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The FIFA World Cup 2026 is already underway. The tournament runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026, across three host nations: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This edition breaks multiple records in one go. Here are all the key facts, dates, group, and fixtures you need to follow the action.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Tournament Stats
Before anything else, here is a quick look at what makes this World Cup different from every edition before it.
| Stat | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total matches | 104 |
| Teams | 48 |
| Groups | 12 |
| Host cities | 16 |
| Tournament length | 39 days |
| Group stage matches | 72 |
| Knockout stage matches | 32 |
| Prize money (winner) | $50 million |
| Matches to win the trophy | 8 |
| World Cup debut nations | 4 |
| First match | June 11, 2026 |
| Final | July 19, 2026 |
The tournament spans 39 days and features 104 matches in total, with 72 played in the group stage and the remaining 32 in the knockout rounds.
The jump from 64 matches in Qatar 2022 to 104 here means 40 extra games for fans to watch.
FIFA World Cup 2026 New Format
This FIFA World Cup 2026 introduces a new format with 48 teams, 12 groups of four, and an additional knockout round that did not exist in previous editions.
The top two teams from each group advance automatically to the knockout stage, joined by the eight best third-placed finishers. That means 32 of the 48 teams move forward before the new Round of 32 narrows the field further.
This is the biggest structural change the World Cup has seen since 1998, when the field grew from 24 to 32 teams.
A team now needs to win 8 matches to lift the trophy, one more than in Qatar 2022.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Tournament Timeline
| Stage | Dates | Matches |
|---|---|---|
| Group Stage | June 11 – June 27, 2026 | 72 |
| Round of 32 | June 28 – July 3, 2026 | 16 |
| Round of 16 | July 4 – July 7, 2026 | 8 |
| Quarterfinals | July 9 – July 11, 2026 | 4 |
| Semifinals | July 14 – July 15, 2026 | 2 |
| Third Place Playoff | July 18, 2026 | 1 |
| Final | July 19, 2026 | 1 |
FIFA World Cup 2026: All 12 Groups
The draw took place on December 5, 2025, in Washington, D.C. After the final qualifying playoffs on March 31, 2026, all 48 teams were confirmed.
Cabo Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan make their World Cup debut in this edition. Countries such as Qatar, Haiti, Panama, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo appear in the tournament for only the second time.
Italy is the only former World Cup winner that failed to qualify for the 2026 edition.
| Group | Team 1 | Team 2 | Team 3 | Team 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Mexico | South Korea | South Africa | Czechia |
| B | Canada | Switzerland | Qatar | Bosnia & Herzegovina |
| C | Brazil | Morocco | Scotland | Haiti |
| D | USA | Australia | Paraguay | Türkiye |
| E | Germany | Ecuador | Ivory Coast | Curaçao |
| F | Netherlands | Japan | Tunisia | Sweden |
| G | Belgium | Iran | Egypt | New Zealand |
| H | Spain | Uruguay | Saudi Arabia | Cape Verde |
| I | France | Senegal | Norway | Iraq |
| J | Argentina | Austria | Algeria | Jordan |
| K | Portugal | Colombia | Uzbekistan | DR Congo |
| L | England | Croatia | Panama | Ghana |
FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Stage Schedule
Complete Group Stage Schedule of FIFA World Cup 2026:
Matchday 1: June 11–12
The tournament opens with Mexico vs South Africa at Mexico City Stadium (the former Estadio Azteca). Canada and the USA also play their openers the following day.
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Thu, Jun 11 | Mexico vs South Africa | Mexico City Stadium |
| Thu, Jun 11 | South Korea vs Czechia | Estadio Guadalajara |
| Fri, Jun 12 | Canada vs Bosnia & Herzegovina | Toronto Stadium |
| Fri, Jun 12 | USA vs Paraguay | Los Angeles Stadium |
Matchday 2: June 13–15
Brazil opens against Morocco at New York New Jersey Stadium on June 13. Germany, Netherlands, and Spain all get their first matches in this window too.
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Sat, Jun 13 | Qatar vs Switzerland | San Francisco Bay Stadium |
| Sat, Jun 13 | Brazil vs Morocco | New York New Jersey Stadium |
| Sat, Jun 13 | Haiti vs Scotland | Boston Stadium |
| Sat, Jun 13 | Australia vs Türkiye | BC Place, Vancouver |
| Sun, Jun 14 | Germany vs Curaçao | Houston Stadium |
| Sun, Jun 14 | Netherlands vs Japan | Dallas Stadium |
| Sun, Jun 14 | Ivory Coast vs Ecuador | Philadelphia Stadium |
| Sun, Jun 14 | Sweden vs Tunisia | Estadio Monterrey |
| Mon, Jun 15 | Spain vs Cape Verde | Atlanta Stadium |
| Mon, Jun 15 | Belgium vs Egypt | BC Place, Vancouver |
| Mon, Jun 15 | Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay | Miami Stadium |
| Mon, Jun 15 | Iran vs New Zealand | Los Angeles Stadium |
Matchday 3: June 16–17
France faces Senegal in a rematch of the 2002 World Cup upset. Defending champions Argentina open their title defence against Algeria in Kansas City. England begins Group L against Croatia in Dallas.
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Tue, Jun 16 | France vs Senegal | New York New Jersey Stadium |
| Tue, Jun 16 | Iraq vs Norway | Boston Stadium |
| Tue, Jun 16 | Argentina vs Algeria | Kansas City Stadium |
| Tue, Jun 16 | Austria vs Jordan | San Francisco Bay Stadium |
| Wed, Jun 17 | Portugal vs DR Congo | Houston Stadium |
| Wed, Jun 17 | England vs Croatia | Dallas Stadium |
| Wed, Jun 17 | Ghana vs Panama | Toronto Stadium |
| Wed, Jun 17 | Uzbekistan vs Colombia | Mexico City Stadium |
Matchday 4: June 18–21
The second round of group fixtures begins. Mexico, Canada, and USA all play crucial second games here.
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Thu, Jun 18 | Czechia vs South Africa | Atlanta Stadium |
| Thu, Jun 18 | Switzerland vs Bosnia & Herzegovina | Los Angeles Stadium |
| Thu, Jun 18 | Canada vs Qatar | BC Place, Vancouver |
| Thu, Jun 18 | Mexico vs South Korea | Estadio Guadalajara |
| Fri, Jun 19 | Scotland vs Morocco | Boston Stadium |
| Fri, Jun 19 | USA vs Australia | Seattle Stadium |
| Fri, Jun 19 | Brazil vs Haiti | Philadelphia Stadium |
| Fri, Jun 19 | Türkiye vs Paraguay | San Francisco Bay Stadium |
| Sat, Jun 20 | Netherlands vs Sweden | Houston Stadium |
| Sat, Jun 20 | Germany vs Ivory Coast | Toronto Stadium |
| Sat, Jun 20 | Ecuador vs Curaçao | Kansas City Stadium |
| Sat, Jun 20 | Tunisia vs Japan | Estadio Monterrey |
| Sun, Jun 21 | Spain vs Saudi Arabia | Atlanta Stadium |
| Sun, Jun 21 | Belgium vs Iran | Los Angeles Stadium |
| Sun, Jun 21 | Uruguay vs Cape Verde | Miami Stadium |
| Sun, Jun 21 | New Zealand vs Egypt | BC Place, Vancouver |
Matchday 5: June 22–24
Stakes get higher. France takes on Iraq, England faces Ghana, and Argentina plays Austria. By this point, the qualification pictures start to take shape.
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Mon, Jun 22 | Argentina vs Austria | Dallas Stadium |
| Mon, Jun 22 | France vs Iraq | Philadelphia Stadium |
| Mon, Jun 22 | Norway vs Senegal | New York New Jersey Stadium |
| Mon, Jun 22 | Jordan vs Algeria | San Francisco Bay Stadium |
| Tue, Jun 23 | Portugal vs Uzbekistan | Houston Stadium |
| Tue, Jun 23 | England vs Ghana | Boston Stadium |
| Tue, Jun 23 | Panama vs Croatia | Toronto Stadium |
| Tue, Jun 23 | Colombia vs DR Congo | Estadio Guadalajara |
| Wed, Jun 24 | Switzerland vs Canada | BC Place, Vancouver |
| Wed, Jun 24 | Bosnia & Herzegovina vs Qatar | Seattle Stadium |
| Wed, Jun 24 | Scotland vs Brazil | Miami Stadium |
| Wed, Jun 24 | Morocco vs Haiti | Atlanta Stadium |
| Wed, Jun 24 | Czechia vs Mexico | Mexico City Stadium |
| Wed, Jun 24 | South Africa vs South Korea | Estadio Monterrey |
Matchday 6 (Final Group Round): June 25–27
Both matches within each group kick off at the same time to prevent any tactical collusion. Last group-stage drama arrives here, with several third-place spots going right down to the final whistle.
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Thu, Jun 25 | Ecuador vs Germany | New York New Jersey Stadium |
| Thu, Jun 25 | Curaçao vs Ivory Coast | Philadelphia Stadium |
| Thu, Jun 25 | Japan vs Sweden | Dallas Stadium |
| Thu, Jun 25 | Tunisia vs Netherlands | Kansas City Stadium |
| Thu, Jun 25 | Türkiye vs USA | Los Angeles Stadium |
| Thu, Jun 25 | Paraguay vs Australia | San Francisco Bay Stadium |
| Fri, Jun 26 | Norway vs France | Boston Stadium |
| Fri, Jun 26 | Senegal vs Iraq | Toronto Stadium |
| Fri, Jun 26 | Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia | Houston Stadium |
| Fri, Jun 26 | Uruguay vs Spain | Estadio Guadalajara |
| Fri, Jun 26 | Egypt vs Iran | Seattle Stadium |
| Fri, Jun 26 | New Zealand vs Belgium | BC Place, Vancouver |
| Sat, Jun 27 | Panama vs England | New York New Jersey Stadium |
| Sat, Jun 27 | Croatia vs Ghana | Philadelphia Stadium |
| Sat, Jun 27 | Colombia vs Portugal | Miami Stadium |
| Sat, Jun 27 | DR Congo vs Uzbekistan | Atlanta Stadium |
| Sat, Jun 27 | Algeria vs Austria | Kansas City Stadium |
| Sat, Jun 27 | Jordan vs Argentina | Dallas Stadium |
FIFA World Cup 2026 Knockout Stage Schedule
Knockout Stages Complete Schedule:
Round of 32: June 28 – July 3
This is the first Round of 32 in World Cup history. Sixteen matches take place across six days.
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Sun, Jun 28 | 1B vs 2A | Los Angeles Stadium |
| Mon, Jun 29 | 1C vs 2F | Houston Stadium |
| Mon, Jun 29 | 1E vs Best 3rd (A/B/C/D/F) | Boston Stadium |
| Mon, Jun 29 | 1F vs 2C | Estadio Monterrey |
| Tue, Jun 30 | 2E vs 2I | Dallas Stadium |
| Tue, Jun 30 | 1I vs Best 3rd (C/D/F/G/H) | New York New Jersey Stadium |
| Tue, Jun 30 | 1A vs Best 3rd (C/E/F/H/I) | Mexico City Stadium |
| Wed, Jul 1 | 1L vs Best 3rd | Atlanta Stadium |
| Wed, Jul 1 | 1J vs Best 3rd | Seattle Stadium |
| Wed, Jul 1 | 1K vs Best 3rd | San Francisco Bay Stadium |
| Thu, Jul 2 | 1D vs Best 3rd | Los Angeles Stadium |
| Thu, Jul 2 | 2H vs 2L | Toronto Stadium |
| Thu, Jul 2 | 1H vs 2K | BC Place, Vancouver |
| Fri, Jul 3 | 1G vs 2J | Dallas Stadium |
| Fri, Jul 3 | 2B vs 2D | Miami Stadium |
| Fri, Jul 3 | 2G vs Best 3rd | Kansas City Stadium |
Round of 16: July 4 – July 7
Eight matches across four days. All six host venues from three countries take part in this round.
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Sat, Jul 4 | R16 Match 1 | Houston Stadium |
| Sat, Jul 4 | R16 Match 2 | Philadelphia Stadium |
| Sun, Jul 5 | R16 Match 3 | New York New Jersey Stadium |
| Sun, Jul 5 | R16 Match 4 | Mexico City Stadium |
| Mon, Jul 6 | R16 Match 5 | Dallas Stadium |
| Mon, Jul 6 | R16 Match 6 | Seattle Stadium |
| Tue, Jul 7 | R16 Match 7 | Atlanta Stadium |
| Tue, Jul 7 | R16 Match 8 | BC Place, Vancouver |
Quarterfinals: July 9 – July 11
Four matches across three days. The last eight teams fight for a place in the semifinals.
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Thu, Jul 9 | Quarterfinal 1 | Boston Stadium |
| Fri, Jul 10 | Quarterfinal 2 | Los Angeles Stadium |
| Sat, Jul 11 | Quarterfinal 3 | Miami Stadium |
| Sat, Jul 11 | Quarterfinal 4 | Kansas City Stadium |
Semifinals, Third Place & Final
Both semifinals take place in the USA. The final returns to the New York area for the first time since the 1994 World Cup.
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Tue, Jul 14 | Semifinal 1 | Dallas Stadium |
| Wed, Jul 15 | Semifinal 2 | Atlanta Stadium |
| Sat, Jul 18 | Third Place Playoff | Miami Stadium |
| Sun, Jul 19 | FIFA World Cup 2026 Final | New York New Jersey Stadium |
FIFA World Cup 2026 All 16 Host Venues
The 2026 FIFA World Cup takes place across 16 cities: 11 in the United States, 3 in Mexico, and 2 in Canada. FIFA renamed all venues to avoid naming rights conflicts during the tournament.
| FIFA Venue Name | Common Name | City | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico City Stadium | Estadio Azteca | Mexico City | Mexico |
| Estadio Guadalajara | Estadio Akron | Zapopan | Mexico |
| Estadio Monterrey | Estadio BBVA | Guadalupe | Mexico |
| Toronto Stadium | BMO Field | Toronto | Canada |
| BC Place | BC Place | Vancouver | Canada |
| Atlanta Stadium | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta | USA |
| Boston Stadium | Gillette Stadium | Foxborough | USA |
| Dallas Stadium | AT&T Stadium | Arlington | USA |
| Houston Stadium | NRG Stadium | Houston | USA |
| Kansas City Stadium | Arrowhead Stadium | Kansas City | USA |
| Los Angeles Stadium | SoFi Stadium | Inglewood | USA |
| Miami Stadium | Hard Rock Stadium | Miami Gardens | USA |
| New York New Jersey Stadium | MetLife Stadium | East Rutherford | USA |
| Philadelphia Stadium | Lincoln Financial Field | Philadelphia | USA |
| San Francisco Bay Stadium | Levi’s Stadium | Santa Clara | USA |
| Seattle Stadium | Lumen Field | Seattle | USA |
Quick Facts Worth Noting
- This is the 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup.
- It is the first World Cup hosted by three countries.
- The winning team receives $50 million in prize money, up from $42 million at Qatar 2022.
- Four nations make their World Cup debut: Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan.
- Italy, a four-time World Cup winner, did not qualify.
- Argentina enters as defending champions.
- The final takes place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19, 2026.
- Teams reaching the final will now play 8 matches in total, one more than in previous editions.
- The group stage runs for 17 days, and all final-round group matches kick off simultaneously within each group.
- All 48 teams play a minimum of 3 group stage matches before any team is eliminated.
