2026 FIFA World Cup: The Complete Guide and PDF Download
The 2026 FIFA World Cup (marketed as FIFA World Cup 26) will be the 23rd edition of football's most prestigious tournament. This historic event marks several groundbreaking firsts in World Cup history.
- Tournament Dates: June 11 – July 19, 2026
- Motto: "We Are 26 / Somos 26 / Nous Sommes 26"
- Defending Champions: Argentina (2022 winners)
Historic Milestones
First Tri-Nation World Cup
For the first time ever, the World Cup will be hosted by three countries simultaneously:
- United States (main host) – 11 host cities, 78 matches
- Mexico (co-host) – 3 host cities, 13 matches
- Canada (co-host) – 2 host cities, 13 matches
Expansion to 48 Teams
The tournament expands from 32 to 48 teams, the first change since 1998. This means:
- 104 total matches (up from 64)
- 12 groups of 4 teams each
- 39-day tournament (up from 32 days)
- Top 2 teams from each group plus 8 best third-placed teams advance to a new Round of 32
Mexico Makes History
Mexico becomes the first country to host the men's World Cup three times, having previously hosted in 1970 and 1986.
Canada's World Cup Debut
This will be Canada's first time hosting or co-hosting the men's tournament.
How They Won the Bid
The United 2026 bid (Canada-Mexico-USA) competed against Morocco at the 68th FIFA Congress in Moscow on June 13, 2018.
Final Vote Results
- United Bid: 134 votes
- Morocco: 65 votes
- None of the bids: 1 vote
- Abstentions: 3 votes
The victory came after FIFA opened co-hosting possibilities following its ban after the 2002 tournament. All three host nations automatically qualified for the tournament.
Tournament Format
Group Stage
- 12 groups (A through L) with 4 teams each
- Each team plays 3 group matches
- Top 2 teams from each group automatically advance
- 8 best third-placed teams also advance
Knockout Stages
- Round of 32 (new stage)
- Round of 16
- Quarter-finals
- Semi-finals
- Third-place playoff
- Final (July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey)
Match Count
- Group stage: 48 matches
- Round of 32: 16 matches
- Round of 16: 8 matches
- Quarter-finals: 4 matches
- Semi-finals: 2 matches
- Finals: 2 matches (third place + final)
- Total: 104 matches
Host Cities & Stadiums
United States (11 cities)
| City | Stadium | Capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York/New Jersey | MetLife Stadium | 82,500 | Final venue |
| Dallas | AT&T Stadium | 80,000 | Most matches (9 total) |
| Los Angeles | SoFi Stadium | 70,240 | Expandable to 100,240 |
| Atlanta | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | 71,000 | Retractable roof |
| Kansas City | Arrowhead Stadium | 76,416 | |
| Houston | NRG Stadium | 72,220 | Retractable roof |
| Philadelphia | Lincoln Financial Field | 69,176 | |
| Seattle | Lumen Field | 69,000 | Expandable to 72,000 |
| San Francisco Bay Area | Levi's Stadium | 68,500 | |
| Miami | Hard Rock Stadium | 64,767 | |
| Boston | Gillette Stadium | 65,878 |
Mexico (3 cities)
| City | Stadium | Capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico City | Estadio Azteca | 87,523 | Opening match venue |
| Guadalajara | Estadio Akron | 46,232 | |
| Monterrey | Estadio BBVA | 53,500 |
Special Note: Estadio Azteca is the only stadium that hosted matches in the 1970 and 1986 World Cups. None of the stadiums from the 1994 US World Cup will be used.
Canada (2 cities)
| City | Stadium | Capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto | BMO Field | 45,736 | Expanded for tournament |
| Vancouver | BC Place | 54,500 | Retractable roof |
Geographic Grouping
Cities are divided into three regions to minimize travel:
- West Region: Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles
- Central Region: Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey, Houston, Dallas, Kansas City
- East Region: Atlanta, Miami, Toronto, Boston, Philadelphia, New York/New Jersey
Qualification
Automatic Qualifiers
- Canada (host)
- Mexico (host)
- United States (host)
Continental Allocation
The 48 tournament spots are distributed as follows:
- UEFA (Europe): 16 spots
- CAF (Africa): 9 spots
- AFC (Asia): 8 spots
- CONMEBOL (South America): 6 spots
- CONCACAF (North/Central America/Caribbean): 6 spots (including 3 hosts)
- OFC (Oceania): 1 spot (first-ever guaranteed berth)
- Inter-confederation playoffs: 2 spots
Historic First for Oceania
For the first time in World Cup history, Oceania (OFC) has a guaranteed spot in the finals. Previously, OFC teams had to win playoffs against teams from other confederations.
Inter-Confederation Playoffs
Six teams compete for the final two World Cup spots:
- One team from each confederation (except UEFA)
- One additional team from CONCACAF (host confederation)
- Two teams are seeded based on FIFA rankings
- Tournament to be played in one or more host countries
Teams Qualified (as of October 2025)
18 teams have qualified so far:
- CONCACAF (6):
- Canada (host)
- Mexico (host)
- United States (host)
- 3 additional qualifiers
- CONMEBOL (6):
- Argentina (defending champions)
- Brazil
- Uruguay
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- Paraguay
- AFC (2):
- Japan
- South Korea
- Jordan (debut)
- Uzbekistan (debut)
- OFC (1):
Notable Debuts
- Jordan – Making their first-ever World Cup appearance
- Uzbekistan – Making their first-ever World Cup appearance
Notable Returns
- Colombia – Returns after missing 2022
- New Zealand – Returns after last appearing in 2010
- Paraguay – Returns after last appearing in 2010
Notable Absences
- Chile (2015 & 2016 Copa América winners) – Missing their third consecutive World Cup
Opening Matches
Host Nation Openers
- Mexico: June 11, 2026 – Estadio Azteca, Mexico City (first match of tournament)
- Canada: June 12, 2026 – BMO Field, Toronto (second match)
- United States: June 12, 2026 – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles (third match)
Each host nation will play all three group stage matches within their own country.
Group Placements
- Mexico: Placed in Group A (to accommodate opening match)
- Canada: Placed in Group B
- United States: Placed in Group D
Tournament Draw
- When: December 5, 2025, at 12:00 PM EST
- Where: Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C.
Important Notes:
- Four UEFA playoff winners won't be known until March 2026
- Two inter-confederation playoff winners won't be known until March 2026
- These six teams will be drawn into groups despite not being determined yet
Key Dates & Schedule
Group Stage
- Matchday 1: June 11-17, 2026
- Matchday 2: June 18-23, 2026
- Matchday 3: June 24-27, 2026
Knockout Rounds
- Round of 32: June 28 – July 3, 2026
- Round of 16: July 4-7, 2026
- Quarter-finals: July 9-11, 2026
- Semi-finals: July 14-15, 2026
- Third Place Playoff: July 18, 2026
- Final: July 19, 2026
Player Release
- Final club matchday: May 24, 2026
- Clubs must release players by: May 25, 2026
- Exception for continental finals: up to May 30, 2026
Stadium Features
Playing Surfaces
Eight stadiums normally have artificial turf, which will be replaced with natural grass under FIFA direction with assistance from University of Tennessee and Michigan State University research teams.
Climate Control
Four venues feature retractable roofs with climate control:
- AT&T Stadium (Dallas)
- NRG Stadium (Houston)
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
- BC Place (Vancouver)
SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles) has a translucent roof but no climate control.
Naming Rights
Due to FIFA rules on stadium sponsorships, all venues will use alternative names during the tournament (official names without corporate sponsors).
Tournament Innovations
Why the Changed
The original 2017 plan called for 16 groups of 3 teams, but this was changed in March 2023 due to concerns about:
- Increased risk of collusion between teams in 3-team groups
- The infamous 1982 "Disgrace of Gijón" incident
- Competitive integrity concerns
The new 12 groups of 4 teams maintains the traditional group stage structure while accommodating 48 teams.
Tie-Breaking Criteria
If teams are level on points in group stage, ranking is determined by:
- Head-to-head points between tied teams
- Head-to-head goal difference
- Head-to-head goals scored
- Overall goal difference
- Overall goals scored
- Fair play score (yellow/red card deductions)
- FIFA World Ranking (most recent, then progressively older)
Economic Impact
Match Distribution
- United States: 78 matches (75% of tournament)
- Mexico: 13 matches
- Canada: 13 matches
Record Capacity
Several stadiums can expand capacity for World Cup matches:
- AT&T Stadium: expandable to 105,000
- SoFi Stadium: expandable to 100,240
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium: expandable to 83,000
- NRG Stadium: expandable to 80,000
Historical Context
World Cup Hosting History
- Mexico: 1970 FIFA World Cup, 1986 FIFA World Cup, 2026 FIFA World Cup (first country to host three times)
- United States: 1994 FIFA World Cup, 2026 FIFA World Cup
- Canada: 2026 FIFA World Cup (first time)
Return to Summer Schedule
After the 2022 World Cup in Qatar was held in November-December due to extreme heat, the 2026 tournament returns to the traditional Northern Hemisphere summer window.
Controversies & Challenges
Bidding Process
The United 2026 bid was influenced by:
- FIFA's 2017 rotation rule changes
- UEFA and AFC exclusion (due to Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022)
- Morocco's strong competing bid
- The 2022 Querétaro–Atlas riot in Mexico raised concerns about safety
Stadium Selection
Several major cities didn't make the final cut:
- Washington D.C. (poor stadium condition)
- Chicago (dropped out over financial terms)
- Minneapolis (dropped out over financial terms)
- Montreal (dropped out in 2021, lack of provincial funding)
- Cincinnati, Denver, Nashville, Orlando, Edmonton (eliminated)
Format Debates
Critics of the 48-team expansion argued:
- Dilution of quality
- Already high game load on players
- Political motivations rather than sporting reasons
- Gianni Infantino accused of using expansion to win FIFA presidency
Fun Facts
- Most matches: AT&T Stadium in Dallas will host 9 matches, more than any other venue
- Highest elevation: Estadio Azteca in Mexico City sits at 2,240 meters (7,350 feet) above sea level
- No repeat stadiums: None of the 1994 World Cup stadiums will be used in 2026
- Estadio Azteca legacy: The only stadium to host matches in three different World Cups (1970, 1986, 2026)
- All continents represented: For the first time since 2010, every confederation will have at least one team in the finals
- Record tournament: 104 matches makes this the longest World Cup ever
- Capital cities snubbed: Mexico City is the only capital city among the three host nations selected as a venue
Looking Ahead
Team Composition
The expanded allows:
- More underdog stories
- Greater geographic diversity
- Increased global participation
- More nations experiencing World Cup for first time
Legacy Goals
The tournament aims to:
- Boost soccer/football popularity in North America
- Leave infrastructure legacy for future tournaments
- Generate record revenues for FIFA and host nations
- Inspire next generation of players across three countries
PDF Schedule Docload
Access the complete match schedule in PDF using the embedded viewer below.
Download the 2026 FIFA World Cup schedule PDF
How to Follow
The official draw on December 5, 2025, will determine the complete group stage matchups. From there, the world will count down to June 11, 2026, when Mexico kicks off the tournament at the historic Estadio Azteca. With 48 teams, 16 cities, three countries, and 39 days of action, the 2026 FIFA World Cup promises to be the most expansive and inclusive World Cup in history.
