Hard Rock Stadium hosts the 2026 World Cup third-place play-off on 18 July — the bronze-medal match, scheduled the day before the final at MetLife. Seven matches in total in Miami Gardens: four group-stage, a Round of 32 tie, a quarter-final, and the third-place final. The venue is the most recent in American football's stadium portfolio to have hosted the 2024 Copa América final — the match where security collapsed at the gates and Argentina beat Colombia in extra time.
Hard Rock Stadium
64,767 capacity
View stadium →The 2026 fixtures
| Date | Kickoff (EDT) | Match | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 15 Jun | 18:00 | Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay | Group Stage – 1 |
| Sun 21 Jun | 18:00 | Uruguay vs Cape Verde Islands | Group Stage – 2 |
| Wed 24 Jun | 18:00 | Brazil vs Scotland | Group Stage – 3 |
| Sat 27 Jun | 19:30 | Colombia vs Portugal | Group Stage – 3 |
| Round of 32 | TBD | – | – |
| Quarter-final | TBD | – | – |
| Sat 18 Jul | TBD | THIRD-PLACE FINAL | – |
Four group-stage fixtures drawn. The Round of 32 tie, quarter-final, and third-place play-off resolve from the bracket.
Saudi Arabia
UruguayUruguay
Cape Verde Islands
Scotland
Brazil
Colombia
PortugalWhat 2024 changed
The 2024 Copa América final on 14 July 2024 was supposed to be the showcase match for Lionel Messi's Argentina. It became an organisational scandal. Fans crushed at the gates after Ticketmaster failed at scale, kickoff was delayed by more than 80 minutes (8:00pm scheduled, 9:22pm kickoff), and Messi went off injured in the second half. Lautaro Martínez scored the only goal in extra time. Argentina won 1–0.
FIFA absorbed the lessons. The 2026 third-place match at Hard Rock will use a tighter gate-credentialing system, separated arrival timing windows, and bigger security buffers around the stadium perimeter. Worth knowing if you're coming with a ticket: arrive earlier than you would for a normal match.
History
Hard Rock opened on 16 August 1987 as Joe Robbie Stadium, built for the Dolphins and named for their founding owner. It has run through five subsequent corporate naming-rights cycles (Pro Player, Dolphin, Land Shark, Sun Life, Hard Rock since 2016). The current building bears little resemblance to the 1987 original after the 2015–16 renovation that lowered the field, added a canopy roof over the seating bowl, and reseated the lower level.
Six Super Bowls — XXIII, XXIX, XXXIII, XLI, XLIV, and LIV — second only to the Caesars Superdome (8) among current US venues. The F1 Miami Grand Prix runs annually on a custom circuit built through the stadium parking lots and around the venue itself, with the grid set up directly outside the south stand.
Quick facts
| Capacity | 64,767 |
| Opened | 16 August 1987 |
| Renovated | 2015–16 |
| Owner | Stephen Ross |
| Architect | HOK (renovation) |
| Surface | Natural grass |
| Tenants | Miami Dolphins (NFL), Miami Hurricanes (NCAA) |
| Address | 347 Don Shula Drive, Miami Gardens, FL |
Getting there
Miami's transit is limited. The Tri-Rail commuter line stops at Hialeah Market, about 15 minutes by Uber to the stadium. Metrorail is further. The Brightline (the high-speed line from Orlando) runs to Downtown Miami but does not reach Miami Gardens.
Driving is the default. 25,000 parking spaces around the stadium, prices $40–$100 on event days. The Florida Turnpike and I-95 are the main approaches.
Uber and Lyft work. From South Beach $40–$70, from Wynwood or Brickell $30–$60. Surge pricing kicks in hard after the whistle — pre-book a return through the app's reservations.
From Miami International (MIA), 25 minutes by car. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood (FLL), 30 minutes.
Miami Gardens itself has no walkable bar district. The pre-match base for fans coming from the city is South Beach, Wynwood, Brickell, or Coral Gables.
Food and drink
Inside Hard Rock, the food slate lifted significantly after the 2015–16 renovation — Joe's Stone Crab outpost, Pubbelly Sushi, Sweet Liberty cocktails. Expect Miami pricing.
Wynwood
Pre-match district30 min drive
Arts and brewery district. Wynwood Brewing Company, Boxelder, dozens of bars and restaurants. The cool-Miami pre-match base.
Open in Maps →Brickell
Pre-match district25 min drive
Downtown skyscraper district. Rooftop bars, restaurants, easy Uber out to Hard Rock.
Open in Maps →Sun Life Sports Bar (on-site)
Stadium-adjacent5 min walk
One of the few walking-distance options before the stadium gates open. Local crowd.
Open in Maps →Calle Ocho (Little Havana)
Cuban Miami30 min drive
Versailles Bakery, Ball & Chain, mojitos, café cubano. The Miami detour worth making before a late kickoff.
Open in Maps →Seats
Lower bowl behind a goal for atmosphere. Club level corners offer the best price/sightline trade. The canopy roof shades most upper seats from direct sun — useful for a 1pm Miami kickoff.
Tickets
FIFA's official channel for all matches. The third-place final ticket allocation runs through the lottery system; resale is heavily restricted. Group-stage matches more accessible through general sales.
Pair it with
Chase Stadium (Inter Miami's home, in Fort Lauderdale) is 25 minutes north for an MLS midweek — Messi may or may not still be playing depending on the trip date. LoanDepot Park (Marlins, MLB) is 30 minutes south in Little Havana. The F1 Miami GP runs in early May; if your trip catches it, the parking-lot circuit is built around Hard Rock itself.
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