2026 World Cup: Building the Beautiful Game

Reid Packard

NYC, USA

In 2026, the world's biggest sporting event will take place in North America. For the first time in its history, the FIFA World Cup will be hosted by three different countries: The United States, Canada, and Mexico. This World Cup will also be the largest to ever take place, with 48 teams competing in 16 different cities. In the past, the World Cup had taken place in one city with 32 teams competing. With the tournament being less than two years away, all three host nations are working to prepare for the millions of fans coming to watch the beautiful game.

The United States will host the majority of the matches, including the final at MetLife Stadium. Cities are preparing for the crowds by upgrading their stadiums and public transportation services. Many of the stadiums being used were built for the NFL, so they just need to be adjusted to meet FIFA’s requirements. Such as converting all the fields to grass, because turf has a much higher injury rate compared to grass fields. FIFA does not want to risk getting all of their superstars injured on turf if they can avoid it; the NFL does not have the same regulations and therefore has a lot more preventable injuries. The US Soccer Federation hopes that hosting the World Cup on home turf will boost interest in the sport nationwide. After the success of the 1994 World Cup, which helped create the MLS, many officials believe this World Cup will boost interest even further.

Canada will be hosting the event in Toronto, Vancouver, and possibly Edmonton. Canada is known for being a hockey-dominated country; this is a chance to show how much soccer has also grown there. Stadiums in Toronto are expanding to fit more fans, while in Vancouver, they are making upgrades to the lighting and the grass. Canadian soccer officials are hoping that hosting the World Cup in Canada will inspire more young kids to start playing soccer. The Canadian men's soccer team has become increasingly successful recently, by qualifying for the previous 20222 World Cup for the first time since 1986. Canada is also expecting to get a major boost in tourism, of course, with visitors from all over the world coming to watch their countries play in Canada for the first time ever.

In 2026, Mexico will be the first country in World Cup history to host the tournament three times, after 1970 and 1986. The Mexico matches will be played in three historic stadiums: Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, Guadalajara’s Estadio Akron, and Monterrey’s Estadio BBVA. Estadio Azteca is one of the most famous stadiums in the world, and is being renovated to improve comfort and accessibility for the influx of fans. Not only is Mexico modernizing its stadiums, but they are also focused on ensuring safety for its fans and smooth transportation between places. Hosting the tournament again will help remind people of Mexico's deep soccer history. Pele won the World Cup there in 1970, and Diego Maradona's legendary “Hand of God” goal was also in Mexico, but in 1986. The countries' stadiums hold some of the World Cup's most iconic moments, and the 2026 tournament will add to the legacy.