THE BIGGEST WORLD CUP EVER: WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2026

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to make history as the biggest edition of the tournament ever staged, hosted across three countries — the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Whether you're a lifelong football fan or simply looking forward to the excitement, here's everything you need to know about the FIFA World Cup 2026.

When does the tournament start?

The FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off on 11 June 2026 in Mexico City, where one of the tournament's opening ceremonies will take place. The tournament concludes on 19 July 2026, with the final taking place at the MetLife Stadium in Rutherford, New Jersey.

The new format divides 48 teams into 12 groups of four, labelled A through L, replacing the previous eight groups of four.

Figure 1: FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Stage

Which cities will host matches?

48 teams, 104 matches.

Matches will be played across 16 host cities in the three host nations.

• Mexico: Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey

• Canada: Vancouver, Toronto

• United States: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Seattle, San Francisco

Figure 2: FIFA World Cup Host Cities

A tournament steeped in history

The FIFA World Cup has a rich history spanning 96 years.

Since the first tournament in 1930, there have been 22 World Cup editions, with only eight nations lifting football's most coveted trophy.

World Cup Winners: Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina, France, Uruguay, England, and Spain.

The stage is set, the world is watching, and the beautiful game is ready to make history once again.