The 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America will see games played in 24 venues scattered across. Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
While none of the venues are in Iowa state, there are a few stadiums close to here that are included. The following are three of the options that fans in Iowa might like to consider if they want to travel to some of the big games.
GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Distance from Iowa: 240 miles
The Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri is by far the closest World Cup venue for Iowans who plan to travel to watch some of the games in 2025. This is the home of the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs and it’s currently named GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Kauffman Stadium sits next to it, and together they make up the Truman Sports Complex.
This is the 6th biggest NFL stadium in the country and the largest sports venue in Missouri, thanks to its 76,426 seating capacity. Its history goes back to the 1960s when new NFL rules meant that the seating in football stadiums had to be for at least 50,000 people.
The idea of building a football stadium and a baseball stadium side by side was accepted, but the concept of a sliding roof shared by both venues was eventually scrapped.
The more recent changes came in 2010 when a massive renovation project costing $375 million was carried out. However, more work is needed before the World Cup games, with mayor Quinton Lucas suggesting that this could cost as much as $50 million. You might have seen Arrowhead Stadium called the loudest stadium in the world, and this title was won with a 142.2 decibels crowd noise in 2014.
The World Cup is coming to North America in 2026! #United2026 pic.twitter.com/4Mt8HXnQT8
— GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium (@GEHAField) June 13, 2018
AT&T Stadium
Location: Arlington, Texas
Distance To Iowa: 790 miles
Naturally, soccer fans in Iowa will be keen to see some World Cup games in the flesh, and their choice of preferred venue will largely come down to which teams are playing in each stadium. However, this won’t be known until nearer to the time, with the teams still having to play in the 2022 tournament in Qatar and then qualify for the 2026 event. Yet, we can see how a destination like Dallas could be attractive no matter which group is based here.
While it’s a long way from Iowa, keen supporters might be tempted to visit the giant AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas for some games. This place is most closely linked to football, as it’s the home of the Dallas Cowboys and also where the Cotton Bowl Classic is played, together with the Big 12 Championship Game. The capacity is expandable to 105,000, making it the biggest venue in the World Cup 2026.
Even though the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford was listed in the official bid as the host stadium for this event, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see this giant venue also host some of the most important games.
It cost a staggering $1.15 billion to build, making it one of the most expensive sports stadiums on the planet. Known for its retractable roof and giant video screen, AT&T is said to consume more electricity than some entire countries.
The 2026 @FIFAWorldCup is officially coming to AT&T Stadium!#ATTStadium | #Dallas2026 pic.twitter.com/eDhqGcsakK
— AT&T Stadium (@ATTStadium) June 16, 2022
BMO Field
Location: Toronto, Canada
Distance From Iowa: 809 miles
Depending upon where in Iowa you live, you might find that Toronto has your second-closest World Cup 2026 stadium. BMO Field is the home of MLS team Toronto FC, while Canadian Football League team the Toronto Argonauts also play here. It’s built on the site of what was the Exhibition Stadium and was opened in 2007.
This venue is ideal for the World Cup, as it was built specifically for soccer when Toronto FC was added to the MLS as an expansion team. The final of the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup was held here, as were games from the 2014 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. You might also remember seeing the MLS Cup played here a few times, the last one being in 2017 when Toronto FC won at their home venue.
A variety of other sporting events have been held here, from rugby games to some of the Canadian national team’s games and the 2017 Centennial Classic NHL game. It was renovated in 2016 when a roof was added and the field made longer. However, more work is needed before the FIFA tournament takes place.
This is mainly because a minimum capacity of 45,000 is required for games in the World Cup, and the Toronto stadium currently has a seating limit of under 28,000. Therefore, plans are in place to add almost 18,000 new seats so that it meets the requirements. This expansion will increase the total cost of hosting games to around $290 million and will see new tiers added to both ends of the field.
https://twitter.com/Total_TFC/status/1538904906970578944?s=20&t=WNh8fhCFlYWaX5DxjQLppA
Final Thoughts
No matter where you watch these soccer games, the FIFA World Cup 2026 is sure to be a memorable event for American sports fans.
The competition is only happening 4 years from now and it is scheduled to happen throughout the months of June and July.
However, before that happens, we have the Qatar World Cup still this year, in November 2022, where the USA, Canada and Mexico will all take part.
Your #FIFAWorldCup 2026 Host Cities:
🇺🇸Atlanta
🇺🇸Boston
🇺🇸Dallas
🇲🇽Guadalajara
🇺🇸Houston
🇺🇸Kansas City
🇺🇸Los Angeles
🇲🇽Mexico City
🇺🇸Miami
🇲🇽Monterrey
🇺🇸New York / New Jersey
🇺🇸Philadelphia
🇺🇸San Francisco Bay Area
🇺🇸Seattle
🇨🇦Toronto
🇨🇦Vancouver— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 16, 2022
Credits for Featured Image: David Jones on Flickr
