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Starting June 5, Miami Beach is turning into a massive World Cup-themed scavenger hunt with the launch of Arena of Nations, a public art activation featuring 48 oversized inflatable soccer balls scattered throughout parks, public spaces and landmarks across the city. The installation runs through July 19, coinciding with the FIFA World Cup matches taking place in South Florida. Each inflatable stands a towering 16 feet tall and represents one of the 48 nations competing in the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Presented by the City of Miami Beach, the installation is designed to give fans, residents and visitors another reason to explore the city between matches. Rather than concentrating everything around stadiums and watch parties, organizers are effectively turning the entire destination into a World Cup playground.
And because this is 2026, there is, naturally, a game involved. Participants can join a mission-style scavenger hunt powered by Badger, tracking down the giant soccer balls across Miami Beach, taking photos or videos and uploading them to a live global feed hosted on the city's World Cup website. Fans can even compete for national bragging rights through a "surge" feature that highlights which country's supporters are generating the most activity at any given time.
The soccer balls won't be the only World Cup-themed spectacle around town. The iconic Miami Beach sign at Ocean Drive and Fifth Street is also getting a tournament makeover, surrounded by 48 flags representing each qualifying nation.
South Florida will host a slate of World Cup matches from June 11 through July 19, bringing thousands of international visitors to the region. While plenty of fans will be focused on what happens inside the stadium, Arena of Nations offers a reminder that some of the tournament's most memorable moments might happen while wandering Miami Beach in search of a giant inflatable soccer ball.
A complete map of all 48 locations is available through Miami Beach's World Cup website. Happy hunting.