FIFA 2026 World Cup Schedule Released; First Base Camps Detailed

FIFA has released the first list of Team Base Camp options for the 2026 World Cup with nine U.S. cities not hosting games among the options along with several host cities throughout the U.S. and Mexico.

There are 24 locations in the first list, which FIFA said will be expanded in the coming 18 months. Team Base Camps are where the 48 participating teams may opt to establish the hub from where they will travel to their first three matches and where players, staff and officials will spend the majority of their time during the group stage.

“Even if a city is not staging matches, a participating team coming to stay creates a strong personal bond with the competition for people locally,” said Heimo Schirgi, World Cup chief operating officer. “It will see them adopt their guests as a second team during the tournament, thereby connecting even more people to the FIFA World Cup.”

FIFA also on Wednesday, to celebrate the two-year countdown to the World Cup, published a more detailed version of the tournament’s match schedule. The United States, which will play two group-stage games in Los Angeles and one in Seattle, would — should it finish first in its group — have a round of 32 game in San Francisco, a round of 16 game in Seattle and quarterfinals in Los Angeles. If the U.S. finishes second in its group, its knockout-round path would start in the round of 32 in Dallas, followed by a round of 16 game in Atlanta and quarterfinal in Kansas City.

Mexico’s first-place group finish path would include knockout round games in Mexico City for the round of 32 and round of 16 before a quarterfinal in Miami. If Mexico finishes second in its group, it would have games potentially in Los Angeles, Houston and Boston. Canada’s first-place group stage finish path would have it play round of 32 and round of 16 games in Vancouver before a quarterfinal in Kansas City; if it finishes second in its group, Canada would have knockout round games in Los Angeles, Houston and Boston.

Among the U.S. host cities that will also have base camps include two options in Atlanta, four options in the Dallas area, three options in Kansas City and one in Philadelphia. FIFA is accepting expressions of interest from other cities and towns across the three host nations to propose facilities as possible Team Base Camps for the tournament. Expressions of interest can be submitted here with updates to the brochure to be made in late 2024 and throughout 2025.