The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup, the biggest international football tournament for national teams. It will take place from 11 June to 19 July 2026.
This edition is historically unusual—football is trying something bigger, wider, and slightly chaotic in a delightful way.
For the first time ever, three countries will jointly host the World Cup:
United States
Mexico
Canada
Matches will be played in 16 cities across North America. Most games will happen in the United States, while Mexico and Canada also host several matches.
Examples of host cities include:
Los Angeles
Miami
Seattle
Dallas
New York/New Jersey
Toronto
Vancouver
Mexico City
Guadalajara
Monterrey
The opening match will be played in Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, while the final will take place at MetLife Stadium (New York/New Jersey).
This tournament will be the largest World Cup in history.
Key changes:
48 teams instead of 32
12 groups of 4 teams
104 matches total
Top 2 teams from each group + 8 best third-place teams move to knockout stage (Round of 32)
Think of it as football evolving from a tidy tournament into a planet-scale festival of sport.
Teams will come from all football confederations:
Europe – 16 teams
Africa – 9 teams
Asia – 8 teams
North America – 6 teams (including hosts)
South America – 6 teams
Oceania – 1 team
Intercontinental playoffs – 2 teams
This expansion means more nations get a chance to play on the world stage.