Host cities, hotels, tourism boards and more had lofty expectations for the World Cup, but some struck gold, while some fizzled. Here’s the breakdown.
Fans from 48 countries are traveling to 16 host cities across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
More of an inconvenience than an experience
Astronomical ticket prices, soaring security costs and concern over traffic and transit snarls is mixed with pride in host cities and excitement over the U.S. team.
See the schedule for the 2026 FIFA World Cup rounds and matches, the game format, and top teams to watch.
With a record 48 teams and 1,248 players, there's an endless number of stats about the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Here are a few to get you started.
Joint Interagency Task Force 401 continues to share knowledge and best practices with World Cup host cities for countering illicit unmanned aircraft systems.
Blue cities are finally cleaning up their act, but only because of bad press.
Some businesses advertising watch parties in Canada’s two host cities are wary of running afoul of FIFA’s copyright, which protects advertising “World Cup” events.
Fewer cities are bidding for Olympics, and those that are can’t always accommodate every event. The Milan-Cortina Games were the most sprawling Olympics in history.