The last time the FIFA World Cup was hosted in the U.S., in 1994, a record-setting 3,587,538 spectators traveled to take part in the most popular sporting event on Earth. It proved to be a pivotal moment in sporting history for America—two years after the event, Major League Soccer was created and soccer culture on U.S. soil has grown immensely since.
Now, as 11 U.S. cities prepare to welcome World Cup matches again in 2026—along with co-hosts Canada and Mexico—they are bracing for major impact. According to FIFA's Socioeconomic Impact Analysis report released in April, in the U.S. alone, $17.2 billion in gross domestic product (GDP) is predicted, and a whopping $40.9 billion globally for the whole tournament.
How are some of America’s biggest and best stadiums and cities preparing to host an event of such global magnitude? With just about a year until competition starts, we checked in with a few hosts as they ramp up for their time in the spotlight.
Building on Experience
One thing many of the U.S. cities and stadiums selected to host matches have in common: experience.
AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, is set to host nine matches—the most of any city—and Dallas Sports Commission Executive Director Monica Paul, who is also now president of the North Texas FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee, attributes much of this honor to the stadium’s wow factor and impressive sports resume.
AT&T Stadium has hosted events such as Super Bowl XLV, the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship game, the 2018 NFL Draft, Big 12 Championship games, Cotton Bowl Classic, NCAA Men's Final Four, AMA Supercross Championship and multiple world championship boxing matches. Soccer has also entered the picture, with multiple Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Gold Cup matches hosted at the stadium, too.
“I think the stadium speaks for itself. It's one of, probably, I would argue, the best stadiums in the world,” Paul said. “You have the capacity, the ticket sales capacity, the fact that it looks like it just opened last year or earlier this year. It has hosted many major events before and tends to set records, whether it's attendance, whether it's revenue, those types of things. The owners, the city, our region, take pride in how we continue to kind of raise the bar.”
On the West Coast, Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium, in Inglewood, California, prides itself similarly and is using its experience to enhance its planning.
“Having consistently hosted major global events, including 11 international soccer matches and Super Bowl LVI, SoFi Stadium has gained invaluable experience that our team is actively leveraging to meticulously plan for a successful World Cup,” explained Adolfo Romero, VP of programming and booking, SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park. “These past events serve as a rich source of insights, allowing us to pinpoint areas for enhancement, such as optimizing wayfinding signage, accelerating concession service, refining traffic flow, streamlining operations and strategically positioning key facilities.”
SoFi Stadium will also make history in the next few years, bolstering its resume by being the first venue to host the FIFA World Cup, Super Bowl (2027) and Olympics (2028) in consecutive years.
Since hosting the Olympics in 1996, Atlanta has taken learnings from the global event and applied it to many prestigious sporting events since, including a Super Bowl (2019, and will host again in 2028), College National Football Championship (2018) and others.
“Despite its size and global reach, Atlanta maintains a strong sense of local community and a long history of working together across many agencies for various events," said Kristin Delahunt, vice president, destination services, Atlanta CVB. "The city has experienced significant growth since the 1996 Olympics, and along this journey of hosting numerous citywide events, Atlanta gained invaluable insights into enhancing the city's welcoming atmosphere.”
“We built Mercedes-Benz Stadium with global events like the World Cup in mind,” added Adam Fullerton, vice president, stadium operations for Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. “Soccer was front and center in our design process from day one, including features like retractable seats in our corners that allow us to meet FIFA pitch dimensions without structural modifications. Add to that the unmatched fan engagement we’ve seen—leading MLS attendance every season, hosting top-tier friendlies and soon six FIFA Club World Cup matches—and it’s clear that both the city and the venue are primed for this moment.”
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Investing in Upgrades
While the stadiums hosting FIFA World Cup matches are among the most prestigious and high-tech in the world, there are still upgrades to be made. These investments will not only improve the World Cup experience but will also open opportunities for future special events.
FIFA has specific guidelines that all host stadiums must follow. Like Mercedes-Benz Stadium, SoFi Stadium, which opened in 2020, was designed and constructed to fit a FIFA-regulation pitch and is wrapping up work on field upgrades, including integrating an irrigation system for a natural grass field, which is mandated by FIFA.
“Demonstrating this capability, SoFi Stadium successfully installed a 64-by-100-meter pitch for the Nations League and U.S. Women’s matches earlier this year, mirroring the necessary systems and functionality for the 2026 World Cup,” Romero said. “Looking ahead to 2026, the SoFi Stadium team will implement a full-sized 68-by-105-meter natural grass pitch, ensuring ample surrounding space to meet all World Cup hosting requirements. This pitch will feature a comprehensive irrigation system with sub-air technology, complemented by grow lights to maintain ideal grass growth conditions.”
Mercedes-Benz Stadium is also enhancing its lighting systems and optimizing systems for natural grass conditions.
AT&T Stadium, which opened in 2009, is reportedly working through its biggest renovation to date, refreshing premium spaces, upgrading technology and other elements ahead of the World Cup.
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Leverage Destination-Wide Amenities
The interior of stadiums is important, but the FIFA World Cup experience goes beyond the walls surrounding the pitch. Many of the venues chosen as hosts are strategically located near entertainment venues for ancillary events, ample accommodations options, major international airports and public transportation.
Paul said that her team is expecting the event to have $1.5-2.1 billion in economic impact on the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area, easily the biggest event to ever take place there. All of the Metroplex cities and venues are working together to make the attendee experience as seamless and as enjoyable as possible throughout the destination, activating venues such as Dallas’ Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center as home to the International Broadcast Center and Fair Park for the FIFA World Cup Fan Festival.
Paul credits the large footprint and connectivity of the DFW region as some of the main reasons it was chosen to host the most matches of any host city, and why it was chosen to host broadcasters, the fan festival and other events.
“The central location, connectivity with DFW International Airport, the fact that both American Airlines and Southwest Airlines are headquartered here, and the ability to easily get teams, staff, media, broadcasters, fans to Canada, to Mexico and to either the East or West Coast, where some of the other host cities are located…I think that's a big part of it,” she said.
Expecting a major influx of international travelers, destinations like Atlanta are already built for the crowds with their airport and stadium in convenient locations. Mercedes-Benz Stadium is walkable from the Georgia World Congress Center, State Farm Arena, Georgia Aquarium, College Football Hall of Fame and the in-progress Centennial Yards development, scheduled to partially open in time for the World Cup, that will cover 50 acres and 8 million square feet of entertainment, retail, restaurants and hotel space.
“The convention and entertainment district will be ground-zero for FIFA World Cup 2026 matches and additional activations—from watch parties to tailgating events,” Delahunt said. “The district is booming with more than 13,000 hotel rooms, nearly 300 dining options, nightlife venues and family-friendly attractions that double as special event venues.
“Recognizing that the city is often a first stop in North America, efforts are underway to improve how international guests navigate and engage with Atlanta,” she added. “This includes a focus on clear wayfinding and the development of multilingual resources. The city's inherent diversity and strong ties with more than 70 foreign governments through consular offices provide a solid foundation for this initiative. By building upon these existing strengths, Atlanta aims to ensure that language is not a barrier to exploration and enjoyment.”
“I can tell you that every square inch of Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be activated in some form,” Fullerton added. “We’re exploring innovative ways to utilize the stadium footprint and surrounding areas to enhance the fan experience.”
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SoFi Stadium is the centerpiece of the sprawling 300-acre Hollywood Park in Inglewood and was envisioned to be a destination for live events and entertainment.
“Our campus boasts a variety of adaptable spaces perfect for activations, including the newly unveiled Shops at Hollywood Park,” Romero said.
SoFi Stadium will work closely on transport with many partners in the Los Angeles area.
“We are committed to ensuring safe, accessible transportation to SoFi Stadium and other official World Cup events—whether it be driving, rideshare or public transit,” said Kathryn S. Schloessman, president and CEO of the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission and the host city manager for the Los Angeles World Cup 2026 Host Committee. “LA Metro is working to expand bus, subway and light rail offerings. And, for the first time, a Metro Transit Center near LAX will connect riders directly to and from the airport via public transportation.”
This month marks the one-year-out date from the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the planning continues. More details about ancillary events and stadium upgrades are forthcoming. Paul says that while her team has been planning for the kickoff for nearly eight years already, everyone else is catching up, and the excitement is palpable.
“You can feel it right now. That people are waking up. The World Cup is coming.”
