Travel Guide — FIFA World Cup 2026

Ready to watch the legendary FIFA 2026, the 23rd edition of the tournament? From June to July 2026, the whole world is going to be a battlefield of passion, where football fans clash in cheers and tears, debating who will rise as champions and who will fall from glory.

FIFA 2026 is going to be the last play, last kick, and last goal for some legends. There are words around that Cristiano Ronaldo from Portugal, with his goal-scoring prowess, will be out to play for the last time. For Lionel Messi, now 39, this tournament might be his farewell appearance. Meanwhile, Croatia’s Luka Modric, the Maestro, is also expected to bow out after this tournament. This FIFA 2026 is going to be an extraordinary event, marking new beginnings and a craze for football like never before. 

Well, the season is going to be full of drama, emotions, and cheers for victory. If you are ready with your jersey and the FIFA kick, below is a guide curated just for football lovers. And do not forget to book travel tickets in advance if you don't want to miss your favorite team's match and regret it later. Go on reading.

Tournament Basics—Dates, Format & Host Countries

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is going to be approximately 5 weeks long, starting on June 11th, with the finals taking place on July 19th. This is the first time in history that FIFA is being co-hosted by three countries: the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

The FIFA 2026 format expands to include 48 teams, instead of the traditional 32. The teams will be divided into 12 groups of 4, each playing three matches in a group stage. From each team, the top 2 will advance, settling up to 24 teams in total. They will be joined by the 8 best third-placed teams as per the qualification rule, creating a new round of 32 that has never existed before.

This innovation proceeds to the knockout game, the round of 16, the quarterfinals, the semifinals, and the final, with single-elimination matches decided by extra time and penalties if needed. Therefore, the total tournament will feature 103 matches, higher than the 64 in Qatar 2022, marking the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the largest ever staged.

This expanded format will increase participation as well as provide more drama, more underdog stories, and more unforgettable moments for fans all over the world.

FIFA 2026 Venues & Cities

The hosting countries have allocated the venue for FIFA 2026 matches to be held in cities with world-class stadiums, strong infrastructure, international accessibility, and cultural appeal.

The USA has planned to host most of the matches in football hotbeds and fan culture cities. The venues are the MRG Stadium in Houston, MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey, SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Lumen Field in Seattle, Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara) in San Francisco, Gillette Stadium in Boston, and Arrowhead Stadium (GEHA Field) in Kansas City.

BMO Field in Toronto and BC Place in Vancouver are the Canadian cities and stadiums allocated for FIFA matches. Mexico has planned to host the tournament at Estadio Azteca (historic venue) in Mexico City, Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, and Estadio BBVA in Monterrey.

Travel Highlights For FIFA 2026

As the tournament is hosted in three different countries, 16 host cities, and notable stadiums, it is important to gain insights into travel. We have penned down the details on the nearest airports and airlines to book a flight ticket during FIFA 2026. It’s time to cheer and be at the “Theatre of Dreams,” where legends rise, and new chapters will begin.

Below are lists of airports that offer direct access to the stadium and a chance to immerse in the city’s culture locally:
 

• MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey - Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) 

• Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles - LAX International Airport

• AT&T Stadium in Dallas - Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)

• Hard Rock Stadium in Miami - Miami International Airport (MIA)

• Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta - Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) 

• Gillette Stadium in Boston - Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)

• Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia - Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) 

• Lumen Field in Seattle - Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)

• Levi’s Stadium in the San Francisco Bay Area - San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

• MRG Stadium in Houston - George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) 

• Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City - Kansas City International Airport (MCI) 

• BMO Field in Toronto - Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)

• BC Place in Vancouver - Vancouver International Airport (YVR)

• Estadio Azteca in Mexico City - Mexico City International Airport (MEX)

• Estadio Akron in Guadalajara - Guadalajara International Airport (GDL)

• Estadio BBVA in Monterrey - Monterrey International Airport (MTY)

Fan Travel Guide

Fans planning to attend their favorite matches must be prepared, especially if they are traveling into the city to watch them live. 

Here, first steps first: purchasing the official match tickets sold via FIFA channels, international flight tickets to the USA, Canada, or Mexico, or domestic flight tickets to the respective cities, and packages that have it all, from flight tickets to accommodations.

Go to the official website of FIFA.com/tickets, the source to buy match tickets. 

The ticket sales are held in phases: the Visa Presale Draw, general public sales, and resale platforms where you can sell or buy tickets through FIFA’s official resale system. 

The tournament tickets are also sold with hospitality packages for premium experiences, which provide VIP seating, catering, and lounge access, which can be purchased via the FIFA Hospitality Programme. 

FIFA might also offer travel packages by partnering with airlines (such as Qatar Airways in 2022), offering bundled flight and ticket packages.
 

Fans within the respective cities or who are traveling internationally, especially those wanting to see back-to-back matches in different regions, can fly in and save a lot of time. Smart travel options you can choose from include:

• Book early flight tickets as per dates, as domestic flights (NYC ↔ LA, Dallas ↔ Miami) will spike in price near match days. Try locking tickets 6-9 months in advance. 

• Book flights between cities that are very close. 

• Use regional clusters like the East Coast, including New York, Boston, and Philadelphia; the Central Coast Cluster, including Dallas, Houston, and Kansas City; and the West Coast Cluster, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Atlanta. Flights between these cities are only about 1 hour. 

• Save on flight tickets; book with budget airlines within the USA, such as Southwest, JetBlue, and Spirit; for a wider network, book with legacy carriers like Delta and American.

• Instead of booking a round trip, fly into the city and out to another. 

• To attend matches in Toronto and Vancouver, the best option is the 5-hour flight. Airlines ideal for this route include Air Canada and WestJet. 

• In Mexico, most domestic flights connect through the MEX airport. Book early- or late-night flights, as they might be cheaper and less crowded. Major airlines to book in Mexico are Aeromexico, Volaris, and VivaAerobus.