Skift Take
New York and New Jersey, Los Angeles and Dallas are each going to host at least eight FIFA World Cup games in 2026. Each of those destinations should get a tourism boost.
New York and Jersey are going to host the biggest match in the 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament – the final. But the other cities in the running are are getting solid consolation prizes.
Dallas is going to host 9 games, the most of any city. And one of those games is going to be a semi-final game.
“If you think about the amount of visitors, nine matches, the economic impact, this is like nine Super Bowls that we’re gonna get right here in our backyard,” said Dan Hunt, president of FC Dallas, the city’s professional soccer club. He was speaking a at a press conference after FIFA’s announcement.
Those 9 matches are also going to put Dallas in the global spotlight. “It’s gonna do nothing but grow the global game, grow the game here, and grow our city to an even larger stature on a global basis,” said Hunt.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is going to feature 104 matches over 39 days. The tournament should generate between $90 and $480 million in net economic benefit for North American host cities, according to a study conducted by the Boston Consulting Group.
It Would Have Been Nice to Get the 2026 FIFA World Cup Finals
At the press conference, Dallas leaders voiced their disappointment about not getting the final match. “There is some disappointment here, because I got to speak my mind,” said Emmitt Smith, a former running back for Dallas Cowboys. “I cannot believe we lost to Jersey, but it happened.”
The final match is going to be in the New York and New Jersey region, along with seven other matches.
“Hosting The FIFA World Cup 2026 Final will be a historic moment for New York City and our host partners in New Jersey as we bring the world’s largest sporting event to the world’s biggest stage,” said Fred Dixon, CEO and president of NYC Tourism + Conventions.
Los Angeles, the other contender for the final match, is going to host eight matches. One of those games will be the opening match for the U.S.
“Today’s announcement was the culmination of a collective effort across our community to bring the Beautiful Game’s biggest global event back to LA – and we can’t wait!” wrote Adam Burke, CEO and president of LA Tourism, on LinkedIn on Sunday.
