The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the biggest edition in tournament history, featuring 48 teams across three host nations — United States, Canada and Mexico. The tournament will run from June 11 to July 19, 2026, with matches spread across 16 host cities in North America.
The opening match will take place at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, while the final will be held at MetLife Stadium on July 19. The expanded format includes 12 groups of four teams each, with the top two sides from every group and the eight best third-placed teams progressing to the knockout stage.
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| Round | Dates |
|---|---|
| Group Stage Matchday 1 | June 11–17, 2026 |
| Group Stage Matchday 2 | June 18–23, 2026 |
| Group Stage Matchday 3 | June 24–27, 2026 |
| Round of 32 | June 28 – July 3, 2026 |
| Round of 16 | July 4–7, 2026 |
| Quarterfinals | July 9–11, 2026 |
| Semifinals | July 14–15, 2026 |
| Third-place Match | July 18, 2026 |
| Final | July 19, 2026 |
Key Tournament Details
- Total teams: 48
- Total groups: 12 (Groups A to L)
- Total matches: 104
- Host cities: 16
- Opening match: Mexico vs South Africa on June 11 at Estadio Azteca
- Final venue: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
- Most matches at a venue: AT&T Stadium in Arlington (9 matches)
| Region | Host Cities |
|---|---|
| Western Region | Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles |
| Central Region | Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey, Houston, Dallas, Kansas City |
| Eastern Region | Atlanta, Miami, Toronto, Boston, Philadelphia, New York/New Jersey |
| Group | Teams |
|---|---|
| Group A | Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czech Republic |
| Group B | Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland |
| Group C | Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland |
| Group D | United States, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey |
| Group E | Germany, Curaçao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador |
| Group F | Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia |
| Group G | Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand |
| Group H | Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay |
| Group I | France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway |
| Group J | Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan |
| Group K | Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia |
| Group L | England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama |
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| June 11 | Mexico vs South Africa | Estadio Azteca, Mexico City |
| June 11 | South Korea vs Czech Republic | Estadio Akron, Zapopan |
| June 12 | Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina | BMO Field, Toronto |
| June 12 | United States vs Paraguay | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood |
| June 13 | Brazil vs Morocco | MetLife Stadium |
| June 13 | Australia vs Turkey | BC Place, Vancouver |
| June 14 | Germany vs Curaçao | NRG Stadium, Houston |
| June 14 | Netherlands vs Japan | AT&T Stadium, Arlington |
| June 15 | Spain vs Cape Verde | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta |
| June 15 | Belgium vs Egypt | Lumen Field, Seattle |
| June 16 | France vs Senegal | MetLife Stadium |
| June 16 | Argentina vs Algeria | Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City |
| June 17 | Portugal vs DR Congo | NRG Stadium, Houston |
| June 17 | England vs Croatia | AT&T Stadium, Arlington |
Knockout Stage
The knockout phase begins on June 28 with the Round of 32 and concludes with the final on July 19. Matches tied after 90 minutes will go into extra time and, if necessary, penalties.
| Stage | Venue Highlights |
|---|---|
| Round of 32 | Inglewood, Houston, Mexico City, Seattle, Toronto |
| Round of 16 | Philadelphia, Arlington, Seattle, Vancouver |
| Quarterfinals | Foxborough, Inglewood, Miami Gardens, Kansas City |
| Semifinals | Arlington and Atlanta |
| Third-place Match | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens |
| Final | MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford |
FIFA World Cup 2026 Format Explained
The 48 participating teams are divided into 12 groups of four teams each. Every team will play three group-stage matches. Teams receive:
- 3 points for a win
- 1 point for a draw
- 0 points for a loss
The top two teams from each group automatically qualify for the Round of 32, while the eight best third-placed teams also advance.
Tie-Break Rules in Group Stage
If teams finish level on points, the following criteria will determine rankings:
- Head-to-head points
- Head-to-head goal difference
- Head-to-head goals scored
- Overall goal difference
- Overall goals scored
- Fair play points
- FIFA World Ranking position
