<p>How will the 2026 FIFA World Cup differ from the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the US?</p><p>More countries and more matches</p><p>There were only 24 countries at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the US, playing a total of 52 matches (36 in the group stage.) In 2026, it is possible it could be as many as 104 fixtures (72 in the group stage.)</p><p>More host cities spread across time zones</p><p>USA '94 FIFA World Cup was a tournament largely held on the East Coast (Eastern Time, ET); of the nine host cities, only Stanford and Pasadena were on the West Coast (Pacific Time, PT) with just Chicago and Dallas in Central Time (CT).</p><p>In 2026, the World Cup will see 16 venues in three countries across time zones.</p><ul><li><p>PT (4):&nbsp;Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles&nbsp;</p></li><li><p>CT (6):&nbsp;Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City&nbsp;</p></li><li><p>ET (6):&nbsp;Atlanta, Miami, Boston, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Toronto</p></li></ul><p></p>