The best stadiums of the 2026 FIFA World Cup: a preview

Given that the 2026 FIFA World Cup is just around the corner, we’re going to move away from discussing the best British stadiums for today’s guide, and instead take a close look at the best stadiums that will be hosting international football this summer.

Given that the hosting is split between the USA, Canada and Mexico this time around, there are grounds spread across North America dedicated to certain matches as the tournament goes on.

So, let’s take a look at the most impressive stadiums we’ll be watching come June, and why we think they’re worth highlighting.

MetLife Stadium

MetLife Stadium was chosen in part thanks to its impressive size, and it will be hosting eight matches across the World Cup this year, including Round of 32 and Round of 16 matches, and it also has the honour of hosting the final.

Typically used for a variety of different events, MetLife is based in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Across the years, it’s played host to WrestleMania, the Super Bowl, college football, and more – all to an impressive crowd capacity of 82,500.

In fact, the stadium has also been recognised for the sheer volume of tickets sold across various types of entertainment, and its impressive location makes it a fitting venue for the World Cup final. Chances are that this will be the venue that most fans will be watching while checking scores via the LiveScore World Cup 2026 hub, so get accustomed to the stadium before the summer rolls around.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium has only been open to the public for just short of a decade, and yet in that time, it has impressed fans of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United as an ultra-modern, oval-shaped venue with a spectacular retractable roof system.

It comfortably welcomes at least 75,000 visitors, and with a state-of-the-art air conditioning setup in place, it’s going to be one of the most comfortable stadiums to head to this summer.

The stadium will play host to several group-stage matches, including Spain against Saudi Arabia and Czechia against South Africa. However, it will also play host to later matches, including the tournament’s second semi-final on 15th July.

Estadio Azteca (Estadio Banorte)

Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca (officially known as Estadio Banorte) is a fitting host for several matches at this year’s World Cup, partly thanks to the history associated with it. It has actually hosted 19 FIFA World Cup matches, including two finals, and it was where Diego Maradona performed his ‘Hand of God’ against England in 1986.

Beyond the famous moments, the stadium itself has stood the test of time impressively, having undergone renovations since its opening in 1966, and it reportedly holds up to 87,000 visitors, going toe to toe with MetLife as one of the biggest venues in this year’s competition.

Offering premium experiences, guided tours and superb accessibility, the stadium will be hosting five World Cup matches, with the most prestigious of these being the opening game of the tournament. As of the 2026 tournament, it will become the only stadium in the world to have hosted matches at three different World Cups.

SoFi Stadium

SoFi Stadium, located in Inglewood, a suburb of Los Angeles, has already turned a few heads thanks to its fantastic modern aesthetic and the fact that it’s an indoor and outdoor hybrid. With a colossal video screen, premium seating and more than 260 suites, SoFi welcomes up to 70,000 visitors. It’s also famously the biggest stadium in the NFL right now.

As far as the World Cup is concerned, SoFi Stadium is to host eight matches out of the 104 in total, and will reportedly be hosting the USA’s first game of the tournament. Having only been open since 2020, it’s one of the newer stadiums in this year’s tournament, but that doesn’t make it any less impressive.

Ranking the stadiums

Of the stadiums we’ve looked at for this guide, it’s clear that the USA has the lion’s share of the most impressive venues, but there’s football history across North America. With that in mind, we can’t really ‘rank’ the best stadiums as such. Some have more luxurious experiences than others, while others have more important history linked with the sport.

Regardless, these are just a few of the big venues you’ll be watching as the action unfolds later this June – whether in person, via streaming or on TV.