It is one year before the 2026 World Cup officially starts, with football enthusiasts from all around the globe expected to swarm the host cities from June 11 2026. From all we know so far, the tournament will be one to remember.
The United States, Canada, and Mexico would serve as the three host nations (it will be the first time this will happen). Additionally, 48 countries will compete for the honors also for the first time.
Long after the teams and spectators have departed, it is expected the cities playing host for the 2026 World Cup will have made a lasting impression on everyone involved. For now, let us look into the preparations of each host country and city.
Preparing for the 2026 World Cup: How Host Countries are Getting Ready
The three countries hosting the 2026 football tournament are working hard to get ready. From building new stadiums and renovating existing ones to fixing transport channels and boosting tourism, here’s how they’re preparing to welcome fans from around the world for the big event.
USA
The main host will be the United States. Eleven locations in the United States will host 78 of the 104 matches. The matches that will be played in the country include group stage events, second round, the quarterfinals, and even the final.
The stadiums hosting the matches include Sofi Stadium, Mercedes-Benz stadium, Hard Rock stadium, and MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Because of the breadth of its metropolitan area and the large number of municipalities inside it, the United States is trying to prepare for every possible scenario in terms of safety and transportation on a regional level.
There are currently measures in place for public safety, which include, if needed, bringing in police, bomb dogs, public safety inspections, and other assistance from neighboring cities.
Atlanta’s mayor, Andre Dickens stated: “Our Office of Emergency Preparedness started planning even before we received word that we were a host city.”
According to him, Atlanta anticipates generating more than $1 billion from the FIFA tournament.
As Alex Lasry, CEO of the FIFA World Cup 26 New York New Jersey organizing committee, remarked: “When people look at the World Cup in the United States, they’re going to say this was the biggest and best World Cup that they’ve ever seen…”
Mexico
Mexico will serve as host for a number of the matches for the mundial. On June 11, 2026, the first game will be played in Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. According to the organizers, the venerable Azteca Stadium, which has played home to two FIFA World Cup finals, will be restored by the time the inaugural game kicks off.
Fan Fests held in host towns will be a great substitute for individuals who are unable to attend games in person. Fans will be able to watch tournament matches on big screens in specifically created venues, and admission to these areas will be completely free.
The Zócalo will host Mexico City’s Fan Fest. While Guadalajara is scheduled to have its Fan Fest in Plaza Liberación; this venue still needs official clearance. For Monterrey, you can look forward to a Fan Fest at Parque Fundidora.
For the purpose of making sure the movement of players, officials, and fans in and out of the Estadio Azteca is simple, the local organizing committee via, Gabriela Cuevas, Mexico’s government delegate to FIFA for World Cup preparations, have said important changes will be made within the transport network of hosting cities.
The introduction of electric buses for fan transportation, modifications to traffic management, an increase in the number of light rail trains running along Calzada de Tlalpan, and the establishment of safety zones to avoid traffic near the stadium are all part of the preparations.
Clara Brugada, the mayor of Mexico City, said that 40,000 more surveillance cameras will be purchased, increasing the total to 123,000, in response to security concerns in a nation beset by criminal violence.
She stated: “We will be the most video-surveilled city in all of the Americas.”
Canada
The participating North American nations will seek to establish a pattern for the future since this is the first time that the World Cup will be split between three host nations. Only two Canadian cities will be able to host millions of spectators from throughout the globe, including Toronto.
The other city in the country that shares the honors with Toronto is Vancouver. They are both set to host the World Cup. BC Place, Vancouver will host seven games, while BMO Field in Toronto will host six.
In order to accommodate a bigger population, plans are underway to enlarge Toronto FC’s BMO Field. By the time the tournament is held, its present capacity of 30,000 should have been increased to 45,000. As Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said, up to 380 million dollars will come out of the state coffers in order to properly host the tournament.
The Venue Specific Training Sites (VSTS), a crucial element of the FIFA World Cup 26TM, are being prepared as Vancouver gets ready to host the competition. The VSTS is being developed to satisfy event specifications, guaranteeing that teams have the tools and privacy they need to practice and be ready for games.
There will be field lighting, locker facilities, a press conference room, and grass soccer fields at this makeshift location. In January 2025, the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation (the “Park Board”) started building training facilities in Killarney Park.
Official Host City Posters for the FIFA World Cup 26
FIFA produced a set of 16 posters, one from each of the host cities across the globe in an effort to generate excitement for a tournament that is a year away. This is the first time FIFA has produced official World Cup posters tailored to a particular city. The goal is to showcase the distinct creative and cultural character of each host city.
Here is a full list of the 2026 host cities as well as the names of the local artists that curated the posters of each of the 16 host cities:
- Atlanta – Jose Hadathy
- Boston – John Rego
- Dallas – Matt Cliff
- Guadalajara – Cuemanche
- Houston – Stephanie Lea
- Kansas City – Jadie Arnett
- Los Angeles – Thieb Delaporte-Richard
- Miami – Rubem Robierb
- Mexico City – Cuemanche
- Monterrey – Cuemanche
- New York/New Jersey – Rich Tu
- Philadelphia – Nick McClintock
- San Francisco Bay Area – Leroid David
- Seattle – Shogo Ota
- Toronto – David Murray
- Vancouver – Jamin Zuroski
Betting Tips for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
The arrival of the World Cup will usher in many opportunities for sports bettors. However, smart bettors understand the need to be circumspect in order to get the best out of their wagering experience.
Before you bet on World Cup matches, be sure to study each team and their winning chances. There are many betting markets too. Learn about them so you can have many options.
Odds can determine how much you win, so remember to go with sportsbooks with the best odds. Talking about sportsbooks, their banking options matter too. We are at an age with many payment channels and you want a bookie that allows you to access them all.
According to betting expert and tipster, Evelyn Balyton, payment options like mobile wallets and GCash are very popular in the Philippines at the moment. That means if you want to bet in the country, you should look into those options.
If you are a punter in the Philippines who wants to know where to get the best betting sites that accept GCash, you should read the review GCash betting sites in the country to find the best operators.
Conclusion
Along with state and federal authorities, 16 cities are urgently preparing for the surge of visitors during the days between the opening game and the 2026 World Cup final game. The competition will take place between June 11 and July 19, 2026, for a total of 38 days, with the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey hosting the final.
Previous tournaments didn’t last more than 30 or 31 days, thus this is the longest one ever. In essence, we will see the biggest tournament in history as a result of the increase from 32 to 48 teams.
As iconic footballer Diego Maradona once said, “When people succeed, it is because of hard work; luck has nothing to do with success.”
In the same vein, these cities must keep up their tremendous efforts to be ready for the 2026 tournament.
The article was provided by Evelyn Balyton
