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With the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar almost upon us, attention has not yet focused on where the following tournament will be played.
Despite this, the destination of the FIFA World Cup 2026 has already been decided and the host cities have been announced.
After the Middle East, the World Cup will be pitching up in the United States, Canada and Mexico as the trio of countries host the tournament.
The soccer showpiece will be played across 16 cities in the three countries and will feature 48 teams, which is 16 more than the 32 contesting the World Cup in Qatar this year.
After some consternation over the bidding process which landed Qatar with the first winter World Cup, FIFA claimed the awarding of the 2026 tournament has been the "most transparent and comprehensive bidding process in football history."
In a statement announcing the host cities, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said: "We congratulate the 16 FIFA World Cup Host Cities on their outstanding commitment and passion. [It] is a historic day – for everyone in those cities and states, for FIFA, for Canada, the USA and Mexico who will put on the greatest show on Earth.
"We look forward to working together with them to deliver what will be an unprecedented FIFA World Cup and a game-changer as we strive to make football truly global."
FIFA Vice President and Concacaf President Victor Montagliani also added: "We were delighted by the unparalleled competitiveness of this selection process.
"We are extremely grateful not only to the 16 cities that have been selected, but also to the other six – with whom we look forward to continuing to engage and explore additional opportunities to welcome fans and participating teams.
"This has always been a FIFA World Cup of three countries, and that undoubtedly will have a tremendous impact on the whole region and the wider football community."
2026 FIFA World Cup Host Cities
United States
Atlanta - Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Boston - Gillette Stadium
Dallas - AT&T Stadium
Houston - NRG Stadium
Kansas City - Arrowhead Stadium
Los Angeles - SoFi Stadium
Miami - Hard Rock Stadium
New York/New Jersey - MetLife Stadium
Philadelphia - Lincoln Financial Field
San Francisco Bay Area - Levi's Stadium
Seattle - Lumen Field
Mexico
Guadalajara - Estadio Akron
Mexico City - Estadio Azteca
Monterrey - Estadio BBVA
Canada
Toronto - BMO Field
Vancouver - BC Place
The Azteca Stadium in Mexico City will make history as it will become the first venue to feature in three separate World Cups.
A notable absentee from the stadium list in the U.S., which is full of venues that have an NFL team, is the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The 1994 World Cup final was held in the stadium just outside Los Angeles, but it has been overlooked this time around.
Also missing from the list is Washington D.C., which was one of the host cities the last time the tournament was staged in the U.S.
Other North American cities not chosen for when the World Cup arrives in 2026 were Baltimore, Cincinnati, Denver, Nashville, Orlando and Edmonton.
