The 2026 FIFA World Cup brings 78 of its 104 matches to the USA across 9 host states and 11 host cities. Here's the breakdown by state.
Matches by US state
| State | Cities | Matches | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | Dallas + Houston | 16 | Dallas (AT&T) hosts the most of any US venue (9) |
| California | LA + SF Bay | 14 | SoFi Stadium (LA) — newest US WC venue |
| New Jersey | NY/NJ | 8 | Hosts the FINAL (MetLife, Jul 19) |
| Georgia | Atlanta | 8 | Mercedes-Benz — central US hub |
| Massachusetts | Boston (Foxborough) | 7 | Gillette Stadium |
| Florida | Miami | 7 | Hard Rock Stadium — Messi territory |
| Missouri | Kansas City | 6 | Arrowhead — loudest crowd in NFL |
| Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | 6 | Lincoln Financial Field |
| Washington | Seattle | 6 | Lumen Field — best soccer culture in US |
Total: 78 US matches. Combined with 13 in Mexico and 13 in Canada, the tournament covers 104 total.
Key dates by region
- June 11, 2026 — Opening match at Estadio Azteca, Mexico City.
- June 11–27 — Group stage (matches across all venues).
- June 27–July 3 — Round of 32.
- July 4–7 — Round of 16.
- July 9–11 — Quarter-Finals.
- July 14–15 — Semi-Finals.
- July 18 — 3rd place match.
- July 19, 2026 — Final at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey.
Travel strategy by region
East Coast cluster
NY/NJ + Boston + Philadelphia + Miami + Atlanta — covering 36 matches. Best base: NYC area for the early rounds, then move south. East Coast venues are within 1-3 hour flights of each other.
Texas hub
Dallas + Houston host 16 matches — the highest of any state. 3.5-hour drive or 1-hour flight between them. Great base for fans following teams in groups stationed centrally.
West Coast cluster
LA + SF Bay + Seattle — 20 matches. Long distances between (6 hours LA-Seattle by car), but cheap one-way flights. Best for fans who want to chase specific teams.
Learn the 9 host states by playing
Statedoku's puzzle uses "Hosts a 2026 World Cup match" as a constraint. Five minutes a day = you know all 9 states.
Play today's puzzle →Frequently asked questions
Which US state hosts the most World Cup matches?
Texas, with 16 matches across Dallas (9) and Houston (7). California is second with 14 (LA + SF Bay).
Which state hosts the Final?
New Jersey hosts the Final at MetLife Stadium on July 19, 2026 — even though it's called the "New York / New Jersey" host venue.
How many matches are in the US total?
78 of the 104 tournament matches will be played in the USA. The other 26 are in Mexico (13) and Canada (13).
Which states are NOT hosting any World Cup matches?
41 US states are not hosting matches: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York (matches are in NJ), North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.