Dallas Ranked #1 U.S. City to Host 2026 FIFA World Cup, Study Says

FRISCO, Texas (TXAN 24) – A new study has crowned Dallas the top U.S. host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, outpacing 10 other American cities with the most matches, the largest stadium, and fan-friendly pricing.

According to SeatPick’s newly released rankings, Dallas earned an overall score of 84.42 out of 100, far ahead of second-place Atlanta (58.92) and third-place New York/New Jersey (53.69).

Dallas will host nine World Cup matches at its massive 94,000-capacity stadium — the highest number and largest venue among all U.S. hosts. The city also scored well on food affordability, with hamburgers averaging $4.86 and beer at $10.66.

Atlanta follows with eight matches and strong hotel availability, while New York/New Jersey takes third with high-quality lodging but the fewest hotels per capita. Rounding out the top five are Los Angeles and Houston, the latter boasting the cheapest hamburgers at just $4.59.

The study analyzed each city across seven key metrics: stadium capacity, match count, hotel availability, hotel rating, and average prices for beer, hamburgers, and pizza. Kansas City was noted for having the cheapest beer at $9.28, while San Francisco ranked last due to the highest food prices and lower fan value overall.

With nine matches scheduled and top marks for fan experience, Dallas is shaping up to be the epicenter of American soccer in 2026.

Stay tuned to TXAN 24 News as we are wrapping up here tonight in Frisco.

🔗 Credit: SeatPick

📊 Methodology: Data sourced from Booking.com, C2er Cost of Living Index, and official stadium allocations.