches from the quarterfinals onwards would be hosted in the United States, meaning the Mexico City stadium that has hosted two previous World Cup finals was not be in contention for selection. Estadio Azteca instead will host the opening match of the 2026 tournament, meaning it will become the first venue not only to host matches across three World Cups, but also to host three opening matches.
The Rose Bowl was left off the final list of venues for matchday duty in the 2026 World Cup. While it could potentially make its way back into the tournament after the removal of SoFi Stadium, it's highly unlikely that the old LA venue would then be suddenly in the running for the final. The massive Los Angeles stadium hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup final between Brazil and Italy, but was overshadowed by the brand new SoFi Stadium in the selection process.
It was a surprise when the brand new SoFi Stadium was selected by FIFA to host matches, earning the honor over its more historically acclaimed neighbor the Rose Bowl. However, as one of the world's most lauded arenas, it instantly became a contender for the final.
Built just a few years ago, SoFi Stadium is one of the modern stadium marvels. A stunning multi-billion dollar structure, the sparkling new venue meant to house the pair of NFL franchises in Los Angeles is fit for a king. The centerpiece of the city's successful 2028 Olympics bid, and its selection over the nearby Rose Bowl speaks volumes of its worthiness.
With the Rose Bowl out, SoFi Stadium was immediately considered a viable option to host the World Cup final. However, belief that they could win the 2026 final slowly faded. There were initial concerns over the stadium's field size, with very little room to extend the American football field beyond its 300ft length and 160ft width to the 345ft length and 223ft width recommended by FIFA for a pitch. While it has earned the right to host matches, the difficulties with configuration could prove problematic in a bid for the tournament's crowning match.
According to John Sutcliffe of ESPN Deportes in mid-October 2023, SoFi Stadium would not host any matches throughout the 2026 World Cup, sparking speculation around whether FIFA will replace the venue, and who might 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 closeby and widely acclaimed. Allegiant soon came out and removed themselves from the running publicly, stating that it would take around nine months of construction to enable the venue to meet FIFA's pitch size standards.
Furthermore, there were recent reports that tensions had raised between SoFi Stadium owner Stan Kroenke and FIFA over how matchday revenue will be divided between the various parties, throwing the stadium's inclusion in the World Cup schedule in doubt.
Amid all this uncertainty, the New York Times reported that SoFi Stadium was no longer in the running for the 2026 World Cup final, and the decision had come down to either New York or Dallas.
When is the 2026 World Cup final?
The official dates for the 2026 World Cup were revealed by FIFA on February 4, 2024.
In the summer of 2026, the FIFA World Cup will begin play at Estadio Azteca on June 11, with the tournament cluminating in the final from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on July 19, 2026.
Across the competition, 104 matches will be played as the tournament expands to 48 participants, up from the traditional 32 teams.
Past World Cup final venues
Hosting a World Cup final has been a prestigious honor bestowed upon some of the most famous venues across the globe.
Only two stadiums have ever hosted multiple World Cup finals, with Estadio Azteca in Mexico becoming the first, followed by the Maracana Stadium in Brazil.
The highest attendance ever for a World Cup final was 173,850 at the 1950 event. This will likely never be bested for stadiums as we know them, as modern safety protocols and ticketing procedures will prevent such a number from ever seeing a football match in person.
The 2022 World Cup final in Qatar saw 88,966 fans attend - the highest number 1994.
* Attendance figures via Wikipedia
| Year | Final Venue | Final Location | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | Estadio Centenario | Monteviedo, Uruguay | 68,346 |
| 1934 | Stadio Nazionale | Rome, Italy | 55,000 |
| 1938 | Stade Olympique | 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 | Estadio Nacional | Santiago, Chile | 69,000 |
| 1966 | Wembley Stadium | London, England | 96,924 |
| 1970 | Estadio Azteca | Mexico City, Mexico | 107,412 |
| 1974 | Olympiastadion | Munich, West Germany | 75,200 |
| 1978 | Estadio Monumental | Buenos Aires, Argentina | 71,483 |
| 1982 | Santiago Bernabeu | Madrid, Spain | 90,000 |
| 1986 | Estadio Azteca | Mexico City, Mexico | 114,600 |
| 1990 | Stadio Olimpico | Rome, Italy | 73,603 |
| 1994 | Rose Bowl | Pasadena, United States | 94,194 |
| 1998 | Stade de France | Saint-Denis, France | 75,000 |
| 2002 | International Stadium | Yokohama, Japan | 69,029 |
| 2006 | Olympiastadion | 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 | MetLife Stadium | East Rutherford, NJ | 82,500 |
