The 2026 World Cup: Everything You Need to Know

Introduction

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international men's football championship contested by the national teams of the member associations of FIFA.

The tournament will be jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, marking the first time that three countries will host the World Cup and the first time that the tournament will be held in North America since the 1994 World Cup in the United States.

Host Cities and Venues

The 2026 World Cup will be played in 16 stadiums across 16 cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States:

Canada

• Vancouver, BC: BC Place Stadium (capacity: 54,500)
• Toronto, ON: BMO Field (capacity: 30,000)

Mexico

• Mexico City: Estadio Azteca (capacity: 87,523)
• Guadalajara, Jalisco: Estadio Akron (capacity: 46,332)
• Monterrey, Nuevo León: Estadio BBVA (capacity: 51,000)

United States

• Seattle, WA: Lumen Field (capacity: 69,000)
• San Francisco, CA: Levi's Stadium (capacity: 68,500)
• Los Angeles, CA: SoFi Stadium (capacity: 70,000)
• Kansas City, MO: Arrowhead Stadium (capacity: 76,416)
• Dallas, TX: AT&T Stadium (capacity: 80,000)
• Houston, TX: NRG Stadium (capacity: 71,795)
• Philadelphia, PA: Lincoln Financial Field (capacity: 69,176)
• Boston, MA: Gillette Stadium (capacity: 65,878)
• Miami, FL: Hard Rock Stadium (capacity: 64,767)
• Atlanta, GA: Mercedes-Benz Stadium (capacity: 71,000)
• New York/New Jersey: MetLife Stadium (capacity: 82,500)

Match Schedule

The 2026 World Cup will be played from June 8 to July 3, 2026.

The group stage will be played from June 8 to June 24, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout stage.

The knockout stage will be played from June 27 to July 3, with the final match being played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Teams

A total of 48 teams will compete in the 2026 World Cup, up from 32 teams in the 2022 World Cup.

The 48 teams will be divided into 16 groups of three teams each.

The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage.

Favorites

The following teams are considered to be the favorites to win the 2026 World Cup:

• Brazil
• Argentina
• France
• England
• Spain

Conclusion

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is shaping up to be one of the most exciting and memorable tournaments in history.

With 48 teams competing in 16 stadiums across three countries, the tournament is sure to be a global spectacle.