The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the 23rd edition of the quadrennial international men’s football competition, contested by the senior national teams of countries that are members of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).
For the first time in history, the World Cup will be hosted by three nations — the United States, Mexico, and Canada. This will also mark the first time the tournament returns to North America since the 1994 World Cup in the USA, and the first time Canada will host the event.
The international football showpiece is scheduled to begin on Thursday, June 11, 2026, and conclude on Sunday, July 19, 2026. Unlike the 2022 tournament in Qatar which was played in November–December, the 2026 edition returns to its traditional summer window.
This World Cup will also be historic for being the first ever 48-team tournament, expanding from the 32-team format used since 1998.
When Does the World Cup Start?
The 23rd FIFA World Cup will kick off on Thursday, June 11, 2026.
The opening match is expected to take place at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Mexico, a stadium steeped in football history, having hosted finals in both 1970 and 1986. The opening ceremony and first match will set the tone for a month-long festival of football across North America.
Exact kickoff times for matches will be adjusted to fit local time zones across the host nations, but FIFA is expected to schedule the opener for a prime-time slot in Mexico City. Fans around the world can expect staggered match times due to the vast geography of the hosts, spanning multiple time zones across Canada, the USA, and Mexico.
Stadiums and Host Cities
A record 16 host cities across three countries will stage matches:
- United States (11 cities) – including New York/New Jersey (MetLife Stadium), Los Angeles (SoFi Stadium), Dallas (AT&T Stadium), Miami (Hard Rock Stadium), and others.
- Mexico (3 cities) – Mexico City (Estadio Azteca), Guadalajara (Estadio Akron), Monterrey (Estadio BBVA).
- Canada (2 cities) – Toronto (BMO Field) and Vancouver (BC Place).
The final match will be held at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey (New York area) on Sunday, July 19, 2026, with kickoff scheduled for the evening local time.
Format of the Tournament
The 2026 World Cup introduces a brand-new format:
- 48 national teams will participate.
- They will be split into 12 groups of 4 teams each.
- The top two teams in each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will qualify for the knockout stages.
- This expands the knockout rounds to include a Round of 32, followed by the traditional Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final.
- A record 104 matches will be played over the course of 39 days.
When Does the World Cup End?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final will take place on Sunday, July 19, 2026, at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey (New York metropolitan area).
The winners will lift the legendary FIFA World Cup Trophy, while the runners-up will receive silver medals, and the third-place playoff winners will take bronze.
The 2026 edition promises to be the biggest World Cup ever, with more teams, more cities, and more fans than any other tournament in history.
