FIFA World Cup 2026

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026, spanning 39 days across North America. This marks the first time three countries have jointly hosted the tournament — the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The opening match kicks off on June 11, with the Final scheduled for July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey. The expanded format features 104 total matches played across 16 venues in 11 U.S. cities, 3 Mexican cities, and 2 Canadian cities.

The 2026 World Cup features 48 teams, a significant expansion from the 32-team format used from 1998 to 2022. This is the largest World Cup in history. The 48 teams are divided into 12 groups (labeled A through L) with 4 teams in each group. After the group stage, the top 2 teams from each group (24 teams) automatically advance, plus the 8 best third-place finishers across all groups, creating a 32-team knockout bracket that begins with a new Round of 32.

After all group stage matches are complete, the 12 third-place teams are ranked against each other using FIFA's official tiebreaker criteria: total points earned, goal difference, goals scored, fair play record, and if necessary, a drawing of lots. The top 8 ranked third-place teams advance to the Round of 32 alongside the 24 group winners and runners-up. Mathematically, there are exactly 495 possible combinations of which 8 third-place teams could advance (12 choose 8). Teams with 4 or more points almost always qualify, while those with 2 or fewer rarely do.

The 2026 World Cup will be played across 16 world-class venues spanning three countries. In the United States: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle. In Mexico: Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey. In Canada: Toronto and Vancouver. Notable stadiums include MetLife Stadium (82,500 capacity, hosting the Final), AT&T Stadium in Dallas, SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, and Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, which will become the first stadium to host three World Cups.

The 2026 World Cup introduces a new expanded format with 48 teams divided into 12 groups of 4. Each team plays 3 group stage matches, earning 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw, and 0 for a loss. The top 2 teams from each group (24 teams total) automatically advance, along with the 8 best third-place teams, creating a 32-team knockout stage. The knockout rounds progress through single-elimination matches: Round of 32 (16 matches), Round of 16 (8 matches), Quarter-finals (4 matches), Semi-finals (2 matches), and the Final. In total, 104 matches will be played over 39 days.