Miami (AFP) – The 2026 Soccer World Cup will start at the legendary Azteca Stadium in Mexico City and will conclude with the final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford (New Jersey), on the outskirts of New York, FIFA reported this Sunday, February.
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The president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, confirmed that Mexico City and New Jersey will open the 2026 World Cup, respectively, in a television ceremony this Sunday, February 4, in which he revealed the match schedule for this sporting event, the the first to be held across three countries (United States, Mexico and Canada).
The inauguration and the first match, with the participation of the local Mexico teamwill take place on June 11 at the Azteca Stadium and the final on July 19, at MetLife Stadium.
The choice of this last venue, home of the New York Jets and Giants of the NFL, represented a small surprise since most forecasts pointed to AT&T Stadium in Dallas (Texas).
Finally, FIFA decided to bring the big game of the next World Cup to the New York area. the first expanded to 48 teams and in which Argentina will defend the title achieved in Qatar 2022.
Those responsible for the New Jersey/New York bid emphasized the area's experience and infrastructure in hosting major international events, as well as its transportation networks and a more friendly time zone for European fans.
MetLife Stadium, located across the Hudson River, It was inaugurated in 2010, it has a capacity of about 82,500 spectators and in 2016 it hosted the final of the Copa América Centenario in which Chile defeated Argentina on penalties.
Dallas had to settle for one of the semifinals, while the other will be held at the Mercedes-Benz in Atlanta (Georgia).
The third place game will take place at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami (Florida), a city that has been experiencing soccer fever since the arrival last year of Lionel Messi to Inter Miami of the MLS.
The Argentine superstar, 36, has not closed the door to participating in a sixth World Cup in 2026.
The three-time World Cup Azteca Stadium
FIFA revealed other details of the 104 World Cup matches in a television production that Infantino shared with celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, American comedian Kevin Hart, Canadian rapper Drake, as well as former Brazilian soccer player Cafú.
As expected, soccer's governing body awarded the opening of the World Cup and the first match to the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.
The emblematic Mexican court, whose current capacity is about 83,000 spectators, It will become the first to hold three World Cup openings after those in 1970 and 1986, of which it also hosted the finals.
“I am very happy, very excited. June 11 is going to be a total party in this country,” declared the Mexican coach, Jaime Lozano. “Imagine the energy that will be felt at the Azteca, how this fans will vibrate to have their team in an opening game for the third time in history.”
The 'Colossus of Santa Úrusla' will expand its legendary history in the World Cups, in which the quarterfinals of the 1986 edition between Argentina and England have a reserved chapter, when Diego Maradona scored a goal with his hand, baptized as the “Hand of God”, and minutes later the so-called “Goal of the Century”.
Maradona collected the World Cup champions trophy on the same grass and Pelé in the 1970 edition for Brazil in front of more than 100,000 fans.
The Azteca Stadium, inaugurated in 1966 and home of the Mexican team América, will be the first to host matches from three different editions of the World Cup.
On June 12, the other two host teams will make their debut. Canada will debut in Toronto in the first World Cup match played in this country.
On the same day, the United States team will make its debut at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles (California), the city that hosted the 1994 World Cup final, the last one played in North America and in which Brazil beat Italy in the round. penalties.
With AFP
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