2026 FIFA World Cup: All you need to know – qualifying, draw, format, teams
Which teams have qualified, the draw for the group stage, where and when will all the games be played - all is covered on this page.
In the summer of 2026, USA, Canada and Mexico will host the 23rd FIFA World Cup and excitement has never been higher for the biggest tournament in world football.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is historic as for the first time ever, a new format will be introduced with 48 countries set to compete for world glory, the most of any previous World Cup. Argentina and Lionel Messi are the defending champions, having beaten France on penalties in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
With that in mind, we’ve answered all the key questions that football fans from across the world may have regarding the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
When is the 2026 FIFA World Cup taking place?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on Thursday June 11th and concludes with the final on Sunday July 19th at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Where is the 2026 FIFA World Cup taking place?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place across 16 cities in three separate countries. The USA will host the majority of the tournament, with Canada and Mexico also hosting games.
Which cities will be hosting 2026 FIFA World Cup matches?
USA
Atlanta
Boston
Dallas
Houston
Kansas City
Los Angeles
Miami
New York/New Jersey
Philadelphia
San Francisco/Santa Clara
Seattle
Canada
Toronto
Vancouver
Mexico
Guadalajara
Mexico City
Monterrey
Where can I get tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
FIFA are responsible for general ticket sales and have set up a dedicated page, including a resell section, all of which you can access here.
When was the main draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
The main draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup took place on Friday December 5th 2025 at the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC.
What was the format for the 2026 FIFA World Cup main draw
Teams were be separated into four pots of 12 teams with one team from each pot forming 12 groups of four. Teams from the same pot cannot be drawn together. Only two of the 12 groups could contain two European teams.
What was the outcome of the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw?
The 12 groups in full following the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw can be seen below.
Group A
Mexico, Korea Republic, South Africa, Czechia
Group B
Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Group C
Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti
Group D
USA, Australia, Paraguay, Türkiye
Group E
Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curacao
Group F
Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, Sweden
Group G
Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand
Group H
Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cabo Verde
Group I
France, Senegal, Norway, Iraq
Group J
Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan
Group K
Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, DR Congo
Group L
England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana
What was the outcome of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Play-Offs?
The following nations qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup via either the UEFA or Inter-confederation play-offs.
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Czechia
DR Congo
Iraq
Sweden
Türkiye
Where can I find the schedule for the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
The full television schedule for the 2026 FIFA World Cup can be found here. This includes UK and USA (ET) broadcast dates and times.
