NFL stadiums that will host 2026 FIFA World Cup matches
FIFA announced June 16 that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held in North America. The games will be the first time since 2002 that multiple nations will provide host cities.
Mexico will be hosting for the first time since 1986. The United States hosted in 1994. Canada gets its first crack at hosting the men’s tournament.
Of course, the United 2026 bid may not have prevailed if not for help from the NFL. With 11 of the 16 sites being the venues for NFL teams, it really helped make the case for bringing the FIFA World Cup to North America.
Here is a list of the NFL venues that will host games in 2026.
Atlanta — Mercedes-Benz Stadium
(ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images)
The home of the Falcons holds a capacity of 71,000. The Atlanta United FC plays at Mercedes-Benz also.
Last Super Bowl — Super Bowl LIII (2019)
Boston — Gillette Stadium
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Everyone knows “Boston” in this context means Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots’ home since 2002 has a capacity of 65,878. The New England Revolution have also been playing there since 2002.
Dallas — AT&T Stadium
(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
Again, not actually in the host city. The Dallas Cowboys’ home can hold 80,000 but is expandable up to 105,000.
Last Super Bowl: Super Bowl XLV (2011)
Houston — NRG Stadium
(Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports)
The Houston Texans’ home has a seating capacity of 71,500.
Last Super Bowl — Super Bowl LI
Kansas City — GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
76,416 can fit inside the home of the Chiefs. The Kansas City Wizards used to play there from 1996-2007.
Los Angeles — SoFi Stadium
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The regular seating capacity is 70,240, but is expandable up to 100,240.
Last Super Bowl — Super Bowl LVI
Mexico City — Estadio Azteca
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Although not home to an NFL team, Estadio Azteca will host an international series game between the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers this season. The seating capacity is 87,523.
Miami — Hard Rock Stadium
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Technically, the home of the Dolphins also belongs on the list of “stadiums not in the actual host city” as the site is in Miami Gardens, Fla. The seating capacity is 64,767.
Last Super Bowl — Super Bowl LIV
New York/New Jersey — MetLife Stadium
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
The seating capacity is 82,500, but expandable. The New York Giants and New York Jets are the only tenants.
Last Super Bowl — Super Bowl XLVIII
Philadelphia — Lincoln Financial Field
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The home of the Eagles has a seating capacity is 69,879. The Philadelphia Union played there for one season in 2010.
San Francisco Bay Area — Levi's Stadium
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
The home of the 49ers has a seating capacity of 68,500. Aside from the RedBox Bowl, not much goes on there.
Last Super Bowl — Super Bowl 50
Seattle — Lumen Field
(Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
The home of the Seattle Sounders and the Seattle Seahawks has a seating capacity of 68,740.
Why not college venues?
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
I’m getting ratio’d hard lol.
I totally understand the infrastructure and lodging. I just wanted one historic college football stadium on the World stage. Just one.
I’m 100% old man yells at cloud, I know. 😉
— Dunking and Dragons (@DunkingNDragons) June 17, 2022
@DunkingNDragons on Twitter made a great point about college football stadiums having greater capacities. The point and also the self-deprecation was too good not to include on the list.
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