Everything you need to know about the FIFA World Cup 2026 โ the biggest in history. 48 teams, 104 matches, three host nations, and 39 days of football from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Here's your complete fan guide.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the 23rd edition of the tournament and the largest ever staged. For the first time, 48 teams compete (up from 32), and for the first time the tournament is co-hosted by three countries: the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The expanded format means 12 groups of four teams each. The top two from every group advance to the new Round of 32, along with the eight best third-placed teams โ so 32 of the 48 teams reach the knockout stage. Four nations make their World Cup debut: Cape Verde, Curaรงao, Jordan and Uzbekistan. Notably, four-time champions Italy failed to qualify for the third tournament in a row.
| Stage | Dates |
|---|---|
| Group Stage | June 11 โ 27, 2026 |
| Round of 32 | June 28 โ July 3, 2026 |
| Round of 16 | July 4 โ 7, 2026 |
| Quarter-Finals | July 9 โ 11, 2026 |
| Semi-Finals | July 14 โ 15, 2026 |
| Third-Place Play-Off | July 18, 2026 |
| Final | July 19, 2026 โ MetLife Stadium, NJ |
The opening match kicks off on June 11 at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, where co-hosts Mexico face South Africa. The Final takes place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey โ the first World Cup final held in the United States since 1994.
Get all 104 kickoff times in SGT, IST, AEST or GMT โ with the correct local date for each match.
Get the Match Schedule โThe 48 teams were drawn into 12 groups. The four top-ranked nations โ Spain, Argentina, France and England โ were seeded into separate quadrants of the bracket so they can only meet in the semi-finals or later.
Our Group-by-Group Deep Dive predicts every group โ winners, runners-up and dark horses โ with full analysis. (Predictions for entertainment, not guaranteed.)
Read the Deep Dive โ16 cities across three countries host matches. The United States stages the most (11 cities, including all knockout matches from the quarter-finals onward), with Canada and Mexico hosting three cities each.
| Country | Host Cities |
|---|---|
| ๐บ๐ธ USA | Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Kansas City, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Miami, Philadelphia, New York/New Jersey, Boston |
| ๐จ๐ฆ Canada | Toronto, Vancouver |
| ๐ฒ๐ฝ Mexico | Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey |
Estadio Azteca in Mexico City makes history as the first stadium to host matches at three different men's World Cups (1970, 1986 and 2026). The Final is at MetLife Stadium, which holds 82,500 fans.
Coverage spans nearly 200 countries. Here are the main broadcasters in major markets. Many countries offer free-to-air coverage of every match.
Broadcasters can change rights deals close to the tournament โ always confirm with your local provider. If you're travelling abroad, your home broadcaster's stream may be region-locked, in which case a VPN lets you access it as if you were home.
A VPN lets you access your home broadcaster's free stream from anywhere. See our step-by-step guide.
How to Watch Free โBased on FIFA rankings and pre-tournament odds, the leading contenders are:
| Team | Why they're fancied |
|---|---|
| ๐ช๐ธ Spain | European champions, top of FIFA rankings, led by Yamal & Pedri |
| ๐ซ๐ท France | Two-time recent finalists, Mbappรฉ in his prime |
| ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ England | Deep squad โ Bellingham, Kane, Foden |
| ๐ฆ๐ท Argentina | Defending champions, Messi's likely final World Cup |
| ๐ง๐ท Brazil | Five-time champions, loaded with attacking talent |
But with 48 teams and an expanded knockout stage, there's more room than ever for a surprise run. Dark horses like Morocco, Norway (with Haaland) and Japan could go deep.
When does the World Cup 2026 start?
June 11, 2026, with Mexico vs South Africa at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The tournament runs until the Final on July 19.
How many teams are in the World Cup 2026?
48 teams โ the most ever. They're split into 12 groups of four.
Which countries are hosting?
The United States, Canada and Mexico โ the first time three nations have co-hosted.
How many teams qualify from each group?
The top two from each group plus the eight best third-placed teams โ 32 teams reach the Round of 32.
Where is the Final?
MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19, 2026.
Which teams are making their debut?
Cape Verde, Curaรงao, Jordan and Uzbekistan all qualify for the first time.
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