World Cup 2026 to Test Mobile Networks Across North America
Connectivity will vary widely by country, carrier, and roaming agreements during the tournament.
WASHINGTON, March 26, 2026 – Mobile devices will have an essential function during the World Cup soccer tournament later this year.
Mobile network performance during the 2026 World Cup is expected to differ significantly across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with infrastructure investment, carrier partnerships, and roaming agreements shaping users’ experiences.
With matches spanning 16 stadiums across three countries, the tournament will place heavy demands on wireless networks as millions of fans will rely on mobile apps for ticketing, streaming, and real-time updates.
Data from Ookla showed U.S. stadiums generally delivering faster median mobile download speeds than those in Canada, while Mexican venues lagged behind both. Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium stood out for strong upload and download performance.
Carrier performance in Mexico varied, with Telcel providing faster median download speeds than competitors AT&T and Altán Redes in key host cities.
Roaming arrangements are also expected to play a major role in user experience. Travelers’ speeds may depend heavily on their home carrier and its agreements with local networks, with some users accessing 5G while others remain on LTE connections.
Past World Cup data showed the importance of these partnerships. During the 2022 tournament in Qatar, roaming users connected to different local networks experienced large differences in speed, even when local users did not.
Network operators are expected to deploy additional infrastructure, including temporary cell sites and enhanced stadium systems, to manage the surge in demand during the event.
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