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Key details revealed for the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Published

3 months ago

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With the 2026 FIFA World Cup over two years away, we now have detailed insights into the tournament’s host venues, including the number of games each will host, key matches like the opening games and finals, and where the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) will play. The eagerly awaited details were unveiled in a TV special on Fox, extending beyond its anticipated 30-minute runtime.

For Philadelphia soccer enthusiasts, Lincoln Financial Field, primarily known as the home ground of the Philadelphia Eagles, is set to host six World Cup matches. This includes five group stage matches and a critical knockout round match on July 4, 2026, aligning with the United States’ 250th Independence Day celebrations.

Mexico will kickstart the tournament on June 11th at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, a stadium with a history of hosting two World Cup Finals. While not the venue for the 2026 final, Mexico City will still host five matches, including two knockout stage games. El Tri will play their first and third matches in Mexico City, with the second match in Guadalajara.

In Canada, Toronto’s BMO Field will see the national team’s opener on June 12th and host six matches in total. Vancouver is slated to host Canada’s other two group stage games.

For fans wanting to catch the USMNT in action during the group stages, Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium will be the venue for their opener and third group match, with the second match taking place in Seattle. The reveal also included schedules for other host cities, promising an exciting array of matches across North America.

Once the opening matches were announced viewers were treated to the reveal of the bronze medal match. The third place match will be played inside Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium. After that the program showed FIFA President Gianni Infantino standing inside FOX’s virtual production studio simulating that he was standing inside the center circle of the host venue for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final. Many people expected the president to say the winner is “Dallas”, but to the shock of many it was actually “New York/New Jersey” that will be hosting the final.

This decision places the World Cup Final tantalizingly close to Philadelphia, just a short journey away from the City of Brotherly Love. The proximity of such a significant match offers Philadelphia fans a unique opportunity to be part of soccer history. Below is a full breakdown of all the matches and which cities will host them.

As the countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues, the excitement and anticipation only grow. The tournament promises to be a landmark event, bringing together the best of international soccer right to our doorstep. Let us know your thoughts on the schedule, are you disappointed that Philly didn’t get more love when it comes to matches? What about the final, do you agree that MetLife should have it over say AT&T stadium?

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Sean Sullivan is an Associate Editor for Philadelphia Soccer Now/Brotherly Game, where he has spent the past few years covering game day events for the Philadelphia Union. In his day job, he oversees creative and studio production for a corporate event streaming company based in the Philadelphia region.

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