2026 FIFA World Cup venues are.....

[LadyStanley]

Which U.S. cities will host 2026 World Cup games? We’re about to find out

Four cities are virtual locks. Another four are leaning that way. Several others also have attractive bids. Is the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup coming to your city? We'll know Thursday.

sports.yahoo.com

Announcement coming on Thursday, 6:30pm et (3:30pt). Like on Fix Sports 1 or FIFA website.

Mexico, Canada and USA hosting.

Click to read more...

 

[BKIslandersFan]

A lot of the bidding venues have artificial turf. Would be interesting to see how they put in grass pitch.

 

[PCSPounder]

If I remember correctly, there’s a minimum 30,000 seat stadium requirement. If FIFA wants a mid-country venue, why isn’t the new Nashville SC stadium considered? I mean, it’s inevitable there will be some clunker games with the expanded format.

With that, I see no surprises. Maybe Edmonton surviving this is a surprise… maybe.

Oh… USA has the market cornered on laying grass over artificial surfaces by now. The real legacy would be making a couple of those permanent.

 

[StreetHawk]

A lot of the bidding venues have artificial turf. Would be interesting to see how they put in grass pitch.

Not permitted to use turf. Has to be all grass. Similar to 1994 when the silver dome put in real grass it would be the same here.

Would be shocked to see any venues in the USA that are not nfl stadiums. I don’t foresee cities using 25k mls ones.

 

[PCSPounder]

Would be shocked to see any venues in the USA that are not nfl stadiums. I don’t foresee cities using 25k mls ones.

As I was saying, there’s a 30,000-seat minimum and that rules out every MLS-specific park… except Nashville.

And there will probably be a game between, oh, Slovakia and Peru or something like that which will frankly be too small for an NFL stadium, and that SHOULD go to GEODIS Park. Not that you’d be wrong to bet against that happening, just that I think it’s a fair bet that, unlike 1994, a lot of people will be priced out of these games.

 

[aqib]

As I was saying, there’s a 30,000-seat minimum and that rules out every MLS-specific park… except Nashville.

And there will probably be a game between, oh, Slovakia and Peru or something like that which will frankly be too small for an NFL stadium, and that SHOULD go to GEODIS Park. Not that you’d be wrong to bet against that happening, just that I think it’s a fair bet that, unlike 1994, a lot of people will be priced out of these games.

I am sure some can do temporary expansions. BMO Field will be expanded for it (yes I know TECHNICALLY its also a CFL stadium but it was built specifically for MLS and CFL was added later)

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Not permitted to use turf. Has to be all grass. Similar to 1994 when the silver dome put in real grass it would be the same here.

Would be shocked to see any venues in the USA that are not nfl stadiums. I don’t foresee cities using 25k mls ones.

Exactly. It would probably be easy for sadiums like Metlife (outdoor but turf) to put in grass pitch temporarily but what about Mercedes Benz (by all intents and purposes indoor)?

 

[sh724]

Exactly. It would probably be easy for sadiums like Metlife (outdoor but turf) to put in grass pitch temporarily but what about Mercedes Benz (by all intents and purposes indoor)?

they do not need the grass inside to be permanent. Several NFL stadiums actually move the grass out during the week to grow

 

[BKIslandersFan]

they do not need the grass inside to be permanent. Several NFL stadiums actually move the grass out during the week to grow

Thats gonna be tough to do for Mercedes Benz. NFL stadiums that do that are specifically designed for it.

 

[PCSPounder]

Thats gonna be tough to do for Mercedes Benz. NFL stadiums that do that are specifically designed for it.

AKA suburban stadiums.

 

[CokenoPepsi]

No way Toronto isn't a world Cup city even though BMO holds 20k less than BC place or the one in Edmonton.

Would be funny though

 

[blueandgoldguy]

No way Toronto isn't a world Cup city even though BMO holds 20k less than BC place or the one in Edmonton.

Would be funny though

World Class City but minor league stadium. Both Commonwealth and BC Place are nicer and far bigger.

BMO Field will be, by far, the crappiest stadium for the 2026 World Cup. Oh well, somebody has to be last.

 

[nickp91]

Cascadia looking likely to have 2 men's World Cup host cities for 2026

 

[aqib]

Thats gonna be tough to do for Mercedes Benz. NFL stadiums that do that are specifically designed for it.

The Pontiac Silverdome hosted matches in the 1994 World Cup. I have to think the technology is better today

 

[BKIslandersFan]

World Class City but minor league stadium. Both Commonwealth and BC Place are nicer and far bigger.

BMO Field will be, by far, the crappiest stadium for the 2026 World Cup. Oh well, somebody has to be last.

Smallest doesn’t make it the worst. BMO is definitely a better stadium than Commonwealth but Commonwealth is just bigger.

I don’t think Canada should be part of this. They just don’t have the stadiums.

 

[StreetHawk]

Smallest doesn’t make it the worst. BMO is definitely a better stadium than Commonwealth but Commonwealth is just bigger.

I don’t think Canada should be part of this. They just don’t have the stadiums.

Canada will only host the early stages.
But that’s the reality of stadiums in Canada.
CFL doesn’t need anything larger than30k most of the time maybe pushing 35k. Mls like 25k with 30k max. This don’t need stadiums with the capacity of commonwealth anymore outside of special events.

That’s why in the USA mls teams rarely play in nfl stadiums except for Atl, Sea and a couple like NE use the nfl one but they don’t draw to the same capacity percentage that sea and Atl do who can get 60% plus of max capacity.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Canada will only host the early stages.
But that’s the reality of stadiums in Canada.
CFL doesn’t need anything larger than30k most of the time maybe pushing 35k. Mls like 25k with 30k max. This don’t need stadiums with the capacity of commonwealth anymore outside of special events.

That’s why in the USA mls teams rarely play in nfl stadiums except for Atl, Sea and a couple like NE use the nfl one but they don’t draw to the same capacity percentage that sea and Atl do who can get 60% plus of max capacity.

And it would be silly to build big stadiuks just for WC. That’s why Canada should never have gotten involved. For their sake.

 

[StreetHawk]

And it would be silly to build big stadiuks just for WC. That’s why Canada should never have gotten involved. For their sake.

It’s the expanded one one with 48 countries vs the prior 32 thus more games. Makes it an easier sell. USA obviously can handle this on their own. But they opted for a NAFTA WC instead.

The more recent WC what have been the smallest venues? Not every stadium used was 60k capacity or greater?

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Exactly. It would probably be easy for sadiums like Metlife (outdoor but turf) to put in grass pitch temporarily but what about Mercedes Benz (by all intents and purposes indoor)?

Pretty sure the only thing easy in MetLife is losing your money.

EDIT: and your mind with the parking situation.

 

[blueandgoldguy]

Smallest doesn’t make it the worst. BMO is definitely a better stadium than Commonwealth but Commonwealth is just bigger.

I don’t think Canada should be part of this. They just don’t have the stadiums.

No, that is incorrect. BMO Field is a Frankenstadium with over half of it being built on the extreme cheap. I still remember in the early days of the facility when maintenance crews had to tighten nuts and bolts on the stadium structure after TFC matches because the vibrations from the crowd movement caused them to loosen.

Commonwealth is an older stadium that is well maintained, seats 56,000 and looks fantastic on TV. It would only need a few minor improvements to be ready for the World Cup...and it is far better than pretty well all the lesser stadiums form the past World Cups.

And yes, Canada should be a part of this. That was the condition for hosting an expanded World Cup and to grow the game - to have it in places which either haven't hosted (Canada) or places that have not hosted in a long time. And again, the facilities for some of the proposed sites are better than all the lesser stadiums of past World Cups.

It's a shame that the United States used Canada and Mexico in such a way that they will only host 10 games each and nothing past the initial 2 rounds. Particularly Mexico, who is a proven World Cup host, has the most iconic soccer stadium in North America in Azteca (as well as some impressive recent stadium builds) and is a passionate soccer nation.

Edmonton Eskimos Commonwealth stadium before play against the Calgary...

Edmonton Eskimos Commonwealth stadium before play against the Calgary Stampeders at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

www.gettyimages.ca

 

[blueandgoldguy]

It’s the expanded one one with 48 countries vs the prior 32 thus more games. Makes it an easier sell. USA obviously can handle this on their own. But they opted for a NAFTA WC instead.

The more recent WC what have been the smallest venues? Not every stadium used was 60k capacity or greater?

Indeed World Cups don't need every stadium to require a capacity of 60K or more. In fact, pretty well every World Cup has capacities for stadiums that end up as less than 40,000 as there are general seating areas in the stadiums that are reduced in size to make way for extra media accommodations.

Stadiums like BC Place with its top notch renovations in recent years are comparable to stadiums from recent World Cups that hosted quarterfinals and semifinals. Commonwealth Stadium is comparable to recent World Cup Stadiums that hosted playoff rounds and quarterfinal games. Montreal's Olympic Stadium, with a few hundred million in roof repairs and a few hundred million in interior renos would be comparable to stadiums in the past that hosted quarterfinals and semifinals. Even Frankenstadium in Toronto is better than many of the lesser stadiums from the recent past.

 

[John Price]

Sources say Kansas City made the cut for 2026 World Cup locations

Power & Light will host a watch party Thursday afternoon for the official announcement

www.kmbc.com

 

[John Price]

Rumored

KC
Dallas
NO
Philly

 

[StreetHawk]

Rumored

KC
Dallas
NO
Philly

NO is surprising given that they don’t have a mls club. Common thread for the us locations is the presence of a mls club nearby. Like Baltimore would be in favour of fedex field in DC cause of DC United.

 

[John Price]