Azteca Stadium to Host 2026 World Cup Opener, Final in New Jersey
The President of the International Football Federation (FIFA), Gianni Infantino, announced on Sunday that the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City will host the opening match of the 2026 World Cup on June 11. Furthermore, the final will take place in New Jersey, United States.
Mexico previously hosted the World Cup in 1970 and 1986, with both finals held at the Azteca Stadium.
According to FIFA, the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City will host the opening match of the 2026 World Cup.
The first final ended with a resounding victory for Brazil, led by Pelé, defeating Italy 4-1. In the second final, Argentina, led by Diego Maradona, emerged victorious against West Germany with a 3-2 scoreline.
FIFA also confirmed that the final match will be held in New Jersey, home to the American football teams New York Giants and New York Jets.
The New York City Stadium in New Jersey will host the final match of the 2026 World Cup.
FIFA has additionally released the complete schedule for the most significant football event globally.
The 2026 World Cup, which will feature 48 teams and conclude on July 19, will take place across stadiums in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, with the final set to be held at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The MetLife Stadium, with a capacity of 82,500 spectators, previously hosted the final of the Copa America Centenario in 2016, during which Chile, led by Lionel Messi, defeated Argentina in a penalty shootout.
The first match will take place in Canada, a country that has not previously hosted any World Cup matches, on June 12 in Toronto, at the home ground of the city’s Major League Soccer team. Additionally, the opening match in the United States will be held in Los Angeles, at the home ground of the Rams, also competing in the American football league.
The 2026 World Cup tournament will encompass 104 matches rather than the usual 64, including an additional round due to the previous decision to expand the tournament from 32 to 48 teams.
With the announcement of these venue and schedule details, anticipation for the 2026 World Cup continues to build, marking another memorable chapter in the world of football.
Article images: Azteca Stadium, MetLife Stadium, FIFA World Cup Trophy [Replace ‘image-url’ with the actual URLs of the respective images]
