The Biggest World Cup Ever

June 11 to July 19, 2026. Hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The first ever 48 team World Cup.

48 Teams Competing

From defending champions Argentina to World Cup debutants Cape Verde, Jordan, and Uzbekistan.

Argentina Brazil France England Germany Spain Portugal Netherlands Belgium Croatia Switzerland Uruguay Colombia Ecuador Paraguay USA Mexico Canada Panama Haiti Curaçao Japan South Korea Australia Iran Saudi Arabia Qatar Jordan Uzbekistan Morocco Senegal Egypt Ghana Ivory Coast South Africa Algeria Tunisia Cape Verde Austria Norway Scotland New Zealand Bosnia & Herzegovina Sweden Türkiye Czechia DR Congo Iraq

12 Groups of 4

The official draw took place on December 5, 2025 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. All 48 teams confirmed. The biggest World Cup in history kicks off June 11, 2026. See the 12 seeded teams →

England are in Group L. See England's official 26-man World Cup squad →, including the eight big-name omissions led by Phil Foden and Cole Palmer.

Team guides: Brazil's squad and Group C → (Ancelotti, Vinicius Junior, Neymar's return), Argentina's title defence in Group J → (Messi's record sixth World Cup), France in Group I → (Mbappe and Deschamps' last tournament), Spain in Group H → (Euro 2024 champions, Lamine Yamal and Rodri), Germany in Group E → (Musiala, Wirtz and Neuer's return), and the USA in Group D → (host nation, Pochettino and Pulisic).

More guides: Mexico in Group A → (host nation, the Azteca opener and Ochoa's record sixth World Cup), Canada in Group B → (host nation, Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David), and Portugal in Group K → (Ronaldo's record sixth World Cup at 41), plus the Netherlands in Group F → (Koeman, Van Dijk and Frenkie de Jong), and Belgium in Group G → (Garcia, De Bruyne and a returning Lukaku).

More team guides: Colombia in Group K → (James Rodriguez, Luis Diaz and a dangerous outsider), South Korea in Group A → (Son Heung-min's fourth World Cup), and Algeria in Group J → (Riyad Mahrez and the Desert Foxes' return).

More team guides: Iraq in Group I → (Graham Arnold, the Lions of Mesopotamia back after 40 years), Morocco in Group C → (the 2022 semi-finalists and AFCON champions, Achraf Hakimi), and Uzbekistan in Group K → (Fabio Cannavaro and a first-ever World Cup).

More team guides: Ghana in Group L → (Carlos Queiroz's new era, Antoine Semenyo and 15 debutants), Saudi Arabia in Group H → (the Green Falcons who beat Argentina in 2022, now under Georgios Donis), and Cote d'Ivoire in Group E → (the reigning AFCON champions, Franck Kessie and Amad Diallo).

More team guides: Australia in Group D → (Tony Popovic's Socceroos, captain Mathew Ryan and a sixth straight World Cup), Ecuador in Group E → (Beccacece's young, fearless side, Moises Caicedo, Willian Pacho and Piero Hincapie), and Senegal in Group I → (the 2021 AFCON champions, Kalidou Koulibaly and Sadio Mane).

More team guides: Tunisia in Group F → (Sabri Lamouchi's Eagles of Carthage, captain Ellyes Skhiri and a record African qualifying defence), Haiti in Group C → (a historic return after 52 years, Wilson Isidor and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde), and Jordan in Group J → (a first ever World Cup, Mousa Al-Tamari and the 2023 Asian Cup finalists).

More team guides: Switzerland in Group B → (Murat Yakin's knockout regulars, captain Granit Xhaka and Manuel Akanji), Paraguay in Group D → (Gustavo Alfaro's Albirroja back after 16 years, Miguel Almiron and Julio Enciso), and Norway in Group I → (Erling Haaland's first World Cup, captained by Martin Odegaard).

More team guides: Scotland in Group C → (Steve Clarke's Tartan Army back after 28 years, captain Andy Robertson and Napoli's Scott McTominay), New Zealand in Group G → (Darren Bazeley's All Whites back after 16 years, captain Chris Wood), and Panama in Group L → (Thomas Christiansen's Canaleros, captain Anibal Godoy and playmaker Adalberto Carrasquilla).

More team guides: Croatia in Group L → (Zlatko Dalic's serial overachievers, captain Luka Modric at 40 in his farewell and Josko Gvardiol), Uruguay in Group H → (Marcelo Bielsa's dark horses, Federico Valverde and Darwin Nunez, with Luis Suarez left out), and Bosnia and Herzegovina in Group B → (Sergej Barbarez's Dragons, Edin Dzeko's last dance after a playoff win over Italy).

More team guides: Qatar in Group B → (Julen Lopetegui's two-time Asian champions, qualified on merit for the first time, Akram Afif and Almoez Ali), Cape Verde in Group H → (Bubista's Blue Sharks on a historic debut, captain Ryan Mendes and Villarreal's Logan Costa), and Curacao in Group E → (Dick Advocaat at 78, the smallest nation ever to qualify, captain Leandro Bacuna and Tahith Chong).

Group guides: World Cup 2026 Group A → (host Mexico with South Korea, South Africa and Czechia, the full fixtures, venues and a prediction).

More group guides: World Cup 2026 Group B → (co-host Canada with Switzerland, Qatar and Bosnia and Herzegovina), World Cup 2026 Group C → (Brazil with Morocco, Haiti and Scotland), and World Cup 2026 Group D → (co-host USA with Paraguay, Australia and Turkiye), each with the full fixtures, venues and a prediction.

More group guides: World Cup 2026 Group E → (Germany with Cote d'Ivoire, Ecuador and debutants Curacao), World Cup 2026 Group F → (Netherlands with Japan, Sweden and Tunisia), and World Cup 2026 Group G → (Belgium with Egypt, Iran and New Zealand), each with the full fixtures, venues and a prediction.

More group guides: World Cup 2026 Group H → (Spain with Uruguay, Saudi Arabia and debutants Cape Verde), World Cup 2026 Group I → (France with Senegal, Norway and Iraq), and World Cup 2026 Group J → (defending champions Argentina with Austria, Algeria and debutants Jordan), each with the full fixtures, venues and a prediction.

More group guides: World Cup 2026 Group K → (Portugal with DR Congo, Uzbekistan and Colombia), and World Cup 2026 Group L → (England with Croatia, Ghana and Panama), each with the full fixtures, venues and a prediction. New to the 48-team format? Read the World Cup 2026 format explainer → (12 groups, the best thirds, the new Round of 32 and the 104-match math), then map the World Cup 2026 knockout bracket → (the path to the MetLife final, every round's venues and dates, and why Brazil and Argentina sit in the same half), and see who lifts it in our World Cup 2026 power ranking → (the contenders ranked by odds and form, the dark horses and a single prediction), then the World Cup 2026 Golden Boot race → (the top-scorer contenders and odds with Mbappe, Kane, Haaland, Messi and Yamal, the tiebreakers and a pick), and our World Cup 2026 dark horses → (Morocco, Croatia, Uruguay, Ecuador, Senegal and the outsiders who could go deep, ranked with a single pick), and follow the cash with our World Cup 2026 prize money guide → (a record 871 million dollar pool, 50 million for the winner, the payout by stage and how it beats 2022), and meet the World Cup 2026 mascots → (Maple the moose, Zayu the jaguar and Clutch the bald eagle, one per host nation, with their positions and the design story).

Watching from home? See how to watch every match: in the USA → (FOX, FS1, Telemundo and Peacock), in the UK → (free to air on BBC and ITV, with kickoff times), in Canada → (TSN, RDS and free-to-air CTV), in Australia → (all 104 matches free on SBS, with AEST kickoff times), in India → (Zee on Unite8 Sports and ZEE5, with IST times), and in Mexico → (free-to-air on Televisa and TV Azteca, all 104 on ViX).

Going to a match? Read first: the real 2026 World Cup ticket resale guide →. The three legitimate channels, the scams to avoid, and how mobile-only delivery in the FIFA app actually works.

Mapping the tournament: World Cup 2026 stadiums and host cities → (all 16 venues across the USA, Mexico and Canada, with capacities, the matches each hosts, the Azteca opener and the MetLife Final). Venue deep dives: MetLife Stadium → (the 19 July Final venue in New York and New Jersey) Estadio Azteca → (the 11 June opening-match venue in Mexico City), and SoFi Stadium → (the Los Angeles venue hosting eight matches including the USA opener and a quarterfinal), and AT&T Stadium → (the Dallas venue hosting a tournament-high nine matches including a semi-final), Hard Rock Stadium → (the Miami venue hosting the third-place playoff), and Toronto and Vancouver → (Canada's two host cities, BMO Field and BC Place, with Canada's home matches and the schedules).

Going deeper on the contenders: England's midfield strength → (the Rice and Bellingham spine and the depth behind it, even without Foden and Palmer), France's defensive wall → (Saliba, Upamecano, Konate and Maignan, and whether they can match the 2022 depth), and Germany's young core vs experience gap → (Musiala and Wirtz against the senior spine of Neuer, Kimmich and Rudiger).

More contender deep dives: Spain's possession game → (the evolved tiki-taka of the Euro 2024 champions, the Rodri and Pedri spine and whether control still wins at 48 teams), Argentina's depth beyond Messi → (Lautaro, Julian Alvarez, the 2022 midfield and the next generation in Messi's likely last World Cup), and Brazil's defensive weaknesses → (the ageing full-backs, the load on Marquinhos and the questions Ancelotti must solve at the back).

More analysis: Netherlands vs Belgium → (the two Low Countries contenders compared position by position, Koeman's settled Oranje against Rudi Garcia's De Bruyne-led Belgium, with a verdict on who goes further), USA's home advantage quantified → (what hosting is really worth to the USMNT, the host-nation record, the crowds and the pressure, with a realistic ceiling for Group D), and Mexico's quinto partido curse → (seven straight Round of 16 exits, the fifth game El Tri never reach, and whether a home World Cup finally breaks it).

More analysis and player spotlights: Canada's rapid rise → (from a 36-year absence to co-hosting, Marsch's quick squad around Davies and David, and whether they reach a first knockout round in Group B), Mbappe: pressure and expectations → (12 World Cup goals, the captaincy, Klose's record in his sights and whether the weight lifts or breaks France's talisman), and Vinicius Jr vs Rodrygo → (two Real Madrid wingers head to head, how Ancelotti fits them around Raphinha, and which one dominates Brazil's attack).

More player spotlights: Bellingham's World Cup debut → (from a teenage sensation scoring on debut at Qatar 2022 to England's number 10, already off the mark with the winner in a 4-2 victory over Croatia in Group L), and rising talents under 23 → (the future superstars to watch, from Lamine Yamal and Franco Mastantuono to Kenan Yildiz, Arda Guler, Desire Doue and Mexico's teenage prodigy Gilberto Mora, and how the Best Young Player award works).

Watch and follow guides: broadcast rights by country → (who holds the 2026 rights in 175-plus territories, free-to-air or pay, from FOX and BBC to SBS, beIN, DAZN and CCTV), watch times across regions → (the four host time zones converted to UK, European, Indian, Gulf, African, East Asian and Australian local time, with the 3pm ET opener and final), and the TV schedule and prime time → (104 matches over 39 days, the daily windows, the prime-time slate and how to plan your viewing).

More watch and travel guides: streaming services, official vs alternative → (the legitimate ways to stream all 104 matches, FOX One, Peacock and free Tubi in the USA plus BBC iPlayer, SBS On Demand and CazeTV abroad, and why pirate streams are a trap), commentary teams and the voices of 2026 → (FOX's John Strong and Stu Holden across nine booths, Telemundo's Andres Cantor, and the regional broadcasters worldwide), and where to stay, hotels vs Airbnb vs hostels → (price ranges across all 16 host cities, the cities to book first, the best value and how to avoid scams).

Fan experience guides: getting between host cities, fly vs drive → (the regional clusters, distances and drive times across nearly 3,000 miles, match-day transit and border crossings), which host cities have the best fans → (the free FIFA Fan Festivals in all 16 cities, Mexico City and the Azteca opener, the loudest US soccer cities and the travelling support), and alcohol and celebration laws, know before you go → (stadium beer back after Qatar, public open-container laws, drinking ages by country and the host-state rule changes).

More fan guides and history: security and safety at the venues → (the clear-bag policy, banned items, airport-style screening, the FAA no-drone zones over every stadium and the heat-safety measures), previous World Cup hosts → (Mexico 1970 and 1986, USA 1994 and its record crowds, Canada's men's debut, and the Azteca becoming the first three-time World Cup stadium), and heat, altitude and weather → (the venues most at risk, Mexico City's altitude, the research on performance-impairing heat and how cooling breaks and roofs are used to adapt).

World Cup history and the moments that decide it: historical underdogs, when David beat Goliath → (USA over England in 1950, Cameroon beating Maradona's Argentina in 1990, Senegal stunning France in 2002, Saudi Arabia and Morocco in 2022, and why a 48-team field opens the door wider), penalty shootout psychology → (why Germany rarely miss, England's long torment and 2018 recovery, Argentina's goalkeeper heroes, and the science of nerve from Geir Jordet), and how VAR changed outcomes → (the 2018 debut and record penalties, semi-automated offside in 2022, and the instant AI offside alerts, 3D player avatars and referee body cams coming for 2026). Inside the 2026 game itself: referees and technology → (semi-automated offside with avatars of all 1,248 players, the Adidas Trionda connected ball reading itself 500 times a second, referee body cameras and in-stadium VAR announcements), and hydration breaks in the summer heat → (the three-minute cooling breaks, the wet-bulb globe temperature that triggers them, the hottest host cities and the push to make them longer), and the record crowds and attendances → (the all-time record passed in barely two weeks, more than 3.6 million fans, the biggest crowd at the Azteca opener, the single-day record and how 2026 compares with USA 1994). Into the knockouts: our power rankings after the group stage → (France and Argentina lead, Spain and Brazil climbing, Germany the warning sign, and the dark horses still alive), and the Round of 16 preview → (all eight last-16 ties from 4 to 7 July, the dates and venues, the standout matchups and the road to the MetLife final), then weigh up who will win the 2026 World Cup → (the outright favourites and odds, France and Spain heading the market, the case for and against every contender and a single prediction), and the Golden Ball player-of-the-tournament race → (Mbappe, Messi, Yamal and Olise leading the field for the best player, how the award is decided and who carries their team). Player spotlights from the knockouts: Messi's last dance → (the 39-year-old leading the defending champions through a perfect Group J, scoring all five goals, and whether Argentina can become the first nation since 1962 to go back-to-back), and Lamine Yamal, the teenager lighting up 2026 → (a Euro 2024 champion at 16, now 18 and carrying Spain on the kinder half of the draw, the records he already holds and why he could be the player of the tournament), Ronaldo at 41, Portugal's final chapter → (a record sixth World Cup at 41, the brace against Uzbekistan that made him the first to score at six different finals, a Group K runners-up finish and one last shot at the missing trophy), and Haaland's first World Cup as Norway end a 28-year wait → (the deadliest striker alive finally on the biggest stage, a perfect qualifying run, a Round of 32 place and a fearless dark horse). More from the history books: the biggest upsets in World Cup history → (a ranked countdown from Saudi Arabia stunning Argentina in 2022 and USA over England in 1950 to Cameroon, Senegal, Japan and Morocco, why the giant keeps falling and what a 48-team field means for 2026's shocks), and the greatest World Cup finals of all time → (Argentina 3-3 France in 2022, Brazil's 1970 masterpiece, England 1966, the 1954 Miracle of Bern and Zidane's 2006 farewell, ranked ahead of the 2026 showpiece at MetLife Stadium). Looking ahead to the last eight: our quarter-finals preview → (all four ties from 9 to 11 July in Boston, Los Angeles, Miami and Kansas City, how the Round of 16 feeds each, and the road to the Dallas and Atlanta semi-finals), and the dark horses still alive in the knockouts → (Paraguay's shootout win over Germany, 2022 semi-finalists Morocco, Haaland's Norway and co-hosts Canada, and who has a genuine route deep). Reading the bracket itself: the easier and harder halves of the 2026 draw → (the loaded bottom half of Brazil, Argentina, England and hosts Mexico funnelling into the Atlanta semi-final, the more open top half around France and Spain into Dallas, and the projected path to the MetLife final for every big seed). And from the history books, 60 years on: 1966 and all that, England's only World Cup triumph → (Geoff Hurst's hat-trick, the 4-2 win over West Germany at Wembley, the goal that may or may not have crossed the line, Alf Ramsey's Wingless Wonders, and why it still defines English football as England chase a first title since in 2026). Know the rules as the knockouts bite: extra time and penalty shootouts explained → (30 minutes of extra time in two halves with a sixth substitute, then five penalties each and sudden death, the goalkeeper rules VAR now checks, and the cruel maths that saw Paraguay knock out Germany from the spot), and the best third-placed teams explained → (how eight of the twelve thirds reach the Round of 32 in a 48-team World Cup, the points, goal-difference and goals-scored ranking, the 495-combination table that pairs them with group winners, and the eight who made it, from DR Congo and Ecuador to Paraguay and Senegal). More knockout spotlights: Christian Pulisic and the weight of a home World Cup → (the USMNT talisman driving the co-hosts to the top of Group D and past Bosnia, a last-16 tie with Belgium in Seattle, and what a deep run would mean for soccer in America under Pochettino), and the Golden Glove race for the best goalkeeper → (Mike Maignan and Yassine Bounou carrying clean sheets into the quarter-finals, the holder Emiliano Martinez winning shootouts again, how the award is decided and who leads the race for the best goalkeeper of 2026). The next generation and the prize itself: the breakout stars of 2026 → (Lamine Yamal at 18 and 17-year-old Gilberto Mora the tournament's youngest, plus Cubarsi, Mainoo, Doue, Camara, Nusa and Guler, and the race for the Young Player Award), and the story of the World Cup trophy → (the Jules Rimet stolen twice and rescued by a dog named Pickles, Brazil keeping it forever, and the 18-carat gold Gazzaniga cup the 2026 winner will lift at MetLife). Deeper into the knockouts: our 2026 semi-finals preview → (both last-four ties on 14 and 15 July, AT&T Stadium in the Dallas area and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, how each is fed by the quarter-finals, the two halves of the draw and the road to the third-place play-off in Miami and the MetLife final), and, from the history books, the greatest comebacks in World Cup history → (Portugal from 3-0 down against North Korea in 1966, West Germany's Seville nerve in 1982, Belgium 3-2 Japan in 2018 and Argentina 3-3 France in 2022, and why no lead is ever safe in the knockouts). The finishing straight itself: the 2026 final at MetLife Stadium → (everything on the 19 July showpiece near New York, the 82,500-seat Meadowlands venue, the 3pm Eastern kickoff and viewing times worldwide, how the two finalists reach New York through the Dallas and Atlanta semi-finals, and getting there by NJ Transit), and the third-place play-off explained → (the bronze-medal match at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on 18 July, why the World Cup has kept it since 1934, who plays it, the prize money and ranking points at stake, and recent winners from Croatia in 2022 to Belgium in 2018). A generation says goodbye: the veterans playing their final World Cup → (Ronaldo at 41 and Messi at 39 leading a farewell class of seven players aged 40 or older, from Modric, Neuer and Ochoa to Dzeko, Nagatomo and 43-year-old Scotland keeper Craig Gordon, the first trio ever involved in six World Cups, and who gets the perfect send-off), and, from the record books, every World Cup Golden Boot winner → (the top scorer at all 22 finals from Stabile in 1930 to Mbappe in 2022, Just Fontaine's untouched 13 goals in 1958, why no one has ever won it twice, and the records in play for 2026), the all-time World Cup top scorers → (the most goals the finals have ever seen, from Klose's record 16 and Ronaldo's 15 to Gerd Muller, Fontaine, Pele and the 10-goal club, and how Messi and Mbappe are climbing the list in 2026), and USA 1994, how the last US World Cup changed the game → (the record 3.6 million crowd and the highest average attendance ever, the birth of Major League Soccer as a bid condition, Brazil beating Italy on penalties at the Rose Bowl, and how 2026 builds on that legacy as North America hosts again).

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