FIFA President Gianni Infantino talked FIFA World Cup 2026™️ venues and potential stadium developments ahead of the tournament with National Football League (NFL) Commissioner Roger Goodell during their meeting in New York. The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be the most inclusive ever with an unprecedented 48 nations taking part in the tournament, which will be hosted for the first time ever by three countries, Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

No fewer than 11 US-based venues out of the total of 16 stadiums set to stage matches are also the homes of NFL teams with 'soccer' poised to take over from '[American] football' for many of the 104 matches at the tournament during June-July 2026. “It was great to meet NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in New York,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “We discussed various developments and opportunities ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, and I referenced the state-of-the-art stadium facilities that I experienced when watching the Dallas Cowboys host the New York Jets in an NFL regular season game last Sunday. “Fans will be at the heart of the most inclusive and biggest FIFA World Cup ever in 2026 - an event that will showcase soccer more than ever before,” added Mr Infantino, who is holding a number of meetings with prominent decision-makers during the United Nations' General Assembly week in New York.

With various stadium configurations being adapted to accommodate the hosting of the FIFA World Cup 2026, both organisations will work closely together in the coming years to ensure facilities are in line with FIFA regulations for the tournament. “Many thanks to the NFL Commissioner for extending a warm welcome and I look forward to a fruitful cooperation between both our organisations as we prepare the FIFA World Cup 2026 in North and Central America,” the FIFA President concluded.