Hello everyone!
The world is getting ready to head to North America! With World Cup 2026 kicking off on June 11, millions of fans are about to descend on 16 iconic cities across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Following our recent IPL challenge in India, we’ve seen firsthand how much impact a local’s perspective can have. Many of the most-viewed lists in major cities across India have been from Local Guides! This shows us that when cities get crowded, visitors don’t just need a map — they need a digital host. We are challenging you all to be digital hosts for this years’ World Cup by creating curated, high-quality lists that will help people enjoy the matches wherever they are.
A few ways to be a digital host
As a Local Guide, you can transform a fan’s experience by providing real-time, local insights. Here are a few ways your contributions can make an impact:
Curate Lists
Group “Authentic Local Eats” or “Post-Match Spots” into a saved list that you can share directly with visiting friends. It’s the perfect way to give personal recommendations, helping your crew and guests discover local gems. And sharing your lists on your social channel or Connect are great ways to help others discover them!
Highlight Accessibility
Help all fans find the most accessible routes by tagging accessible entrances, answering accessibility questions on the Map, or uploading photos of ramps and elevators at stadiums and transit hubs.
Share Photos & Videos
Upload recent shots of stadium gates and security checkpoints. Visuals help visitors find the right path and reduce bottlenecking at the venue.
Update Facts & Attributes
Use “Suggest an Edit” to keep the city moving. Update temporary match-day hours for cafes, mark road closures, or update business attributes to show if a place is good for groups or has accessible facilities.
Provide Logistics in Reviews
Use Reviews and Q&A to answer the “big event” questions: Is the WiFi strong enough for score updates? Is there a quiet corner away from the noise? These details build traveler confidence.
The Challenge: Create a World Cup list!
To help fans navigate the cities and experience the local gems during the World Cup, we are challenging our community to create helpful Google Maps lists. Whether you’re a local in Vancouver, a foodie in Mexico City, a transit expert in New York, or curating the absolute best viewing spots in Rio de Janeiro, Munich or Accra, your expertise is needed!
This challenge will run until June 2, 2026.
The reward
While there are no Connect badges attributed to this challenge, the most helpful and creative entries will be reviewed by Google Maps product and engineering teams with the chance to be featured directly on Google Maps! This is a great chance to showcase your local knowledge to millions of global fans who will be travelling to cities all over North America to watch their countries participate.
Important note: If your list is selected, we will contact you to sign a Standard Marketing Release so we can officially showcase your list on the Map.
How to participate
We are looking for two types of lists from any city globally (whether you are in Europe, South America, Asia, Africa or one of the 16 North American host cities):
- Dining & Local businesses vibe: Think “
Must-try eateries near the stadium” or “
Top restaurants & bars with a match-day vibe in your city” (e.g., “Where to cheer for Italy in NYC” or “The best bars to watch world cup with a view in Paris/Rome”) - Fan Experience & Logistics: Think “
Best fan parks for live screenings” or “the most convenient transit hubs and parking spots near the stadium”
To ensure your lists are eligible to be featured, please follow these two rules:
- One category per list: Do not mix “Logistics” and “Dining” in the same list. Keep them separate so fans can choose exactly what they need.
- One location per list: Each list should focus on a single city or stadium area. For example, instead of a general “World Cup 2026” list, create a specific one for “Match-day dining near Estadio Azteca” in Mexico City, “Best fan zones in Vancouver”, “Transit and parking for MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey” or “Where to watch the matches live with a great crowd in Paris”
Pro-Tip: You can create as many lists as you like! The more specific and local your advice is, the better.
To make your list stand out, keep these tips in mind:
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Title it clearly: Use “World Cup” in your title (e.g., “Top bars to watch World Cup Live in Tokyo!”)
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Settings: Make sure your list is set to Shared
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Include at least 5 places: giving explorers enough variety and options to choose from
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Add notes: Don’t forget to add your expert tips in the description of each place. Tell us why it’s a great place. Is it a quick walk to the gate? Does it have an unbeatable vibe, or is it open until midnight? Keep the notes authentic, brief, and fun (emojis are highly encouraged!
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Keep it focused: Stick to one specific city, stadium, or neighborhood so your list is practical and helpful
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Digital host tip: If you know a local spot that is the “unofficial headquarters” for a specific national team (like a pub where all the Brazilian fans gather), make sure to mention that in your list description! It’s the perfect way to help visiting fans find their community in a new city
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Drive engagement: Don’t be shy — link to your own Connect posts or social media within your list descriptions to keep the conversation going!
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Share a header image: Share an image that represents your list, and add a clear title
Follow these steps to create your lists and share them in the comments below!
You can create a list from your mobile device or desktop!
On the Google Maps App:
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Go to the “You” tab: Open the Google Maps app and tap the “You” icon at the bottom of your screen.
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Start a new list: Scroll down to the “Your Lists” section and tap “+ New list”
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Set your list’s name and visibility: Give your list a title and ensure the list type is set to “Public.”
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Add the places: Search for and include the relevant places
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Write your descriptions: In your list view, you will see an “Add a note about this place” field directly under each location. Tap there and write a note (5 words minimum but please remain concise) explaining why this place is relevant to your list’s theme/to IPL.
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Share the link below: Copy your list link and paste it in a reply to this post.
A collage of screenshots that show how to create a List on the Google Maps app.
On Desktop (Web):
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Open Google Maps: Go to maps.google.com.
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Open your lists: Click the “Saved” icon (bookmark symbol) in the left sidebar.
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Start a new list: Click the “Lists” tab and then “New list”.
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Set your list’s name and visibility: : Give your list a title and click the three dots (⋮) to set “Sharing options” to “Public”.
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Add your descriptions: Click “Edit list” and write your note (5 words minimum but please remain concise) explaining why this place is relevant to your list’s theme/to IPL.
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Share: Click the “Share” button and paste the link in a reply to this post.
A collage of screenshots that show how to create a List on the Desktop (Web) version of Google Maps.
Share your list link in the comments below by June 2, 2026 for a chance to be featured right on Google Maps! Let’s show the world why our Local Guides community is the best team on the pitch. 
& their contributions goes for a helpful cause on this World Cup 
