MetLife Stadium, home of the Giants and Jets, will host the 2026 World Cup final, FIFA announced Sunday.
AT&T Stadium, home of the Cowboys, was the favorite to host the final given it has a larger capacity than MetLife. But Cowboys owner Jerry Jones will have to settle for a semifinal match and the most total games (9).
Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium will host the other semifinal, and Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium will host the bronze medal game.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino attended an NFL game at MetLife Stadium and AT&T Stadium last year before the governing body made its decision.
The entire tournament will take place in 16 locations across the U.S., Canada and Mexico, with the final game played in New Jersey on July 19, 2026.
SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles will host the first game in the United States on June 12, 2026. Mexico City will host the first game of the tournament at Azteca Stadium on June 11, 2026. Toronto will host the first game in Canada on June 12, 2026.
All 11 U.S. stadiums selected to host games for the 2026 World Cup are used by NFL teams. Several, including MetLife, AT&T, Mercedes-Benz and SoFi, will have to install an expensive, high-quality grass pitch in place of the artificial turf those stadiums NFL teams use.
The U.S. last hosted the World Cup in 1994 with the final held at the Rose Bowl.
