As we head into the final months of 2025, and more teams secure their spots at World Cup 2026 (congratulations Tunisia, Egypt and Algeria!), all eyes are turning to the biggest global sports event.
The 2026 World Cup is bigger and better than ever, with more teams and more matches than ever before. Across three countries, Mexico, Canada and the USA. The United States will host the vast majority of the matches – 78 of the 104 in total.
We have already seen one ballot for World Cup tickets from FIFA, with a whopping 4.5 million attempts to secure the golden tickets. As you plan your trip to the US of A, here at SeatPick we have attempted to rank the best hosts cities in America for this showpiece event.
Key Findings From The SeatPick Study of the Best US World Cup 2026 City
- Dallas ranks as the best city to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, featuring the largest stadium and most matches of any host city.
- Nine matches are scheduled for Dallas’s 94,000-capacity stadium, while Atlanta and New York/New Jersey secure second and third place rankings.
- Fan affordability varies widely across host cities with Kansas City offering the cheapest beer at $9.28 and Philadelphia offering the most affordable pizza at $10.99.
Dallas, Texas is the Top Host City in the USA for World Cup 2026
A new study produced here at SeatPick has ranked Dallas, Texas, as the top city to host the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The research examined all 11 U.S. host cities based on factors including stadium capacity, match allocation, food and beverage prices, and hotel availability.
Dallas ranks first with an 84.42 index score out of 100, nearly 26 points ahead of second-place Atlanta. The Texas city will host nine World Cup matches in its 94,000-capacity AT&T Stadium, boasting the highest numbers among all host venues. Dallas offers reasonable food prices with hamburgers averaging $4.86 and beer at $10.66.
Atlanta claims second place with a 58.92 score out of 100, benefiting from strong hotel availability with 32.69 hotels per 100,000 residents. The city will host eight matches in its 75,000-seat Mercedes-Benz stadium and provides competitive food and beverage pricing with beer at $10.62 and hamburgers at $4.98.
New York/New Jersey takes third place with a score of 53.69 out of 100. Despite limited hotel availability (3.78 hotels per 100,000 residents), the region compensates with a high hotel quality rating of 8.00 out of 10. The metropolitan area will host eight matches in its 82,500-capacity stadium. The MetLife Stadium will host the World Cup final.
Los Angeles ranks fourth with a 45.24 score out of 100, hosting eight matches in its 70,000-seat SoFi Stadium. The California city boasts a high hotel quality rating of 8.08 but faces challenges with expensive food prices, particularly pizza at $14.55.
Houston rounds out the top five with a 42.79 score out of 100, offering the most affordable hamburgers at $4.59. The city will host seven matches in its 72,000-capacity NRG Stadium and provides reasonable hotel availability with 15.99 hotels per 100,000 residents.
Top Host Locations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
| Rank | Location | Stadium | Overall Score | Matches | Capacity | Beer Price | Hamburger Price | Pizza Price | Hotels per 100,000 | Hotel Rating |
| 1 | Dallas | AT&T Stadium | 84.42 | 9 | 94,000 | $10.66 | $4.86 | $11.49 | 12.36 | 7.59 |
| 2 | Atlanta | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | 58.92 | 8 | 75,000 | $10.62 | $4.98 | $11.64 | 32.69 | 7.65 |
| 3 | New York/New Jersey | MetLife Stadium | 53.69 | 8 | 82,500 | $11.19 | $6.47 | $13.57 | 3.78 | 8.00 |
| 4 | Los Angeles | SoFi Stadium | 45.24 | 8 | 70,000 | $10.62 | $6.35 | $14.55 | 7.38 | 8.08 |
| 5 | Houston | NRG Stadium | 42.79 | 7 | 72,000 | $10.49 | $4.59 | $12.23 | 15.99 | 7.55 |
| 6 | Kansas City | Arrowhead Stadium | 37.88 | 6 | 76,000 | $9.28 | $5.41 | $11.76 | 17.43 | 7.68 |
| 7 | Boston | Gillette Stadium | 33.82 | 7 | 65,000 | $10.32 | $6.46 | $12.32 | 10.25 | 8.08 |
| 8 | Miami | Hard Rock Stadium | 30.77 | 7 | 65,000 | $11.17 | $5.92 | $15.00 | 42.55 | 7.87 |
| 9 | Philadelphia | Lincoln Financoal Field | 22.40 | 6 | 69,000 | $11.94 | $5.46 | $10.99 | 4.97 | 7.80 |
| 10 | San Francisco | Levi’s Stadium | 18.93 | 6 | 71,000 | $10.04 | $7.02 | $17.39 | 20.64 | 8.04 |
| 11 | Seattle | Lumen Field | 15.44 | 6 | 69,000 | $10.93 | $6.37 | $16.27 | 16.55 | 7.78 |
Kansas City has the Cheapest Beer of all USA Host Cities
Kansas City takes sixth place with a 37.88 score out of 100, distinguished by having the cheapest beer among all host cities at $9.28. The city will host six matches in its 76,000-capacity Arrowhead Stadium and offers affordable pizza for $11.76.
Boston and Miami secure seventh and eighth places with scores of 33.82 out of 100 and 30.77 out of 100 respectively. Boston boasts the highest hotel quality rating tied with Los Angeles at 8.08 out of 10, while Miami offers the greatest hotel availability with 42.55 hotels per 100,000 residents.
Philadelphia places ninth with a 22.40 score out of 100. The Pennsylvania host offers the most affordable pizza at $10.99 but struggles with limited hotel availability at just 4.97 hotels per 100,000 residents.
The San Francisco Bay Area in California ranks tenth with a score of 18.93 out of 100, challenged by having the most expensive food among all host cities. Hamburgers average $7.02 and pizza costs $17.39, the highest among all the locations.
Seattle rounds out the rankings in eleventh place with a score of 15.44 out of 100. The city has the second most expensive pizza at $16.27 and faces challenges with average beer prices at $10.93 and limited hotel availability.
“The Largest Sporting Event in History”
Gilad Zilberman, CEO of SeatPick, commented on the findings:
“The 2026 World Cup presents a unique opportunity for American cities to showcase their facilities and hospitality on the global stage. Dallas stands out as the premier host with its massive stadium capacity and significant match allocation, offering fans excellent value and experience.
“There are stark differences in affordability across host cities. While Kansas City and Philadelphia offer good value for food and beverages, fans visiting San Francisco should prepare for significantly higher costs. These factors will play a major role in the overall fan experience during what will be the largest sporting event in history.”
Methodology
Data was gathered from multiple sources including stadium capacity information, match allocation schedules, C2er price data for food and beverages, and Booking.com data for hotel availability and ratings. The study analyzed 11 U.S. host cities using seven key metrics.
Each metric was indexed on a scale where the best-performing city received 10 points and the worst-performing city received 0 points. These index scores were weighted and combined to create an overall ranking. New York/New Jersey metrics were based on New York as the location.
Related: How to Buy FIFA 2026 World Cup Tickets.
