FIFA World Cup 2026 skill. The first 48-team World Cup, co-hosted across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada — June 11 to July 19, 2026. Covers groups, host cities,...
The 2026 FIFA World Cup (marketed as FIFA World Cup 26) is the 23rd edition of the men's World Cup. It runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026 and is the first World Cup co-hosted by three nations: the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
This is also the first World Cup expanded to 48 teams (up from 32), featuring 12 groups of 4, a new Round of 32 knockout stage, and 104 total matches across 16 host cities.
The opening match — Mexico vs. South Africa — kicks off on June 11 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The final takes place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium (rebranded as New York New Jersey Stadium) in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| June 11, 2026 | Opening match — Mexico vs. South Africa (Mexico City) |
| June 12, 2026 | Canada's opener — BMO Field, Toronto |
| June 12, 2026 | USA's opener — USA vs. Paraguay at SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles |
| June 11–26, 2026 | Group stage (72 matches) |
| June 28–July 2, 2026 | Round of 32 |
| July 3–5, 2026 | Round of 16 |
| July 7–8, 2026 | Quarter-finals |
| July 14–15, 2026 | Semi-finals (AT&T Stadium, Dallas & Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta) |
| July 19, 2026 | Final — MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey |
The 2026 World Cup introduces a new format:
This means 104 matches over 39 days — 40 more games than the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
| City | Stadium | Capacity | Notable Matches |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York/New Jersey | MetLife Stadium | ~82,500 | Final (July 19) |
| Dallas | AT&T Stadium | ~80,000 | Semi-final |
| Atlanta | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | ~71,000 | Semi-final |
| Los Angeles | SoFi Stadium | ~70,000 | USA opener (June 12) |
| Houston | NRG Stadium | ~72,000 | Group stage + knockout |
| Philadelphia | Lincoln Financial Field | ~69,000 | Group stage + knockout |
| Miami | Hard Rock Stadium | ~65,000 | Group stage + knockout |
| Seattle | Lumen Field | ~69,000 | Group stage + knockout |
| San Francisco Bay Area | Levi's Stadium | ~68,500 | Group stage + knockout |
| Kansas City | Arrowhead Stadium | ~76,000 | Group stage + quarter-final |
| Boston | Gillette Stadium | ~65,000 | Group stage + quarter-final |
| City | Stadium | Capacity | Notable Matches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico City | Estadio Azteca | ~83,000 | Opening match (June 11) |
| Guadalajara | Estadio Akron | ~46,000 | Group stage |
| Monterrey | Estadio BBVA | ~53,000 | Group stage |
| City | Stadium | Capacity | Notable Matches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto | BMO Field | ~30,000 | Canada opener (June 12) |
| Vancouver | BC Place | ~54,000 | Group stage + knockout |
| Group | Team 1 | Team 2 | Team 3 | Team 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Mexico | South Korea | South Africa | UEFA Playoff D* |
| B | Canada | UEFA Playoff A* | Qatar | Switzerland |
| C | Brazil | Morocco | Scotland | Haiti |
| D | USA | Australia | Paraguay | UEFA Playoff C* |
| E | Germany | Ecuador | Ivory Coast | Curaçao |
| F | Netherlands | Japan | Cameroon | UEFA Playoff B* |
| G | Belgium | Egypt | Iran | New Zealand |
| H | Spain | Uruguay | Saudi Arabia | Cape Verde |
| I | France | Norway | Senegal | Intercontinental Playoff 2* |
| J | Argentina | Austria | Algeria | Jordan |
| K | Portugal | Colombia | Uzbekistan | Intercontinental Playoff 1* |
| L | England | Nigeria | Morocco-adjacent | Intercontinental Playoff TBD* |
*Playoff matches scheduled for March 2026 — final spots still being determined at time of writing.
Automatic qualifiers (hosts): United States, Mexico, Canada.
First-time qualifiers: Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, Uzbekistan.
| Channel | URL | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| FIFA Ticket Portal | fifa.com/tickets | Primary sales — most early phases are now closed |
| FIFA Resale Marketplace | Via FIFA ticket portal | Reopens April 2, 2026 — FIFA charges 15% fee to both buyer and seller |
| FIFA Hospitality | fifa.com/hospitality | Premium packages with seats, food, and entertainment |
| Qatar Airways Holidays | qatarairways.com | Official travel + ticket packages |
| Last-Minute Sales | Via FIFA ticket portal | Opens early April 2026, first-come first-served |
FIFA uses dynamic pricing for the 2026 World Cup, meaning prices fluctuate based on demand, teams, and match importance.
| Match Type | Approximate Range (USD) |
|---|---|
| Group stage (early) | $60 – $300+ |
| Group stage (marquee) | $200 – $1,500+ |
| Round of 32 | $150 – $1,000+ |
| Quarter-final | $300 – $2,000+ |
| Semi-final | $500 – $3,500+ |
| Final | $4,185 – $8,680+ |
Prices vary significantly by seating category (1–4, where Cat 1 is closest to the pitch and Cat 4 is upper tier). FIFA also offers a limited number of $60 tickets per match distributed through the 48 national federations.
In the United States, the 2026 World Cup is broadcast on the FOX family of networks (FOX, FS1, FS2) and the FOX Sports app. Broadcast details for other countries vary by region.
The official match ball is the Adidas Trionda (Spanish for "three waves"), featuring a red, green, and blue color scheme representing the three host nations. It includes connected ball technology that relays data to VAR for AI-assisted officiating decisions.
The 2026 prize fund is 50% higher than the 2022 World Cup in Qatar:
| Finish | Prize |
|---|---|
| Each participating team (minimum) | $10.5M ($9M prize + $1.5M preparation costs) |
| Group stage exit | ~$10.5M |
| Winner | Significantly higher (full breakdown TBD) |
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