Six months from today, the world will gather in the United States, Canada and Mexico for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
2026 World Cup Overview
The tournament will run from Thursday, June 11, until Sunday, July 19, 2026. It will be the first time the men’s World Cup is held by three different nations, and it will feature 48 teams instead of the previous 32.
Host Nations and Cities
United States
Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle will all host matches.
Mexico
Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey will stage games.
Canada
Toronto and Vancouver will be the Canadian venues.
48‑Team Format and Group Draw
With 12 groups of four, the 2026 World Cup expands from eight groups. Group I is highlighted as a likely “group of death.” The groups are:
- Group A: Mexico, South Korea, South Africa, UEFA playoff D winner (Denmark, Czechia, Republic of Ireland, North Macedonia)
- Group B: Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, UEFA playoff A winner (Italy, Wales, Bosnia‑Herzegovina, Northern Ireland)
- Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti
- Group D: USA, Paraguay, Australia, UEFA playoff C winner (Turkey, Slovakia, Kosovo, Romania)
- Group E: Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curacao
- Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, UEFA playoff B winner (Ukraine, Poland, Albania, Sweden)
- Group G: Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand
- Group H: Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde
- Group I: France, Senegal, Norway, Inter‑confederation playoff 2 (Iraq, Bolivia, Suriname)
- Group J: Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan
- Group K: Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, Inter‑confederation playoff 1 (DR Congo, Jamaica, New Caledonia)
- Group L: England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana
Curacao, the smallest country to qualify for the World Cup, did so after drawing against Jamaica.
2022 Qatar World Cup Recap
Lionel Messi and Argentina won the 2022 final against France in a penalty shoot‑out. Morocco and Croatia reached the semifinals but were eliminated. Mexico, Germany, Belgium and Uruguay failed to advance beyond the group stage, while Spain and the USMNT were knocked out in the round of 16. In the quarterfinals, the Netherlands and Brazil lost on penalties; England and Portugal were eliminated in regulation.
Teams to Watch
Spain
La Roja, the 2024 Euro champions, boast a deep squad: Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, Mikel Merino, Rodri, Pedri, Martin Zubimendi, Fabian Ruiz, Gavi, Unai Simon, David Raya, Pau Cubarsi, Marc Cucurella, Dean Huijsen and Vivian. Strengths lie in attack and midfield, while a pure striker is a noted weakness.
Argentina
Lionel Messi, now aiming for a second World Cup title, leads a squad featuring Julian Alvarez, Lautaro Martinez, Franco Mastantuono, Giuliano Simeone, Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister, Emi Martinez, Cristian Romero, Nahuel Molina, Gonzalo Montiel and Nico Tagliafico.
France
Defending champions have Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola and Rayan Cherki in attack; Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga in midfield; Mike Maignan in goal; William Saliba, Ibrahima Konate, Jules Kounde and Theo Hernandez in defense.
England
Under Thomas Tuchel, the Three Lions feature Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford, Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice, Cole Palmer, Jordan Pickford, Harry Maguire, John Stones, Marc Guehi, Reece James and Trent Alexander‑Arnold. Depth is highlighted by Phil Foden, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, Elliott Anderson, Morgan Rogers, Nico O’Reilly and Myles Lewis‑Skelly.
Portugal
Cristiano Ronaldo, at 40, leads an attack with Rafael Leao, Pedro Neto, Francisco Conceicao and Goncalo Ramos. Joao Neves, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva and Ruben Neves form the midfield, while Diogo Costa guards the goal and Ruben Dias, Nuno Mendes, Goncalo Inacio and Antonio Silva defend.
Honorable Mentions
- Brazil: Led by Vinicius Jr, Raphinha, Allison and Gabriel.
- Germany: Joshua Kimmich, Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz.
- Netherlands: Virgil van Dijk, Jurrien Timber, Frenkie De Jong, Ryan Gravenberch, Tijjani Reijnders.
USMNT Outlook
Mauricio Pochettino’s side finished the year unbeaten against World Cup‑qualified opponents: 2‑0 vs. Japan; 1‑1 vs. Ecuador; 2‑1 vs. Australia; 2‑1 vs. Paraguay; 5‑1 vs. Uruguay. Key players such as Christian Pulisic, Antonee Robinson, Yunus Musah and Tyler Adams were not consistently available. Despite limited overall quality, the team’s grit and improved system give a realistic chance for a memorable run at home.
Media Rights
In the United States, Fox holds the English‑language rights, while Telemundo, a division of NBCUniversal, owns the Spanish‑language rights.
Key Takeaways
- The 2026 World Cup expands to 48 teams and runs from June 11 to July 19.
- Three host nations—US, Canada, Mexico—will provide 18 venues across 12 cities.
- Group I is likely the toughest group, featuring France, Senegal, Norway and a playoff winner.
The tournament promises a historic expansion, new host dynamics, and a roster of elite teams ready to compete for the coveted trophy.
