The 2026 World Cup climaxes with three matches in July. Two semifinals, a third-place game and the Final bring the tournament to a close. Here is everything you need to know about the final four days of the World Cup.
THE SEMIFINALS
Semifinal 1: Tuesday, July 14
Venue: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas (Dallas area)
Kickoff: 3:00 PM local time / 4:00 PM ET
AT&T Stadium is the largest venue in the tournament. It holds up to 100,000 fans for FIFA World Cup 2026 Semifinals and has a retractable roof. July in Dallas is brutally hot outside, but inside the stadium the temperature is fully controlled. Every fan will be comfortable regardless of the heat outside.
This is the first semifinal. The two teams playing here come from the upper half of the bracket. Based on the bracket structure set at the December 2025 draw, this side includes Argentina and potentially France, depending on how both advance.
Semifinal 2: Wednesday, July 15
Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
Kickoff: 3:00 PM local time / 3:00 PM ET
Mercedes-Benz Stadium holds 72,000 fans and also has a retractable roof. Atlanta is a major sports city and the crowd will be fully engaged. The teams in this semifinal come from the opposite half of the bracket, which includes Spain and potentially England.
Note: Spain and Argentina were placed in opposite bracket halves at the draw. France and England were also split. This guarantees that these four top teams can only meet in the final stages.
THE THIRD-PLACE MATCH
Saturday, July 18
Venue: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
Kickoff: 5:00 PM ET
The two teams who lost their semifinals meet here. Hard Rock Stadium holds 65,000 fans for the tournament. Miami in mid-July is warm and humid. The evening kickoff helps manage the heat.
The third-place match is sometimes criticized as a less important game, but teams play to finish third rather than fourth. Players use the extra game to end their tournament on a positive note.
THE WORLD CUP FINAL
Sunday, July 19
Venue: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Kickoff: 3:00 PM ET
Capacity: 82,500
MetLife Stadium is the home of the NFL's New York Giants and New York Jets. It sits in East Rutherford, New Jersey, approximately 8 miles west of Manhattan. Fans from New York, New Jersey and the wider Northeast will fill the stadium.
The 3:00 PM ET kickoff converts to 8:00 PM in London and 9:00 PM in Paris, Madrid and Berlin. This timing serves both American afternoon viewers and European evening audiences.
THE FIRST-EVER WORLD CUP FINAL HALFTIME SHOW
No previous World Cup Final in history has had a live halftime performance. In 2026, that changes. Global Citizen is the official producer. Chris Martin of Coldplay serves as a creative partner alongside FIFA for selecting artists and planning the show.
The full performer lineup has not been announced as of early 2026. FIFA also plans a large fan event at Times Square in New York City on July 18 and 19. The surrounding area will host watch parties and fan events for the days leading up to the Final.
WHAT THE WINNER RECEIVES
The team that wins the Final lifts the FIFA World Cup trophy. The trophy is awarded permanently to the winning nation to hold for four years. The actual physical trophy stays with FIFA. Each winning nation receives a gold-plated replica.
The 2026 champion becomes the 22nd different winner or repeat winner in World Cup history