Here are the basic facts about the 16 stadiums that were chosen Thursday to host the 2026 soccer World Cup, to be jointly organized by Mexico, the United States and Canada.
Mexico (3 venues)
Azteca Stadium Mexico City
The legendary Mexican stadium was the first to host the finals of two World Cups and will now host matches in three different editions.
Inaugurated in 1966, more than 100,000 people attended the 1970 World Cup final in which Pelé’s Brazil beat Italy 41. In 1986, the Coloso de Santa Ursula saw Diego Maradona lift the trophy after Argentina’s 32 win over Germany.
Akron Stadium, Zapopan (Jalisco)
Home of the Chivas de Guadalajara soccer team, the Akron stadium opened in 2010 with an avantgarde design that alludes to the figure of a volcano.
The facility seats 46,000 spectators and, among other events, hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2011 Pan American Games.
BBVA Stadium, (Guadalupe, Nuevo León)
One of the most modern venues chosen, the stadium of the Rayados de Monterrey soccer team was inaugurated in 2015 and has a capacity of 53,000 spectators.
United States (11 venues)
AT&T Stadium Arlington, Texas
Home of the Dallas Cowboys of the American football league (NFL), AT&T Stadium is a retractableroof, artificial turf stadium with a capacity of 80,000, expandable to 105,000.
Opened in 2009, the stadium has hosted many other sporting events, from boxing matches to the NBA AllStar game in 2010.
Mercedes Benz Stadium Atlanta, Georgia
Home of MLS’s Atlanta United and the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons. MercedesBenz Stadium opened in 2017 with a regular seating capacity of 71,000.
MetLife Stadium East Rutherford, New Jersey.
This stadium is shared by New York’s two NFL teams, the Jets and Giants, although it is located in New Jersey, across the Hudson River.
The facility was inaugurated in 2010, has a capacity of 82,500 spectators and hosted in 2016 the final of the Copa America Centenario in which Chile defeated Argentina by penalty kicks.
Lincoln Financial Field Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
It is home to the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles but its inaugural event, in August 2003, was a soccer match between FC Barcelona and Manchester United.
The nearly 70,000seat stadium was also the site of the 2015 Gold Cup final in which Mexico beat Jamaica 31.
Gillette Stadium Foxborough, Massachusetts
Another stadium shared by an NFL team, the iconic New England Patriots, and an MLS team, the New England Revolution. Located in a suburb of Boston, it seats 65,878 spectators.
NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas
Home to NFL teams (Houston Texas), soccer (Houston Dynamo) and many other events including giant rodeo shows. It is also covered with a retractable roof and has an air conditioning system for the 72,000 spectators.
SoFi Stadium Inglewood, California
Located just outside Los Angeles, this is a stateoftheart stadium opening in 2020 at a cost of about $5 billion. With about 70,000 seats, SoFi Stadium hosted the last Super Bowl game in February in which the local Rams won.
Arrowhead Stadium Kansas City, Missouri
Home of the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs, Arrowhead is one of the NFL’s most storied stadiums since its opening in 1972 and currently seats 76,000.
Hard Rock Stadium Miami Gardens, Florida
Located on the outskirts of Miami, the Hard Rock Stadium hosts the games of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins but also other major sporting events such as the Miami Open tennis tournament.
Opened in 1987, the stadium seats 67,000 spectators.
Levi’s Stadium Santa Clara, California
Located 65 kilometers from San Francisco, Levi’s Stadium was opened in 2014 and has a seating capacity of 68,500. It is home to the NFL’s iconic San Francisco 49ers.
Lumen Field Seattle (Washington)
Lumen Field is home to two soccer teams, the Seattle Sounders of the men’s league (MLS) and the OL Reign of the women’s league (NWSL), as well as the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks.
The facility opened in 2002 and seats 68,000 spectators.
Canada (2 venues)
BMO Field Toronto, Ontario
This stadium is the home of Toronto FC of the MLS and has a capacity of 45,000 spectators. Opened in 2007, it was the first stadium to host an MLS final outside the United States.
BC Place Vancouver, British Columbia
Completed in 1983, BC Place is home to the MLS Vancouver Whitecaps and rugby’s BC Lions. It has a capacity of almost 60,000 spectators.
