The 2026 World Cup will be played in 16 stadiums spread across three countries, making it the most geographically spread World Cup ever staged. Eleven venues are in the United States, three are in Mexico, and two are in Canada, and together they cover everything from purpose-built football cathedrals in Mexico City to vast American football stadiums adapted for the tournament. For travelling fans, the list below is the essential starting point: know your venue, know your city, and plan transport early, because distances between host cities are far larger than at any previous World Cup.

Capacities vary by stadium and by tournament configuration, since some venues add temporary seating or adjust layouts for football, so treat published capacities as approximate guides rather than exact seat counts for every match. What matters more for your trip is location, transport links, climate, and the character of the host city. A stadium on the edge of a sprawling metro area demands a very different plan from a downtown ground you can walk to, and a June match in Texas feels very different from a June match in Vancouver.

The United States hosts matches in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle. Dallas is home to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, one of the largest venues in the tournament, while Los Angeles uses SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, a modern enclosed stadium built for American football. New York New Jersey matches are played at MetLife Stadium, and the San Francisco Bay Area venue is Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara. Seattle's Lumen Field is famous for its noise and downtown location, while Atlanta, Houston, Kansas City, Miami and Philadelphia each bring their own stadium character, from retractable roofs to open-air summer heat.

Mexico contributes three iconic venues: Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, and Estadio BBVA in Monterrey. Estadio Azteca is one of the most historic grounds in world football, having hosted World Cup finals in 1970 and 1986, and it brings altitude, passion and a vast bowl that rewards early arrival. Guadalajara's Estadio Akron is a modern, striking venue on the city's outskirts, while Monterrey's Estadio BBVA sits against a mountain backdrop that gives it one of the most photogenic settings in the tournament. Fans heading to Mexico should plan for altitude in Mexico City, heat in Monterrey, and lively fan culture in all three cities.

Canada hosts matches in Toronto and Vancouver, two cities that offer very different summer experiences. Toronto's BMO Field sits on the Lake Ontario waterfront and is being expanded for the tournament, giving fans a compact, walkable matchday around the stadium district. Vancouver's BC Place is a downtown domed stadium with a retractable roof, close to hotels, restaurants and public transport, and it pairs naturally with Seattle for fans planning a Pacific Northwest trip. Both Canadian cities are popular with international visitors, so book accommodation early and check entry requirements for Canada separately from those for the United States and Mexico.

If you are following one team, your base is decided by its group venues, so wait for the draw before booking non-refundable travel. If you are a neutral fan, pick a city cluster rather than trying to cover the whole continent: the north-east corridor, Texas, California, the Pacific Northwest and central Mexico each offer multiple venues within reasonable travel distance. Check stadium transport guides in advance, allow extra time on matchdays, and remember that stadium names used during the tournament may differ from their commercial names. With 16 venues, the best plan is a focused one, built around two or three cities done well rather than a rushed tour of many.