In less than a month, the FIFA World Cup will return to the United States after 32 years. The United States is hosting the world's biggest football tournament for the first time since 1994. The United States is the host of the World Cup, which will be held from June 11 to July 19, and Canada and Mexico are co-hosts. 

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted in the Americas, approaches, the atmosphere for football in the host countries is heating up. As FIFA has intensified preparations for the games to be held in the main cities of all three countries, the discussion of football has now begun in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

FIFA is intensifying preparations for the World Cup to be held in 16 stadiums, including 11 in the United States, 2 in Canada and 3 in Mexico. Some basic infrastructure is being built inside the stadiums and temporary parapets that can accommodate thousands of spectators along with large screens outside, and digital advertising is being carried out on highways, public places and shopping centers, FIFA has announced on its official page. 

FIFA has announced that it has changed the names of 15 stadiums for the games to be held in 16 stadiums in the three countries. The stadiums operated by large commercial companies are named after their companies and since those companies are not sponsors of the 2026 World Cup, FIFA has given them different names for the duration of the game. As FIFA is consistent with its long-term branding policy, the corporate sponsored names of these companies have been removed for the duration of the game, Fox Sports reported.

FIFA has changed the names of all 11 stadiums selected for the games in the United States. MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where the final will be held, has been renamed New York New Jersey Stadium for the duration of the World Cup. AT&T in Arlington, Texas, where the semi-final will be held, has been renamed Dallas Stadium. This stadium is the home ground of the Dallas Cowboys, a popular American sport. 

FIFA had also selected Dallas for the final during the first stage of stadium studies. After the semi-finals were confirmed to be held in Dallas due to technical reasons, FIFA is preparing to play the final in New Jersey, New York, Fox Sports reported. The stadiums that will be renamed as Los Angeles are SoFi in Englewood, California, NRG in Houston, Texas, Mercedes-Benz in Atlanta, Georgia, Atlanta, Gillette in Foxborough, Massachusetts, Boston, Hard Rock in Miami Gardens, Florida, Miami, GEHA Field at Arrowhead in Kansas City, Missouri, Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Lively in Santa Clara, California, San Francisco Bay Area, and Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, will be known as Seattle Arena.

The stadiums named by FIFA will be named after the capital city, state and metropolitan area. Both stadiums selected for the matches in Canada have been renamed. According to FIFA's website, BMO Field in Toronto, Canada, has been renamed Toronto Stadium and BC Place in Vancouver, Vancouver Stadium has been renamed Vancouver Stadium. 

Two of the three stadiums selected for the matches in Mexico have been renamed. The Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Mexico, has been kept its name. The Estadio BBVA in Guadalupe will be known as the Estadio Monterrey Stadium throughout the World Cup.

The 1994 World Cup final was held at the Rose Bowl Stadium in California. Brazil won the World Cup for the fourth time, defeating Italy in a penalty shootout in front of 94,000 spectators. This is the first time the United States has hosted the World Cup. 

The World Cup, which will last for 39 days, will feature 48 countries. There will be a total of 104 matches. For the first time, the World Cup will feature a maximum of 48 countries. The 48 participating teams have been divided into 12 groups. Each group has 4 teams. Argentina won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Argentina, which competed with France in the final, won 4-2 in a penalty shootout.