The FIFA World Cup 2026™ is firmly in view for fans of the beautiful game around the globe with a number of firsts as three nations – Canada, Mexico and the USA – will co-host, and a record 48 teams will take part.
After the thrilling drama of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, Argentina are aiming to become just the third defending champion in history to retain the trophy.
Qualification tournaments among the six global confederations have almost concluded, with 42 teams having booked their tickets to the eagerly-anticipated global showpiece.
FIFA has prepared a summary of the key information around the next instalment of the tournament.
FIFA World Cup 2026 dates and schedule
The next World Cup will return to being played in the traditional period, between the months of June and July. The World Cup final date has been set as Sunday, 19 July, with the opening match due to take place on Thursday, 11 June.
The full match schedule was announced on Sunday, 4 February 2024, with New York New Jersey picked to host the final, and the fabled Mexico City Stadium chosen to stage the tournament’s opening match.
FIFA World Cup 2026 groups and draw
The Final Draw for World Cup 2026 took place in Washington DC on 5 December at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, with 12 groups of four teams decided. Co-hosts Mexico, Canada and USA were placed into Groups A, B and D, respectively.
FIFA World Cup 2026 qualified teams
Co-hosts: Canada, Mexico, USA
AFC: Australia, IR Iran, Japan, Jordan, Korea Republic, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan
CAF: Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia
Concacaf: Curaçao, Haiti, Panama
CONMEBOL: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay
OFC: New Zealand
UEFA: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland
FIFA World Cup 2026 host countries and cities
For the first time in history, the organisation of the biggest football tournament on the planet will be divided among three countries – Canada, Mexico and the USA – with 16 cities in total hosting matches. Find out more on the rich history and tradition of each location by clicking the links below.
Canada
Mexico
The United States
FIFA World Cup 2026 Stadiums
A total of 16 stadiums have been chosen to host the games, the most since Korea/Japan 2002, with some truly spectacular venues set to showcase the best in the beautiful game. Follow the links below for more information on each venue, including the matches selected for each ground.
Canada
Mexico
The United States
FIFA World Cup 2026 Tickets
To receive information on how to apply for FIFA World Cup 26™ tickets, you can register your interest here. We will keep you up to date with the latest news and information regarding FIFA World Cup 26™ tickets straight to your mailbox.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Match Ball
The adidas TRIONDA was unveiled as the Official Match Ball for FIFA World Cup 26 on 2 October 2025. The name can be translated from Spanish as “three waves”, and the ball’s vibrant design features a red, green and blue colour scheme that pays homage to the three host countries, while a brand-new four-panel construction with fluid geometry replicates the waves referenced in the ball’s name.
Iconography that represents each host country adorns the ball, with the maple leaf for Canada, an eagle for Mexico and a star for the United States, while gold embellishments pay tribute to the FIFA World Cup Trophy.
FIFA World Cup 2026 mascots
The three official mascots, each highlighting one of the host nations, were unveiled in September 2025. Maple™ the Moose (Canada), Zayu™ the Jaguar (Mexico) and Clutch™ the Bald Eagle (United States) have been thoughtfully developed to reflect the vibrant culture, heritage and spirit of their respective countries, coming together to symbolise unity, diversity and the shared passion for the beautiful game.
FIFA World Cup 2026 – how teams qualify
The 2026 World Cup will see the participation of 48 teams, 16 more than the last seven editions of the tournament since 1998. The division of places by continental confederations has already been defined:
AFC (Asia): Eight direct spots + one FIFA Play-Off Tournament place
CAF (Africa): Nine direct spots + one FIFA Play-Off Tournament place
Concacaf (North and Central America, plus the Caribbean): Six direct spots + two FIFA Play-Off Tournament places
CONMEBOL (South America): Six direct spots + one FIFA Play-Off Tournament place
OFC (Oceania): One direct spot + one FIFA Play-Off Tournament place
UEFA (Europe): 16 direct spots
The three host countries will automatically qualify for the tournament, thus occupying three of the Concacaf slots.
FIFA Play-Off Tournament
FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers
Each continental confederation has the autonomy to define the competition model and the period of their qualifying tournaments. Hosts Canada, Mexico and USA are already confirmed as qualifiers for FIFA World Cup 26.
Find out more about the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers
FIFA World Cup 2026 format
The FIFA Council unanimously made the decision to approve the proposed amendment to the World Cup 2026 group stage format from 16 groups of three, to 12 groups of four.
The top two teams from each group and the eight best third-place teams from the groups will now progress to the round of 32. Hopefuls will now have to play eight games from group stage through to the final, rather than seven.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Host City Posters
The 2026 tournament will feature a set of Official FIFA World Cup 26™ Host City Posters, showcasing the unique cultural and artistic spirit of the 16 Host Cities while celebrating the unity, diversity, and passion of the world’s most beloved sport. All 16 posters are available to buy now.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Brand
The FIFA World Cup™ Trophy, the most widely recognised and prized sporting asset globally, was unveiled at the forefront of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Official Brand on Wednesday, 17 May 2023.
