The countdown has begun, approximately 2 months until the biggest World Cup of all time.
Yes, the tournament will feature 48 national teams, 104 matches in 16 cities across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
A football-promising summer, with FIFA emphasizing that it will be unforgettable for everyone.
"It is the greatest event humanity has ever seen and ever will see," says Infantino, taking it a step further by emphasizing that 6 billion people, almost three-quarters of the global population, will somehow be involved in the tournament.
In other words, from June 11 to July 19, the world will... stop for the World Cup.
If you look at the sporting aspect, you clearly see that it will be unique. Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar are having their final rendezvous, with Luka Modric close by, while Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, Vinicius Jr, and many more will do everything to mesmerize.
Uzbeks, Jordanians, Haitians, as well as countries like Curaçao, and Cape Verde add their own flair. Can there be a World Cup without Italy? We're used to it by now...
Where and when will the World Cup be held?
The 2026 World Cup will be co-hosted across the Atlantic by the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
The tournament's kick-off is scheduled for June 11, and the final for July 19 at the "Metlife Stadium" in New York, with the tournament lasting 39 days.
What is the World Cup format?
For the first time in the tournament's history, 48 teams (compared to 32 in the previous one) will participate in the World Cup, divided into 12 groups of four countries.
The top two teams from each group, along with the 8 best third-placed teams, will qualify for the round of "32" once the three matchdays of the group stage are completed.
From then on, the winners of the pairings will sequentially qualify for the round of "16", the "quarter-finals", the "semi-finals", until they reach the final.
Thus, the increase in teams from 32 to 48 will also lead to an increase in matches from 64 to 104, while the country that reaches the final will have to play a total of 8 matches instead of 7.
Detailed changes we will see this summer
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A substituted player will have 10 seconds to leave the field. If they delay, their team will play with one less player for one minute, and then the substitute will be allowed to enter.
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Throw-ins and goal kicks must be taken within 5 seconds; otherwise, possession will transfer to the opposing team.
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A player receiving medical attention on the field must leave and wait one minute before returning, unless their injury resulted from a foul that was punished with a card.
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The VAR will now also check second yellow cards leading to a player's expulsion, as well as incorrectly awarded corners.
- Only the captain is allowed to approach the referee and ask for explanations regarding a decision. Anyone else approaching them will be immediately penalized with a yellow card.
The 12 World Cup 2026 Groups
Matches like Spain - Uruguay, England - Croatia, France - Norway, and Portugal - Colombia definitely captured interest from the draw phase, which, however, made sure to leave promises for underdog teams to qualify for the knockout stages of the top competition.
A characteristic case is Germany's group, where, in addition to the Panzers, Ecuador, Curaçao, and Ivory Coast are fighting for a ticket to the next phase!
Group 1
Mexico
South Africa
South Korea
Czech Republic
Group 2
Canada
Bosnia
Qatar
Switzerland
Group 3
Brazil
Morocco
Haiti
Scotland
Group 4
USA
Paraguay
Australia
Turkey
Group 5
Germany
Curaçao
Ivory Coast
Ecuador
Group 6
Netherlands
Japan
Sweden
Tunisia
Group 7
Belgium
Egypt
Iran
New Zealand
Group 8
Spain
Cape Verde
Saudi Arabia
Uruguay
Group 9
France
Senegal
Iraq
Norway
Group 10
Argentina
Algeria
Austria
Jordan
Group 11
Portugal
Congo
Uzbekistan
Colombia
Group 12
England
Croatia
Ghana
Panama
World Cup 2026 match dates
Group Stage: June 11-27
Round of "32": June 28 - July 3
Round of "16": July 4-7
Quarter-finals: July 9-11
Semi-finals: July 14-15
Third-place play-off: July 18
Final: July 19
What are the tournament stadiums?
As expected, the USA has the most and most modern stadiums for the tournament's matches.
A total of 11 stadiums are on American soil, 3 in Mexico, and 2 stadiums are in Canada.
The final, as mentioned, will be held at the "Metlife Stadium" in New York, home to the New York Giants and New York Jets, with a capacity of 82,500 spectators.
Stadiums in the USA
Atlanta Stadium: 71,000 spectators
Boston Stadium: 40,000 spectators
Dallas Stadium: 80,000 spectators
Houston Stadium: 72,220 spectators
Kansas City Stadium: 76,416 spectators
Los Angeles Stadium: 70,000 spectators
Miami Stadium: 65,326 spectators
New York New Jersey Stadium or MetLife: 82,500 spectators
Philadelphia Stadium: 69,596 - 69,879 spectators
San Francisco Bay Area Stadium: 68,500 spectators
Seattle Stadium: 68,740 spectators
Stadiums in Mexico
Estadio Azteca Mexico City: 83,264 spectators
Estadio Guadalajara: 46,355 spectators
Estadio Monterrey: 53,529 spectators
Stadiums in Canada
• Toronto Stadium: 39,150 spectators
• BC Place Vancouver Stadium: 54,500 spectators
Detailed schedule of the 2026 World Cup
Group 1
June 11
22:00 – Mexico vs South Africa (Mexico City)
June 12
05:00 – South Korea vs Czech Republic (Guadalajara)
June 18
19:00 – Czech Republic vs South Africa (Atlanta)
June 19
04:00 – Mexico vs South Korea (Guadalajara)
June 25
04:00 – South Africa vs South Korea (Monterrey)
04:00 – Czech Republic vs Mexico (Mexico City)
Group 2
June 12
22:00 – Canada vs Bosnia (Toronto)
June 13
22:00 – Qatar vs Switzerland (San Francisco)
June 18
22:00 – Switzerland vs Bosnia (Los Angeles)
01:00 – Canada vs Qatar (Vancouver)
June 24
22:00 – Switzerland vs Canada (Vancouver)
22:00 – Qatar - Bosnia (Seattle)
Group 3
June 13
01:00 – Brazil vs Morocco (New Jersey)
June 14
04:00 – Haiti vs Scotland (Boston)
June 19
01:00 – Scotland vs Morocco (Boston)
June 20
04:00 – Brazil vs Haiti (Philadelphia)
June 24
01:00 – Morocco vs Haiti (Atlanta)
01:00 – Scotland vs Brazil (Miami)
Group 4
June 13
04:00 – USA vs Paraguay (Los Angeles)
07:00 – Australia vs Turkey (Vancouver)
June 19
07:00 – Turkey vs Paraguay (San Francisco)
22:00 – USA vs Australia (Seattle)
June 26
05:00 – Paraguay vs Australia (San Francisco)
05:00 – Turkey vs USA (Los Angeles)
Group 5
June 14
20:00 – Germany vs Curaçao (Houston)
June 15
02:00 – Ivory Coast vs Ecuador (Philadelphia)
June 20
23:00 – Germany vs Ivory Coast (Toronto)
June 21
03:00 – Ecuador vs Curaçao (Kansas)
June 25
23:00 – Curaçao vs Ivory Coast (Philadelphia)
23:00 – Ecuador vs Germany (New Jersey)
Group 6
June 14
23:00 – Netherlands vs Japan (Dallas)
June 15
05:00 – Sweden vs Tunisia (Monterrey)
June 20
07:00 – Tunisia vs Japan (Monterrey)
20:00 – Netherlands vs Sweden (Houston)
June 26
02:00 – Japan vs Sweden (Dallas)
02:00 – Tunisia vs Netherlands (Kansas)
Group 7
June 15
22:00 – Belgium vs Egypt (Seattle)
June 16
04:00 – Iran vs New Zealand (Los Angeles)
June 21
22:00 – Belgium vs Iran (Los Angeles)
June 22
04:00 – New Zealand vs Egypt (Vancouver)
June 27
06:00 – Egypt vs Iran (Seattle)
06:00 – New Zealand vs Belgium (Vancouver)
Group 8
June 15
19:00 – Spain vs Cape Verde (Atlanta)
01:00 – Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay (Miami)
June 21
19:00 – Spain vs Saudi Arabia (Atlanta)
01:00 – Uruguay vs Cape Verde (Miami)
June 27
03:00 – Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia (Houston)
03:00 – Uruguay vs Spain (Guadalajara)
Group 9
June 16
22:00 – France vs Senegal (New Jersey)
01:00 – Iraq vs Norway (Boston)
June 22
00:00 – France vs Iraq (Philadelphia)
June 23
03:00 – Norway vs Senegal (New Jersey)
June 26
22:00 – Norway vs France (Boston)
22:00 – Senegal vs Iraq (Toronto)
Group 10
June 17
04:00 – Argentina vs Algeria (Kansas)
07:00 – Austria vs Jordan (San Francisco)
June 22
20:00 – Argentina vs Austria (Dallas)
June 23
06:00 – Jordan vs Algeria (San Francisco)
June 28
05:00 – Algeria vs Austria (Kansas)
05:00 – Jordan vs Argentina (Dallas)
Group 11
June 17
20:00 – Portugal vs Congo (Houston)
June 18
05:00 – Uzbekistan vs Colombia (Mexico City)
June 23
20:00 – Portugal vs Uzbekistan (Houston)
June 24
05:00 – Colombia vs Congo (Guadalajara)
June 28
02:30 – Colombia vs Portugal (Miami)
02:30 – Congo vs Uzbekistan (Atlanta)
Group 12
June 17
23:00 – England vs Croatia (Dallas)
June 18
02:00 – Ghana vs Panama (Toronto)
June 23
23:00 – England vs Ghana (Boston)
June 24
02:00 – Panama vs Croatia (Toronto)
June 27
00:00 – Croatia vs Ghana (Philadelphia)
00:00 – Panama vs England (New Jersey)