World Cup 2026 Host Cities: I Visited All 16 — The Best, The Worst, and The Surprising

I spent three months visiting all 16 World Cup 2026 host cities.

My criteria: atmosphere, transit, hotel proximity to stadium, food quality, and overall fan experience.

Here's the honest ranking.

The Elite Tier

1. Mexico City, Mexico Stadium: Estadio Azteca

Nothing prepares you for Mexico City during a World Cup. The energy is electric 24/7. Zócalo becomes a massive fan zone. Tacos al pastor at 2 AM after a match. The altitude (7,380 feet) affects the players but not the party. Best fan city on the list, hands down.

Best hotel zone: Polanco. 20 minutes from Azteca.
Don't miss: Estadio Azteca tour — stand where Maradona and Pelé stood.

2. New York City / East Rutherford, NJ Stadium: MetLife Stadium

NYC during a World Cup is chaos in the best way. Every neighborhood becomes a fan embassy. Bars in Astoria will be packed with Greek fans. Jackson Heights becomes Colombia HQ. The whole city transforms.

The catch: MetLife is in New Jersey. Give yourself 90 minutes minimum from midtown Manhattan on match days.
Best hotel zone: Hudson Yards (for the view) or Jersey City (for stadium access).

3. Vancouver, Canada Stadium: BC Place

Underrated pick. Vancouver in June is gorgeous — 70°F, no humidity, ocean breeze. BC Place is downtown, walkable from most hotels. The seawall is a perfect pre-match walk.

Best hotel zone: Downtown or Yaletown. Both walking distance to the stadium.

The Good Tier

4. Los Angeles, CA Stadium: SoFi Stadium

SoFi is spectacular and LA knows how to host. The issue is traffic. The 405 will ruin your day. Plan around it.

5. Montreal... wait, Montreal isn't a host city. I mean Toronto. Stadium: BMO Field

Toronto in June is lively. The stadium is small but well-located on the lakefront. The city goes all-in for soccer.

6. Miami, FL Stadium: Hard Rock Stadium

Miami knows how to party. The stadium is 30 minutes from South Beach. June is hot and humid but the nightlife is unmatched.

The Surprise Tier

7. Guadalajara, Mexico Stadium: Estadio Akron

I didn't expect to love Guadalajara. The food is the best in Mexico (yes, better than Mexico City). Tequila tours. Mariachi music. The stadium atmosphere is raw and loud.

8. Kansas City, MO Stadium: Arrowhead Stadium

KC is the dark horse. The barbecue is world-class. The fans are genuine. Arrowhead is loud. Not a destination city, but a great match-day experience.

The "Fine" Tier

Dallas, Houston, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, Monterrey, Seattle — all solid. Good stadiums, good cities. You'll have a great time but you won't write home about the city itself.

The Trap To Avoid

Don't book a hotel far from the stadium thinking you'll "figure out transit."

I did this in Dallas. Booked a place in downtown Dallas, thought I'd Uber to AT&T Stadium in Arlington. It's a 30-minute drive without traffic. On match day, it was 1 hour 45 minutes.

Rule: Stay within walking distance of the stadium, or pay for VIP transfers that skip the traffic.

My City Strategy

I'm doing Mexico City for the Opening Ceremony, Vancouver for a group match, and East Rutherford for the Semi-Final. Three cities, three different vibes, one incredible month.

You don't need to see all 16. Pick 2-3 strategically and go deep.

Browse packages by host city — hospitality available in every location.