The stage is set. The full list of 48 teams who will compete in the FIFA World Cup 2026™ is now confirmed and the 12 groups are complete for the global showpiece in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
The 104-game tournament kicks off on Thursday, 11 June as co-hosts Mexico tackle South Africa at Mexico City Stadium, and will conclude on Sunday, 19 July with the World Cup Final in New York New Jersey.
Read on for full details on each of the groups and learn how teams will qualify for the knockout phase of the tournament, with information on the tie-breakers used if nations are level on points.
World Cup 2026 group standings
How teams qualify for the knockout phase
Every team will face each of their group opponents once, with three points awarded for a win and one apiece for a draw. The two teams with the most points in each group will progress to the Round of 32, where they will be joined by the eight best third-placed sides. Tap to view the full group stage fixture list and knockout stage match schedule.
Tie-breaking criteria for World Cup groups
If two or more teams in the same group are equal on points after the completion of the group stage, the following criteria, in the order below, shall be applied to determine the ranking:
Step one
If no decision can be made through this procedure, the criteria below shall apply as follows to the two or more teams still equal on points:
Step two
If no decision can be made through the procedures of step one and two above, the following shall apply:
Step three
Tap to read and download the full official Regulations for the FIFA World Cup 2026™.
How the eight best‑ranked teams finishing third are decided
The eight best teams among those ranked third will be determined as follows:
