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US World Cup stadiums are getting a makeover — and it’s a major change
Major U.S. stadiums are dropping familiar names for FIFA sponsor rules, and the before-and-after photos show the change.
NEW YORK —
If you are planning to attend a World Cup match, do not be confused if you see an unfamiliar stadium name on your ticket. Major U.S. stadiums have changed their names to remove commercial branding that conflicts with FIFA’s official sponsors.
The AT&T Stadium in Texas is now called “Dallas Stadium,” while the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey is now “New York New Jersey Stadium.”
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The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held across 16 stadiums in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Eleven of these stadiums are in the United States, spread across different states. Among them is Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
Opened in August 2017, Mercedes-Benz Stadium is home to the National Football League’s Atlanta Falcons and Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United. Atlanta Stadium will host eight matches, with the venue’s games including a semifinal showdown.
In Foxborough, Massachusetts, Gillette Stadium, owned and operated by Kraft Sports, has become Boston Stadium. It is home to the New England Patriots and the New England Revolution.
Boston Stadium will stage a total of seven matches, including one quarterfinal.
The iconic AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, is owned by the city of Arlington and is home to the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. It will stage a total of nine matches, including one semifinal, and has become Dallas Stadium.
The NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, is owned by Harris County Sports & Convention Corp. It recently had its name changed back to Reliant Stadium, after a subsidiary of NRG Energy. It is set to host seven games during the World Cup, including two matches in the knockout phase.
It has become Houston Stadium.
GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium is located in Kansas City, Missouri, and serves as the home stadium for the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs sold the naming rights to the Government Employees Health Association.
It has become Kansas City Stadium and will stage a total of six matches, including one quarterfinal.
SoFi Stadium is located in Inglewood, California, and is home to both the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers of the NFL. The owner of the Los Angeles Rams, E. Stanley Kroenke and his development group, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, sold the naming rights to the digital personal finance company Social Finance in 2019.
It has become the Los Angeles Stadium and will be the venue for the USA’s opening fixture of the FIFA World Cup on Friday, June 12, 2026. Eight matches will be played in total in Los Angeles.
Hard Rock Stadium is home to the Miami Dolphins and Miami Hurricanes. It is primarily owned by real estate developer and billionaire Stephen Ross, who serves as the chairman and managing general partner of both the venue and the Miami Dolphins. The Miami Dolphins sold the naming rights to Hard Rock Cafe.
It has become Miami Stadium and will feature seven matches of the FIFA World Cup.
MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, is home to the New York Giants and the New York Jets. It is owned by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority but is operated by the MetLife Stadium Company.
It has become the New York/New Jersey stadium and will feature eight matches of the FIFA World Cup.
The Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is home to the Philadelphia Eagles. It is owned by the city of Philadelphia but operated by the Eagles, who extended their naming rights deal with Lincoln Financial Group.
It has become the Philadelphia Stadium and will feature six matches of the FIFA World Cup.
Lumen Field is publicly owned by the Washington State Public Stadium Authority and is the home stadium for the Seattle Seahawks (NFL), Seattle Sounders FC (MLS) and Seattle Reign FC (NWSL). It was renamed to Lumen Field after the telecommunications company rebranded to Lumen Technologies.
It has become the Seattle Stadium and will feature six matches of the FIFA World Cup.
Levi’s Stadium, located in Santa Clara, California, is owned by the Santa Clara Stadium Authority, which sold the naming rights to the apparel company Levi Strauss & Co.
It has become the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium and will host a total of six matches, including the knockout match.
For the full match schedule of the FIFA World Cup, check out this link.
