Lottery for 2026 FIFA World Cup matches in San Francisco Bay Area announced
FIFA announced Tuesday details of a ticket lottery for the upcoming 2026 World Cup being held in North America, which includes matches being held in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Tickets for the tournament, which is set to begin next June, will be released in phases. The first draw application window will open on Wednesday, Sep. 10.
"We're looking forward to welcoming the world back to North America, as Canada, Mexico and the United States host what will be the biggest and greatest sporting event ever. We encourage fans everywhere to get ready to secure their place – these will be the most coveted seats in world sport," said FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Ahead of the draw, fans who are interested were urged to visit and to create a FIFA ID. Organizers anticipate 6.5 million people will attend the tournament, which consists of 104 matches featuring 48 teams.
Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara will host six matches. Due to FIFA sponsorship rules, the facility will be known as "" for the tournament.
World Cup Bay Area Schedule
Five of the games at the Santa Clara stadium will be group fixtures, while a sixth game will be a knockout match in the Round of 32.
• Match 8 - Group Stage - Saturday, June 13
• Match 20 - Group Stage - Tuesday, June 16
• Match 31 - Group Stage - Friday, June 19
• Match 44 - Group Stage - Monday, June 22
• Match 60 - Group Stage - Thursday, June 25
• Match 81 - Round of 32 - Wednesday, July 1
Who Will Play In the Bay Area?
According to FIFA, the final draw is set to take place in December, with specific schedules and kickoff times to be released "shortly thereafter."
When is the World Cup?
The tournament is scheduled to begin June 11, 2026 with a matchup in Mexico City. The World Cup Final will be held at MetLife Stadium (temporarily renamed New York / New Jersey Stadium) on July 19, 2026.
