Tourism again: ROK-US alliance, America’s hidden gems⑨
[헤럴드경제=함영훈 기자] The FIFA North American World Cup soccer tournament will be held in 16 cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, 2026 (local time).
The U.S. Tourism Organization and the Los Angeles Tourism Board, the venue for the opening game, shared information on the venue on the 10th and told Koreans to join in the World Cup soccer boom.
In the United States, five group stage games, one round of 32 game, one round of 16 game, and one semifinal game will be held at Atlanta Stadium (75,000 people) in Georgia, USA. Atlanta Stadium was built so that fans visiting the stadium can have a clear view, as evidenced by the height of the stadium, which is nearly 100 meters. Atlanta Stadium, the home stadium of MLS club Atlanta United and NFL club Atlanta Falcons, opened in 2017.
Boston Stadium is located in Parksbrough, Massachusetts, USA, and has a capacity of 65,000, where five group stage matches, one round of 32 match, and one quarterfinal match will be held. Boston Stadium is the home stadium of the traditional MLS team, the New England Revolution. It has hosted numerous large-scale sporting events, including the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Copa America Centenario, and North and Central America Gold Cup.
Dallas Stadium is located in Arlington, Texas, USA and seats 94,000 people. There will be five group stage matches, two rounds of 32 matches, one round of 16 match, and one semi-final match. Dallas Stadium is a famous attraction that most sports fans consider to be a stadium they must visit at least once in their lives. Dallas Stadium boasts a state-of-the-art facility with a large screen measuring over 700 pyeong. Dallas Stadium, which opened in 2009, is used as the home stadium of the Dallas Cowboys, the NFL’s most popular team, boasting a history of winning the Super Bowl five times. Dallas Stadium also hosts the Super Bowl and the finals of the college football national championship.
The Houston Stadium in Texas can accommodate 72,000 people and hosts five group stage matches, one round of 32 match, and one round of 16 match during the FIFA World Cup. Houston Stadium, which recently hosted the MLS All-Star Game, is a frequently visited stadium by the U.S. and Mexican national teams, and hosted the Copa America Centenario three times in 2016. This is also where the Houston Livestock Show is held.
Kansas City Stadium is located in Missouri, USA and seats 73,000 people. There will be four group stage matches, one round of 32 match, and one quarterfinal match. Kansas City Stadium, like Seattle Stadium, boasts a history of setting a Guinness record as the world’s loudest stadium. Kansas City Stadium is also the stadium that hosted the NFL conference finals for five consecutive years. Sporting KC, which won the MLS championship twice, and KC Current, last year’s women’s professional soccer NWSL champion, use Kansas City Stadium, located between Missouri and Kansas, as their home stadium.
Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, California, USA can accommodate 70,000 people. There will be five group stage matches, two round of 32 matches, and one quarterfinal match. In addition to various games, concerts by BTS, Taylor Swift, etc. were held.
Miami Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, USA can accommodate 65,000 people and will host four group games, one round of 32 game, one quarterfinal game, and the 3rd and 4th place match. It is the home stadium of the NFL team Miami Dolphins and has hosted the F1 Miami Grand Prix and the Miami Open tennis tournament.
New York-New Jersey Stadium is located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, and has a capacity of 82,500. There will be five group stage matches, one round of 32 match, one round of 16 match, and the FIFA World Cup final. It is the home stadium of the NFL teams New York Giants and New York Jets. In 2016, the Copa America Centenario final between Argentina and Chile was held here. This is where Lionel Messi was disappointed after Argentina finished in second place after missing a penalty kick in the shootout.
Philadelphia Stadium can accommodate 69,000 people, and five group stage matches and one round of 16 match will be held. Philadelphia Stadium is the stadium that hosted the blockbuster match between Manchester United and Barcelona in August 2003. In this game, Patrick Kluivert, who received a pass from Ronaldinho, scored the first goal at Philadelphia Stadium.
The San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, California can accommodate 71,000 people and will host five group stage matches and one round of 32 match. San Francisco Bay Area Stadium is a stadium boasting state-of-the-art facilities located in northern California.
Seattle Stadium can accommodate 69,000 people and will host four group matches, one round of 32 match, and one round of 16 match. Seattle Stadium is a stadium with a unique ‘horseshoe’ shape and is a famous attraction with a panoramic view of the Seattle skyline. Seattle Stadium, which has twice held the Guinness World Record for the loudest cheers from fans in the stands, is the home stadium of the MLS powerhouse Seattle Sounders and the NFL team Seattle Seahawks.
The Los Angeles Tourism Office invited soccer fans from around the world to LA by introducing the official match schedule to be held at SoFi Stadium based on the results of the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ final group draw.
Los Angeles, the ‘City of Angels’, will host a total of 8 finals matches, including the opening match of the US men’s national soccer team (USA vs. Paraguay) on June 12th, and the possibility of hosting the Korean game is raising the expectations of soccer fans.
According to this confirmed schedule, starting with the US-Paragua game on June 12, Iran-New Zealand on June 15, Switzerland-playoff winner on June 18, Belgium-Iran on June 21, playoff winner-USA on June 25, two games in Round 32 on June 28 and July 2, and July 10. The quarterfinals will be held at Sopay Stadium.
In particular, the possibility of the Korean national team playing in Los Angeles is attracting attention. If South Korea makes it past the group stage and matches up with the Round 32 or quarter-final slot assigned to SoFi Stadium in the tournament bracket, the possibility of playing in Los Angeles is open.
Los Angeles, the world’s gateway to the West Coast of the United States, is considered the perfect travel hub for fans visiting the World Cup. Visitors can not only enjoy the enthusiastic atmosphere of SoFi Stadium, but also experience the dynamic soccer culture formed by local professional clubs such as LAFC, LA Galaxy, and Angel City FC. In addition, Los Angeles is a city where various cultures coexist, with convenient walking areas such as the beach resorts of Venice and Marina del Rey, Koreatown, Culver City, and Downtown LA, and an abundance of world-class restaurants, museums, and entertainment, so it is considered a city where you can enjoy watching the World Cup and vacationing at the same time, the tourism office said.
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