New Jersey to host 2026 FIFA WC final

The 2026 World Cup final will be played at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, world football governing body FIFA said on Sunday, reported Xinhua.

The tournament, to be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, will conclude at the home of the NFL's New York Giants and New York Jets on July 19.

"I'm sure that New York, New Jersey are celebrating now, and they should celebrate because they obtained the biggest game in the history of football," FIFA president Gianni Infantino said.

The competition, which will feature an expanded 48-team format, will kick off at Mexico City's Azteca Stadium on June 11.

Dallas and Atlanta will host the semifinals while the quarterfinals will be played in Los Angeles, Kansas City, Miami and Boston. The third-place playoff will take place in Miami.

"It will be the final of the first ever FIFA World Cup with 48 teams, 48 countries," Infantino said. "We'll have millions of people coming to the United States for the whole World Cup, to Mexico and to Canada, as well.

"And, of course, being in New York, which is such a cosmopolitan city, where you have between New York and New Jersey over 200 nationalities already there, celebrating and uniting the world, [it] is really something unique."

The United States will host 78 matches while Canada and Mexico will be home to 13 games each.

The tournament will feature 12 groups of four teams, with the top two advancing to the next round along with the eight best third-placed sides. A knockout format will ensue, starting with a new round of 32.

The 16 host cities are: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Guadalajara, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Miami, Monterrey, New York-New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver.