The 2026 FIFA World Cup final will be played on Sunday, July 19, 2026. The match is scheduled to kick off at 18:00 local time (22:00 GMT) at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA.
This is the first World Cup to feature 48 teams. The tournament runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026, across 16 cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
MetLife Stadium, home to the NFL’s New York Giants and Jets, has a capacity of 82,500. It will host eight matches total, including the final.
The semi-finals and bronze final are set for July 14 and 15. Adidas, FIFA’s official ball supplier, has already unveiled the “Trionda Final” match ball for these elimination rounds.
Key Dates for the 2026 World Cup
| Event | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Opening match | June 11, 2026 | Mexico City, Mexico |
| Group stage ends | June 27, 2026 | Various |
| Round of 32 | June 29 – July 2, 2026 | Various |
| Quarter-finals | July 9 – July 10, 2026 | Various |
| Semi-finals | July 14 – July 15, 2026 | Atlanta, USA & Dallas, USA |
| Bronze final | July 15, 2026 | Dallas, USA |
| Final | July 19, 2026 | East Rutherford, USA |
MetLife Stadium beat out other candidate venues including SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and AT&T Stadium in Dallas. The final will be the last of 104 matches in the tournament.
💡 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Q: When is the 2026 World Cup final?
- A: The 2026 FIFA World Cup final is on Sunday, July 19, 2026.
- Q: What time does the World Cup final start?
- A: The final kicks off at 18:00 local time (22:00 GMT).
- Q: Where is the 2026 World Cup final being held?
- A: The final will be played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA.
Extended Reading
Adidas announced the “Trionda Final” official match ball for the semi-finals, bronze final, and final of the 2026 World Cup in a press release on its corporate news site. The ball incorporates design elements inspired by the host nations’ flags and the tournament’s brand identity. Separately, a commentary piece published by The Spectator in July 2026 questioned whether World Cup match balls are designed to favor certain playing styles, citing historical performance data from previous tournaments including the 2022 final in Qatar, where Argentina defeated France.
