Going to the 2026 World Cup? Download this app first

The 2026 World Cup kicks off today across North America – the US, Canada and Mexico. The matches will be played across 16 host cities in all three countries , with the bulk of the action taking place across the US and Canada: in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver.

Millions of World Cup fans will be navigating packed stadiums, fan zones and unfamiliar cities. Knowing exactly where you are – and how to share your precise location – can make your World Cup travel experience much smoother. That’s why what3words is one of the most useful apps to download before you travel.

Why standard directions don’t work at big events

“Meet me by the food trucks” sounds like a good idea, until you’re one person in a crowd of tens of thousands, your signal is patchy, and there are four sets of food trucks. Street addresses can help up to a point – but in a temporary fan village or a stretch of car park, there often isn’t a street address to share. Dropped pins are useful, but they aren’t always easy to communicate verbally or locate in busy, crowded environments. That’s where what3words comes into play.

Using a unique three-word address, people can share precise locations and navigate directly to meeting points. Beyond matchday, it can also be useful for meeting friends at airports, train stations, hotels and attractions across the World Cup host cities.

What is what3words?

what3words is a simple way to communicate precise locations. The system has divided the entire world into a grid of 57 trillion 10ft by 10ft squares, and each square has been assigned a unique, permanent 3 word address that never changes. This means every parking space, stadium gate, meeting point and spot along the highway has its own what3words address. The app is free to download on iOS and Android , and works in 60+ languages. The technology can even be used offline, making it particularly useful when 70,000 fans are using the same network at the same time.

How to share your exact location at the World Cup

Instead of saying: “ I’m near the West-side entrance of the MetLife Stadium “, you can simply share a what3words address using the following steps:

1. Open the what3words app or mapsite – make sure you’ve enabled location services.
2. Tap the arrow (iOS) or compass (Android) icon located at the bottom right of your screen.
3. Allow a few seconds for the blue dot to settle, then view your what3words address, for example: ///shorts.reply.bother .
4. Click ‘share’ to send it to a member of your group, and they can navigate directly to that exact spot using a navigation app or ‘compass mode’.

Unlike landmarks, venue entrances or dropped pins, a what3words address refers to a precise 10ft by 10ft square, making it easier to communicate exact meeting points around busy World Cup stadiums and fan zones. what3words can help World Cup fans:

• Meet friends before a match
• Find the correct stadium entrance
• Save their parking location
• Return to an agreed meeting point after the game
• Navigate large fan zones and event areas

Be prepared: set up your meeting points before game day

Before your World Cup travel begins, spend a few minutes finding and saving the what3words addresses for your key locations, including:

• Your hotel entrance
• Your parking space
• An agreed meeting spot for your group
• The correct stadium gate for your seat
• Bathrooms
• Food and drink spots you want to try

Share the key locations with your group in advance, so if someone arrives late or gets turned around on the way in, they’ve got a precise place to navigate to.

Some venues and event operators list what3words addresses for gates, parking, taxi ramps and fan zones alongside traditional addresses or section numbers. If yours does, it’s worth saving those before you leave.

How cities are preparing for large events like the World Cup

Emergency services are thinking carefully about how they handle large-scale events, and what3words is increasingly part of that plan.

Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, Kansas City first responders are promoting what3words as a way to reach people more quickly in large crowds. Speaking to KSHB , Lenexa Fire Chief Travis Vaughn said: “ It’s very helpful for us. We’re in a business where time matters greatly. And if we can locate someone that’s kind of on a trail or in a park more quickly, the outcomes will be better. ”

It’s a pattern that’s already been playing out at major events. Ahead of 800,000 visitors descending on Pittsburgh for the NFL Draft, Pittsburgh EMS encouraged fans to download what3words so they could always pinpoint their exact location – as reported by TribLive .

If you need help, precise location matters

Being able to communicate your exact location quickly matters at large events, especially if you’re in an unfamiliar city or venue. If something goes wrong, call 911 in the US or Canada and follow event staff guidance. Call handlers are trained to gather as much location information as possible, including street names, landmarks, and increasingly, what3words addresses.

Hundreds of US public safety teams and Canadian emergency services already use what3words, though it’s always worth having additional location details to hand.