FIFA men's World Cup 2026

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Report: World Cup final will be at AT&T Stadium in Arlington

The 2026 World Cup final will be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, according to a report by The Sun, a British tabloid.

https://www.axios.com/local/dallas/2024/01/18/dallas-world-cup-final-2026-texas?

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? N.J. gets the cup

Illustration: Rebecca Zisser/Axios

New Jersey will host the final match of the 2026 Men's World Cup at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. Why it matters: The international soccer tournament is the world's most widely viewed sporting event. Matches can deliver a super-sized economic jolt to the host cities, Axios' Thomas Wheatley and Naheed Rajwani-Dharsi write. ? FIFA revealed the schedule for the tournament, which will be hosted jointly by 16 cities across Mexico, the U.S., and Canada. The first game will be in Mexico City's famed Estadio Azteca. Dallas' AT&T Stadium will host a total of nine matches, including a semifinal, the most of any U.S. city. Miami's Hard Rock Stadium will host one of the quarterfinals and the third-place game.

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World Cup plans first halftime show, and fans have feelings

The 2026 FIFA World Cup final will have a halftime show, FIFA president Gianni Infantino recently announced on Instagram.

https://www.axios.com/2025/03/06/2026-fifa-world-cup-final-halftime-show?

 

Soccer showcase

The 2026 World Cup is still more than a year away, but there are already big concerns over whether the host country is ready. The month-long celebration of soccer is expected to bring millions of visitors from all over the world to the US.

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Curaçao makes soccer history as smallest nation by population to qualify for a World Cup

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — The tiny Caribbean island country Curaçao will go to the 2026 World Cup as the smallest nation by population ever to qualify for the marquee event in men’s soccer.

https://apnews.com/article/curacao-panama-haiti-world-cup-2026-ad26383b6c7276479d2a309a7970a5cb?

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? D.C.'s World Cup draw

The FIFA World Cup Trophy at the Kennedy Center yesterday. Photo: Michael Regan/FIFA via Getty Images The World Cup draw will be held today at the Kennedy Center at noon ET, live on FOX broadcasting. President Trump will share the stage with FIFA officials — he helped bring the event to D.C. (it was expected to go down in Las Vegas). And there's talk he may be honored with a new peace prize from the soccer organization, Axios D.C.'s Cuneyt Dil reports. ? We'll find out who plays whom to kick off next year's USA-Mexico-Canada hosted tournament — featuring 48 nations for the first time ever. Games will be played at 11 NFL stadiums along with three in Mexico and two in Canada. Attendance will top the record 3.59 million in 1994. The official balls for the draw featuring team names inside. Photo: Michael Regan/FIFA via Getty Images How it works: 48 teams will be divided into 12 groups, setting up matchups for the group-stage phase of the tournament, which begins June 11. We already know that Team USA will play its group matches in L.A. and Seattle. FIFA will unveil the full match schedule, with dates and locations, tomorrow.

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? Matchups set

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

The FIFA 2026 World Cup schedule is (mostly) set, Axios' Maxwell Millington and Andrew Pantazi report. Mexico will face South Africa in the opener on June 11 in Mexico City. The U.S. Men's National Team will play its entire Group D stage on the West Coast, along with Paraguay, Australia and the winners of a playoff between Turkey, Slovakia, Kosovo and Romania. The completed groups after all the teams were drawn at the Kennedy Center on Friday. Photo: Carlos Barria/Reuters Nearly 2 million tickets have already been sold. More on marquee matches.

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Priced out

Soccer fans are counting down the days until the men’s World Cup kicks off in North America next summer. But, after seeing the ticket prices, they may have to count every penny to attend any of the games.

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⚽ Airbnb's World Cup boom

Data: Deloitte study commissioned by Airbnb. Chart: Axios Visuals Airbnb hosts in U.S. World Cup cities could earn $4,000 on average by renting out their homes during the tournament, Axios' Sami Sparber reports. Roughly 2.1 million tourists are expected to visit the 11 host cities next year, including an estimated 232,000 Airbnb guests, according to a Deloitte study commissioned by the platform. New York and New Jersey, which host the July 19 final, could see nearly $6,000 in average Airbnb earnings — the highest in the group. Read on.

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FIFA slashes price of some World Cup tickets to $60 after global fan backlash

GENEVA (AP) — FIFA slashed the price of some World Cup tickets for teams’ most loyal fans following a global backlash and some will get $60 seats for the final instead of being asked to pay $4,185.

https://apnews.com/article/fifa-ticket-prices-slashed-73e7147a8843d07af08fcc88068dce80?

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⚽ 1 for the road: World Cup art

FIFA via X FIFA unveiled the official 2026 World Cup poster yesterday — created by three artists from the U.S., Canada and Mexico — with 100 days to go before the first game. The art joins 16 other posters designed to commemorate each host city. More on the artists ... World Cup fact sheet.

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⚽ 1 for the road: World Cup ad breaks

FIFA will allow broadcasters to cut away for ads during "hydration breaks" that will split up each half of this summer's World Cup matches, The Athletic reports.

• Based on FIFA rules, the hydration ad breaks will last about 2 minutes, 10 seconds.

Why it matters: Soccer, with 45-minute running halves, doesn't usually have the ad rhythm of, say, football, baseball or basketball.

The World Cup, kicking off 96 days from now, will be held across North America in June and July.

• FIFA is mandating 3-min. hydration breaks midway through each half as a "player welfare" measure: The referee "will stop the game 22 minutes into each half to allow players to rehydrate."

Host cities.

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⚽️ 1 sports thing: World Cup kits unveiled

Photo: U.S. Soccer U.S. Soccer and Nike today revealed Team USA soccer's new uniforms ahead of the 2026 World Cup, Axios' Maxwell Millington reports. The "stars" kit is navy blue with a red lining, a white Nike swoosh, a navy and white USA shield, and a subtle star pattern. The "stripes" kit has red-and-white wavy stripes with a navy collar, a dark Nike swoosh, and the USA shield crest. Photo: U.S. Soccer 💵 The authentic match jerseys will retail for $180, while the replica version will run $100. Go deeper.

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How to Watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup Live Without Cable (and Even for Free)

Mbappe, Messi, Yamal, and the world's other top soccer stars collide in North America this summer. Here's how to stream all the big goals using these recommended video streaming services and VPNs.

https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-watch-2026-fifa-world-cup-live-without-cable-even-for-free?

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Italian Football Fallout

Italy's soccer federation president and delegation head resigned yesterday after the national team became the first former World Cup champion to miss qualification for three straight tournaments. The head coach is expected to follow. Italy has won the World Cup four times, second only to Brazil (see historical winners). The team, however, hasn't advanced beyond the group stage since its last win in 2006. Over the last two decades, the program has cycled through three presidents and eight head coaches. An election on June 22 will determine a new federation president, who will likely oversee stadium renovations ahead of the 2032 European Championships, which Italy is cohosting with Turkey. Meanwhile, tickets for the 2026 World Cup final (July 19) reached up to $11K during the first open sale this week—likely the most expensive ever general admission ticket for a soccer match. Tickets to the 2022 final maxed out at roughly $1.6K.   In other news, soccer stars Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé, and Vinícius Júnior are now Lego figurines—see here.

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The beautiful game

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said Iran will “for sure” compete in the World Cup, despite doubts surrounding its participation amid ongoing conflict. The US will cohost the tournament with Canada and Mexico.

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FIFA triples price to $32,970 for its best available tickets to the World Cup final

FIFA tripled the price of its best available tickets to the World Cup final, making $32,970 seats available Thursday for the July 19 match at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

https://apnews.com/article/fifa-world-cup-tickets-637b8b097434e5adf60d1be5e4415ba4?

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⚽️ World Cup returns with soccer booming

Photos: Mark Leech/Offside via Getty Images/Tim Warner - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images Soccer participation and fandom have exploded between the last World Cup on American soil in 1994 and the one that kicks off June 11, Axios Charlotte's Ashley Mahoney reports. Now men's and women's pro teams are spread across the country. "You have a market that's grown to where people can have real careers in our sport," U.S. Soccer Federation CEO JT Batson said. ⚽️ By the numbers: Amateur participation has also ballooned. For ages 6 and up, more than 16.7 million Americans played outdoor soccer in 2025, according to Sports & Fitness Industry Association data. 🇺🇸 Flashback: U.S. men's national team and Charlotte FC defender Tim Ream told Axios he can remember watching the 1994 World Cup as a 6-year-old. He's the only player on the current USMNT squad who can. When he was growing up, live soccer on TV was rare. Now, he says, nearly anyone who wants to watch a game can find a way to do it.

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⚽️ World Cup travel barriers worry hospitality industry

This composite image shows a fan of each of the 48 national teams taking part in the 2026 World Cup in North America. Photo: Getty Images The U.S. hospitality industry hopes next month's World Cup can make up for last year's decline in foreign tourism. But travel restrictions and steep prices may keep visitors away, Axios Miami's Martin Vassolo reports. The 104-match FIFA World Cup — over 39 days in the U.S., Canada and Mexico in June and July — kicks off June 11, 32 days from now. While an estimated 1.2 million international fans will travel to the U.S. for the tournament, hotel owners say demand is lagging behind forecasts. Around two-thirds of respondents in a recent survey by the American Hotel & Lodging Association said visa barriers and geopolitical concerns were "significantly suppressing international demand." 💰 Friction point: The Trump administration's Visa Bond Pilot Program requires visitors from certain countries — including World Cup nations like Senegal, Tunisia and Côte d'Ivoire — to deposit $5,000–$15,000 per person to receive a tourist visa. Visitors from 19 other countries, including Haiti and Iran, are banned from entering the U.S. under expanded Trump travel restrictions. Many would-be visitors are worried about visa wait times and issues entering the U.S., making this feel "less like a red carpet welcome," the Hotel & Lodging report says. 🦅 The cover of today's Boston Globe includes a rare Hub admission ($): "Sorry, Boston, Philly has us topped again ... In World Cup tilt, Philly has the edge: Rival host crushing Boston on match prep … From fundraising to fan-friendly features, the City of Brotherly Love went all in on the World Cup." Full schedule.

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World Cup

Excitement is building with just a month to go until the start of the FIFA World Cup, but expensive tickets mean many fans across the US may have to watch from home or elsewhere. Diplomatic tensions and travel costs are also making headlines before a ball has even been kicked. Read more.

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Foreign ticket holders from World Cup qualifying countries won’t have to pay bonds to enter US

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is suspending a requirement that foreign visitors from countries that have qualified for the World Cup and have bought tickets for the soccer tournament pay as much as $15,000 in bonds to enter the United States, the State Department said Wednesday.

https://apnews.com/article/trump-world-cup-visa-bonds-a3a165fb5c2d215c5cd237d7a2e783ad?

Foreign ticket holders from World Cup qualifying countries won’t have to pay bonds to enter US

The Trump administration is suspending a requirement that foreign visitors from countries that have qualified for the World Cup and have bought tickets for the soccer tournament pay as much as $15,000 in bonds to enter the United States, the State Department said Wednesday. The department imposed the bond requirement last year for countries that it said had high rates of people overstaying their visas and other security issues as part of the Republican administration’s broader crackdown on immigration. Read more.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

US hotel operators say promised boon from hosting World Cup hasn’t materialized yet 30 days out, Los Angeles is ready for the World Cup. The playing surface? Not just yet The World Cup will be missing some star players as injuries mount before the big kickoff At 42, Qatar forward Sebastián Soria could become oldest outfield player at a World Cup

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🍻 1 for the road: Extra time for last call

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios Some Kansas City bars and restaurants will be allowed to stay open until 5 a.m. during the World Cup if they submit a safety plan, Axios' Travis Meier reports. Because some games start late, watch parties will likely go into the hours. ⚽️ Kansas City — one of several U.S. host cities — is joining other towns that are extending their usual last calls during the hotly anticipated soccer showdown. Philly bars could keep the taps flowing till 4 a.m. New York is eyeing a similar measure. Cheers!

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FIFA’s big experiment may have made the World Cup too big for its own good

A supersized World Cup with more teams, more games and even more host nations than ever before leaves a big question hanging over the biggest sporting show on earth: How much is too much? Be it the limits of physical endurance as top players threaten strike action over an ever-congested calendar, the attention span of fans in an age of seemingly wall-to-wall televised soccer or the exorbitant prices people are prepared to pay for tickets, the pressure points are numerous going into the tournament. Read more.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

Ecuador fans pin hopes on a World Cup run amid a surge in violence Iran's soccer federation says team's World Cup base camp has been moved to Mexico from the US Mexico launches a last-minute World Cup campaign to stop a homophobic chant

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⚽ FIFA announced World Cup training sites across the U.S. beyond the 16 North American host cities — see if yours is on the list.