With 48 competing teams in 16 cities across three countries, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the largest edition of the tournament in its nearly 100-year history. The group stages kick off in less than a week, on June 11 in Mexico, with the World Cup final slated for July 19 in the United States.Conveniently, teams will generally be kept within the same regions throughout the tournament and have been able to set up training base camps there to limit travel between matches. Yet, every corner of Canada, the U.S. and Mexico will be involved, offering different ambiances and experiences to the tournament. Here, Sports Illustrated takes a look at every World Cup city this summer, analyzing the venue, match schedule, location, climate, transit, tourist activities, walkability and bonus fan experiences, among other aspects, to rank each of the 16 locations that will welcome the world’s largest single-sport sporting event. 16. San Fransisco San Fransisco’s World Cup games will be in Santa Clara. | Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu/Getty Images Playing matches out of Santa Clara and Levi’s Stadium should be fun, and local fans are used to getting there for San Francisco 49ers games. Yet, it’s well out of the city—about 40 miles from downtown and the trek to the stadium, combined with the match, will take up the whole day.In addition to the stadium travel friction, the matches are far from San Francisco’s main attractions, and the city will not have a centralized FIFA FanFest for supporters to congregate. Making matters worse, the matches on San Francisco’s schedule are far from including the tournament’s most competitive teams, with Paraguay, Australia and Türkiye headlining the group stage as well as a round of 32 match. 15. Kansas CityThe home of Kansas City's World Cup matches is surrounded by parking lots. | Jamie Squire/Getty ImagesArrowhead Stadium will be quite the venue to host World Cup games, with its unique shape and sight-lines. However, like many of its U.S. counterparts, the stadium is well outside the city.Fans will be able to use a coach bus system connecting the airport and other attractions to the stadium. Still, most will opt to drive, only to face traffic jams. Kansas City’s FanFest will run for just 18 days, and general admission passes are paid entry. 14. New York New Jersey There is no entertainment near New York New Jersey Stadium and fans will not be able to walk to games. | Gary Hershorn/Getty ImagesThe home of the World Cup final is a nightmare to get to. MetLife Stadium sits in a converted swamp in New Jersey’s Meadowlands. On public transit, trains are expected to be overcrowded, and even then, fans have to make their way from Secaucus if they are staying in New York City. Tickets for those modes of transportation are also significantly higher than everyday prices, set at $100. Fortunately, New York City will have plenty of free opportunities for fans to take in the vibe far from the stadium. Sports Illustrated Stadium in nearby Harrison, N.J., as well as Rockefeller Center in Manhattan and the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, will all host official events. The excitement around the city will be special.13. Philadelphia Philadelphia’s stadium is accessible by public transit and has nearby food and drink, while being situated next to the venues for NHL, NBA and MLB. | Omar Vega/Getty ImagesPhiladelphia is a great city to visit, and Lincoln Financial Field is served by public transit, making it easily accessible. On return trips, fares are also waived. The city is even hosting a free fan fest for all 39 days of the tournament. Compared to other cities, though, the stadium sits fairly far from the downtown core and around purpose-built entertainment districts. However, it will allow tailgating, a pure A+. The main issue it will face is the match schedule, which features France, Brazil and Croatia as major teams, but lacks a truly headlining matchup. 12. HoustonHouston’s FIFA FanFest isn’t far from the stadium, but the parking for the games costs $125. | Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle/Getty ImagesHouston is a driving city. On matchday, the sprawling parking lots around the NRG Stadium will be valuable, even if they cost $125. Many will take advantage of the city’s light rail system, cushioning some of that pain. As a city, Houston has plenty to offer too, and the FanFest will take over East Downtown, which isn’t far from the stadium. As for matches, it has a massive number of big teams, with Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal playing two group-stage games, as well as featuring Germany and the Netherlands. Additionally, Houston will see a round of 32 and a round of 16 game.11. GuadalajaraGuadalajara’s FanFest will be in the main city square. | ULISES RUIZ/AFP/Getty ImagesGuadalajara is one of the cities to get unlucky in the match allotment, securing only four games. That makes it less of an ideal “one-stop” destination, as good as the Mexico vs. South Korea and Uruguay vs. Spain matchups could be. Estadio Akron sits relatively far from the city’s core and the airport, and fans are generally used to driving there, with several travel companies offering pre-booked ride services.10. MonterreyMonterrey’s stadium is picturesque, but doesn’t have many games. | Rodrigo Oropeza/Getty ImagesEstadio BBVA is already one of the most viral stadiums, offering a mountain view from one end, behind the goal. Yet the city itself is designed for cars, and that will greatly affect the overall ambiance of the tournament’s presence. Fans will be able to reach several key sites via the transit system, with the MetroLine serving Exposición Station, a 10-minute walk from the stadium. There are also key bus routes.The official FanFest will be at a 335-acre urban park, Parque Fundidora, and will offer free admission, with food and drink available throughout the tournament. Smaller FanFests will also be held at the Plaza Zaragoza and Plaza Morelos. 9. Boston Boston’s World Cup games are far away from Boston. | Finn Gomez/The Boston Globe/Getty ImagesBoston is one of the best sports cities in the world, but Foxborough and Gillette Stadium are major detractors from its status as a must-see city at the World Cup. The stadium is roughly 28 miles southwest of Boston, and fans can experience mass traffic jams getting to and from the stadium, despite the drive taking just 35 minutes from downtown on a good day. There will be trains to the stadium at a steep price of $80, and Uber is offering post-match shuttles back to downtown Boston for $45. When fans are in the city, it’s easy to get around, but a matchday will offer plenty of travel frustrations, with little to embrace in Foxborough, either. 8. DallasDallas’s World Cup venue is in nearby Arlington, Texas. | Kirby Lee/Getty ImagesOne of the great urban sprawls, Dallas isn’t the most friendly to those hoping to congregate around a stadium for drinks or a meal, or to get to easily. It’s one of the worst transit situations of the entire World Cup, even though the city offers a unique Texan flavor, and the match schedule is the best in the tournament. AT&T Stadium sits in Arlington, about 25 miles from downtown Dallas, and there is no train or direct public transit to the stadium. Plans are in place to push fast towards a combination of public transit, but the transfer system from buses to trains, as well as the 10-minute walk, will be less than enticing. Many will choose to rent a car or take taxis or rideshare, setting themselves up for traffic. From a pure match perspective, though, Dallas is glorious. It is hosting eight games, the most of any World Cup venue, headlined by Netherlands vs. Japan, England vs. Croatia, two Argentina matches, a pair of round of 32 games, a round of 16 clash, and the highly coveted semifinal. 7. Miami Miami’s World Cup home has hosted plenty of major sporting events. | Buda Mendes/Getty ImagesMiami, the city home to the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, will host seven matches at Hard Rock Stadium for the tournament. The venue played a prominent role in last year’s Club World Cup final and the year prior, housed the chaotic Copa América final, where un-ticketed fans snuck into the stadium. There’s hope that, given the stature of World Cup organizational plans, the venue will be much better suited this summer. The venue, despite being an NFL stadium, offers intimate sight lines for soccer and is accessible by train from downtown Fort Lauderdale, with tickets costing $20 or more. Many fans, however, will drive, and Uber has introduced a $45 shuttle service, since parking must be pre-purchased and costs an exorbitant $175. If you don’t have a ticket, Miami’s vibrant Latin culture will embrace the World Cup like few other cities. Bayfront Park, on downtown Miami’s waterfront, will host the FanFest from June 12 to July 5, leaving out the final.Given the everlasting heat, fans not used to the climate should have a plan to seek cooler temperatures or shaded spaces, but they will be lucky to find that strong air conditioning is incredibly common.6. Los AngelesSoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, is the gem of the U.S. World Cup venues. | Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty ImagesSoFi Stadium will be one of the best venues of the World Cup. Situated in Inglewood, California, it is relatively accessible from downtown Los Angeles and is accustomed to hosting major events, including sellouts for Mexico’s Concacaf Nations League games. From a venue and match schedule standpoint, it’s exceptional, and that’s before you even get into the rest of what the West Coast metropolis has to offer. The stadium will be under the spotlight on the second day of the tournament, as the co-hosting USMNT open the World Cup against Paraguay before returning for their final group-stage game against Türkiye on June 25. As for FanFests, there will be 10 separate zones spread from Venice Beach to downtown Burbank, while the larger primary venue will be at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the first four days, featuring Snoop Dogg leading the celebration.Aside from soccer, Los Angeles is already flush with tourist options. The original Disneyland is nearby, as well as the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Universal Studios, the World Series champion LA Dodgers, and plenty more. A call to warning? Be prepared for traffic. 5. AtlantaAtlanta’s stadium is among the best of the World Cup and is easily accesible from a vibrant downtown. | Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesAtlanta is an elite spot for soccer and hosted an exceptional Copa América opener between Argentina and Canada two summers ago. Mercedes-Benz Stadium itself is one of the most modern, offering excellent sight lines throughout, and is near downtown and accessible by MARTA, the city’s train system. The capital of Georgia will host eight games, the second-most of any venue, headlined by a semifinal. In the knockout stage, both the round of 32 and the round of 16 will take place in the city, while tournament favorites Spain will play two group stage games.The FanFest will be free near the stadium at Centennial Olympic Park, a central community area built for the 1996 Summer Olympics and widely considered one of the best in the modern era.Expect intense heat, but the stadium is climate-controlled. If you’re looking for food inside, it is highly affordable there—and for indoor activities, away from soccer, the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola and National Center for Civil and Human Rights can offer a nice break from the World Cup itself. 4. Mexico CityMexico City will be one of the best places to experience the 2026 World Cup. | Hector Vivas/Getty Images)Mexico City is home to the greatest stadium at the World Cup, as the Estadio Azteca has undergone massive renovations to become a modern facility and boasts the greatest soccer history of any venue. The venue often hosts massive soccer games, and transit to the stadium is generally swift, with the same card also working for the city’s bike-sharing service. As for fan experience and overall atmosphere, it’s going to be hard to beat Mexico City. Every food stand will be sizzling, and the city hosts two large FanFests. The primary free FanFest will take place in Zócalo, the city’s main square, throughout the tournament, and Campo Marte, a military center, will also hold an event.3. TorontoToronto’s World Cup venue is near downtown and Lake Ontario, as well as the FIFA FanFest. | Zou Zheng/Xinhua/Getty ImagesToronto is the world’s most multicultural city, making the first 48-team World Cup a truly remarkable moment. The atmosphere in the fourth-largest city in North America will be on full display on June 12 with Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina. The downtown will be enthralled by World Cup fever. Toronto Stadium, which is a 40-minute walk or a 10-minute train ride from the downtown core, is near entertainment options and features views of Lake Ontario. The stadium itself has been expanded, bringing capacity to 40,000 and creating an intimate match-viewing experience compared to some of the monster-sized football stadiums across the tournament. The stadium is right next to the free-access FanFest at FortYork. At nearby Harbourfront Center, Canada Soccer is also hosting another viewing party. Those events, combined with the downtown bars all near the stadium, could create an unparalleled fan experience among the World Cup cities. 2. Seattle Seattle’s World Cup stadium is near downtown, surrounded by entertainment options and is on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. | Steph Chambers/Getty ImagesSeattle’s Lumen Field is known as the loudest sports venue in the U.S., with its metal bleachers at the ends amplifying the crowd.Unlike many of its U.S. counterparts, Lumen Field sits within walking distance of the downtown core and is accessible by public transit. Situated next to T-Mobile Park, home to the MLB’s Seattle Mariners, the stadium district offers plenty of areas for fans to hang out before and after the game. The stadium sits near the water and the Port of Seattle and features a mild climate, avoiding some of the sweltering heat that the Northeast and Southern stadiums will feel. Tourists can also check out the famed Space Needle and the fish-throwing stalls of the Pike Place Market, which also features the world’s first-ever Starbucks. As for the matches themselves, the slate is headlined by a USMNT clash with Australia, as well as a round of 32 and round of 16 match. 1. Vancouver BC Place is the most central stadium to its downtown among the World Cup’s 16 cities. | Elizabeth Ruiz Ruiz/Getty ImagesVancouver tops the list of the best World Cup cities, with a subway that connects downtown, many suburbs and the airport. At the same time, the 54,000-seat BC Place Stadium sits in the downtown core, featuring bars and restaurants all within walking distance. Unlike in many cities, fans might be able to avoid driving entirely. For supporters looking for milder summer heat, the Canadian west coast city rarely rises above 80 degrees and is surrounded by beaches, even in the downtown core.Known for its natural beauty, Vancouver will also host viewing parties at the top of Grouse Mountain, overlooking the city, as well as a free, official FIFA FanFest at the newly built PNE Amphitheater. Several other locations will also show matches, while the dome, known as Science World, hosts an exhibit on soccer technology from the FIFA Museum and is decorated as a soccer ball, defining the city’s skyline. From a match perspective, Vancouver features two of Canada’s home matches and will host both the round of 32 and the round of 16.For U.S. and European tourists, Vancouver will also be one of the most affordable cities at the tournament, with prices in Canadian dollars, which is valued significantly less than the U.S. dollar (USD $1 = $1.38 CAD) and the Euro.READ THE LATEST WORLD CUP NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FCAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow