FIFA World Cup 2026
Complete Guide

Tournament Format

The 2026 FIFA World Cup marks a historic expansion. For the first time, 48 teams will compete — up from 32 in previous tournaments. This is the largest World Cup ever held and the first to be hosted across three countries: the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

The group stage features 12 groups of 4 teams. The top 2 from each group (24 teams) plus the 8 best third-placed teams advance to a Round of 32, followed by the Round of 16, Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals, and the Final.

Each team plays 3 group stage matches. The knockout rounds are single-elimination. In total, fans will enjoy 104 matches over 39 days of football.

Key Dates

View Full Schedule →

All 48 Teams

The 48 qualified nations represent six FIFA confederations. Here is every team, organized by group:

Group A

Mexico South Africa Korea Republic Czechia

Group B

Canada Bosnia-Herzegovina Switzerland Qatar

Group C

Brazil Morocco Haiti Scotland

Group D

USA Paraguay Australia Türkiye

Group E

Germany Curaçao Côte d'Ivoire Ecuador

Group F

Netherlands Japan Sweden Tunisia

Group G

Belgium Egypt IR Iran New Zealand

Group H

Spain Cabo Verde Saudi Arabia Uruguay

Group I

France Senegal Iraq Norway

Group J

Argentina Algeria Austria Jordan

Group K

Portugal Congo DR Uzbekistan Colombia

Group L

England Croatia Ghana Panama

View Group Standings →

Groups Explained

The 48 teams are drawn into 12 groups of 4 (Groups A through L). Each team plays the other three teams in their group once, for a total of 3 matches per team.

Points system: Win = 3 points, Draw = 1 point, Loss = 0 points. Teams are ranked by points, then goal difference, then goals scored.

Who advances: The top 2 teams from each group (24 teams) qualify automatically. Additionally, the 8 best third-placed teams also advance, making 32 teams for the knockout round.

All 16 Venues

Matches will be played across 16 stadiums in 16 cities. The United States hosts the majority with 11 venues, Mexico has 3, and Canada has 2.

Estadio Azteca

Mexico City, Mexico · Capacity: 87,523

MetLife Stadium

East Rutherford, NJ · Capacity: 82,500

AT&T Stadium

Dallas, TX · Capacity: 80,000

Arrowhead Stadium

Kansas City, MO · Capacity: 76,416

NRG Stadium

Houston, TX · Capacity: 72,220

Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Atlanta, GA · Capacity: 71,000

SoFi Stadium

Los Angeles, CA · Capacity: 70,240

Lincoln Financial Field

Philadelphia, PA · Capacity: 69,176

Lumen Field

Seattle, WA · Capacity: 68,740

Levi's Stadium

Santa Clara, CA · Capacity: 68,500

Gillette Stadium

Foxborough, MA · Capacity: 65,878

Hard Rock Stadium

Miami, FL · Capacity: 64,767

BC Place

Vancouver, Canada · Capacity: 54,500

Estadio BBVA

Monterrey, Mexico · Capacity: 53,500

Estadio Akron

Guadalajara, Mexico · Capacity: 49,850

BMO Field

Toronto, Canada · Capacity: 45,736

View All Venues →

Host Countries

This is the first World Cup hosted by three nations simultaneously. It is also the first time Mexico has hosted since 1986, and the first time the United States has hosted since 1994. Canada hosts World Cup matches for the first time in history.

How to Watch

FIFA World Cup 2026 will be broadcast live in every country. Here are the confirmed broadcasters for major regions:

FIFA+ will stream select matches globally for free at fifa.com/fifaplus.

World Cup History & Records

The FIFA World Cup has been held every 4 years since 1930. Here are the most successful nations:

Defending champions: Argentina won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, defeating France in one of the greatest finals ever played. Lionel Messi lifted the trophy at age 35, completing his legacy.

2026 storylines: Can Argentina defend their title? Will Messi play in his farewell tournament? Can any of the three host nations reach the final? The expanded 48-team format means more surprises, more upsets, and more drama than ever before.