13
JUN
GROUP A · MD1
🇲🇽Mexicovs🇨🇻Cape Verde
Mexico's South Florida opener · the diaspora's home
15:00 ET19:00 GMT
65,326
Capacity (WC config)
7
WC 2026 matches
1987
Opened · renovated 2016
Grass
Surface · permanent natural
16 mi
North of Miami Beach
02 · The Soul
Miami's bowl, five Super Bowls deep.
Hosted five Super Bowls before WC 2026 was even announced. Joe Robbie / Pro Player / Dolphin / Sun Life / Hard Rock — the names changed, the bowl stayed.
The 2016 renovation added the canopy — partial shade for South Florida's June afternoons. The pitch is permanent natural grass, already FIFA-spec.
Miami's Latin-American diaspora makes every group-stage night feel like a knockout. That energy doesn't exist at any other US venue.
03 · The Fixtures · 7 matches
Every game played here.
Group stage through round of 16 · the South Florida slate.
17
JUN
GROUP D · MD1
🇦🇷Argentinavs🇪🇨Ecuador
South America in Miami · the diaspora that fills every venue
21:00 ET01:00 GMT (18th)
22
JUN
GROUP B · MD2
🇪🇸Spainvs🇸🇳Senegal
European-African heavyweight clash
18:00 ET22:00 GMT
03
JUL
ROUND OF 32
TBDvsTBD
Single elimination · winner to R16
15:00 ET19:00 GMT
07
JUL
ROUND OF 16
R32 winnervsR32 winner
The cleanest knockout matinee in South Florida
13:00 ET17:00 GMT
04 · The Map
Pinned.
The bowl, the beach, the airport, and where to eat in Miami.
🏆Hard Rock Stadium
—Stadium · Miami Gardens
2026 WC venue · 65,326 capacity, canopy roof.
🛍Aventura Mall
4.3 miShopping · Aventura
The largest mall in Florida · pre-match killer time · WC fan zone hub.
🎉Brickell / Downtown Miami
15 miFan zones · Downtown Miami
The WC fan festival site · big screens, food trucks, Bayfront Park.
🚆Tri-Rail Hialeah
5 miTransit · Hialeah
Tri-Rail to Hard Rock event-day shuttle · 15 min to the stadium.
🛏Hyatt Aventura
4.5 miHotels · Aventura
Closest full-service hotel · 12-min Uber to the gate.
🍽Versailles Restaurant
20 miRestaurants · Little Havana
The most-famous Cuban restaurant in America · pre-match must-stop for South American visitors.
✈Miami International (MIA)
15 miAirports · Miami
The major airport · 25-min drive · the Latin American gateway.
06 · Getting There
Three ways in.
Miami is a car town. Public transit is the rough option. **Stay close to the stadium.**
🚗 From Miami Beach
Drive · 25 min off-peak
25 minoff-peak
$30+parking on-site
8 lotscolour-coded
1
I-95 N → exit Ives Dairy Rd.
2
Pre-paid parking strongly recommended.
3
Rideshare drop at Aventura Mall and walk · 15 min.
🚆 From Downtown Miami
Tri-Rail + event shuttle
55 mindoor to gate
$8one-way
20 minevent freq.
1
Tri-Rail north from Government Center.
2
Get off at Hialeah Market or Opa-locka.
3
Event-day shuttle direct to the stadium gate.
🚗 From Fort Lauderdale
I-95 South
30 minoff-peak
$30+on-site lots
15 lotsavailable
1
I-95 S → exit Ives Dairy Rd.
2
5-min surface roads to Don Shula Dr.
3
Avoid event-day traffic by arriving 3 hours early.
07 · The Pitch & the Stands
The bowl, already football-ready.
Hard Rock kept natural grass year-round for the Dolphins and the Miami Open. **No pitch retrofit was needed for WC 2026.**
Field specifications
// already FIFA-spec
SurfaceNatural grass · Paspalum
SourceIn-situ · permanent
Dimensions105m × 68m
RoofCanopy · partial cover
LightingLED · 2,800 lux
Pitch transitionNone required
After WCContinues for Dolphins & Miami Open
LowerClubUpperVIP
08 · The History
Before it was a World Cup venue.
Opened in 1987. The biggest moments before WC 2026, in reverse.
2026
🏆 FIFA World Cup · 7 matches
Miami's WC slate.
Seven matches from group stage through round of 16. Mexico and Argentina both play here · Latin diaspora capital.
2024
🏆 Copa América Final · Argentina 1-0 Colombia
Messi's last continental crown.
Lautaro scored in extra time. Messi's last major final on Argentine colours. The cleanest WC rehearsal South Florida has hosted.
2020
🏈 Super Bowl LIV · Chiefs 31-20 49ers
Mahomes's first SB.
Chiefs come back from 10 down. Patrick Mahomes MVP at 24. The Super Bowl that announced the next decade.
2019
🎾 Miami Open · permanent move
Tennis comes to the bowl.
Miami Open relocated from Key Biscayne to Hard Rock. The only stadium that hosts NFL, college football, soccer AND a top-tier tennis tournament.
2010
🏈 Super Bowl XLIV · Saints 31-17 Colts
The Saints' first.
Drew Brees MVP · New Orleans's only Super Bowl. The South Beach tourist boom started here.
★ The deepest line on this file
The R16.
Tuesday · 7 July 2026 · 13:00 ET
34
Days
03
Hours
33
Minutes
29
Seconds
Miami's biggest knockout · the South Florida round of 16.
09 · Stadium trivia
Five facts for South Beach.
For the Versailles cafecito line before kickoff.
5-time Super Bowl host
SB XXIII, XXIX, XXXIII, XLI, XLIV, LIV · six Super Bowls actually — tied with the Rose Bowl for the most ever.
Built on a swamp
Drained from the Everglades · Joe Robbie chose the site because no one wanted it. Built in 21 months.
Hosts the Miami Open
A purpose-built tennis stadium sits inside the football bowl · the only NFL venue that doubles as a year-round tennis facility.
Renamed five times
Joe Robbie · Pro Player · Dolphin · Sun Life · Hard Rock. The naming-rights record-holder in American sport.
The pink colour scheme
Miami pink seating since 2016. Stephen Ross's branding bet · loved by photographers, hated by traditionalists.
The deepest truth in the file
Seven matches.The Latin American diaspora venue.Miami's round of 16 on the calendar.
Host venue2026 R1665,326 capacity6 Super BowlsMiami diaspora