FIFA World Cup 2026 – When, What, and Who to Expect!

The FIFA World Cup is returning in 2026, and anticipation is already building for what promises to be the biggest and most thrilling tournament in history.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament will be unique and will be a first of its kind. The tournament will take place across Canada, Mexico, and the United States, and will feature a brand-new format, more teams, and more matches than ever before. It will be played in 16 host cities, with 11 in the USA (Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta, Seattle, Houston, Philadelphia, Kansas City, Boston, Dallas, the San Francisco Bay Area, and the New York City metropolitan area), three in Mexico (Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey), and two in Canada (Toronto and Vancouver). This marks the first time the World Cup will be co-hosted by three nations, making it a truly international spectacle. 

The World Cup has thrice been hosted in North America. These include the 1970 and 1986 in Mexico, and 1994 in the United States. The 2026 edition would be the first to be played on Canadian soil. The World expects world-class stadiums which are currently undergoing renovations to accommodate the audience and tourists. These cities will be filled with an incredible atmosphere to celebrate football across North America.

One of the most exciting changes for the 2026 tournament is its expansion. The tournament doesn’t only span three countries but has also included more participating nations from the former 32  to 48 nations. This means more nations will have a chance to compete on the world stage, making the competition even more diverse and unpredictable. The number of matches will also increase to 104, ensuring more action-packed moments. The group stages will now feature 12 groups instead of eight, with the addition of a new knockout round to accommodate the increased number of teams. This format change guarantees even more thrilling encounters between nations as they compete to make history in the later stages.

When Does the Tournament Begin?

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will kick off on Thursday, June 11, with the final scheduled for Sunday, July 19. While the 2022 World Cup in Qatar was moved to winter, this tournament in North America will follow its traditional June-July schedule, ensuring a summer full of football excitement.

Who Has Already Qualified?

As co-hosts, Canada, Mexico, and the USA have automatically secured their spots in the tournament. The remaining 45 teams will earn their places through qualification tournaments held by their respective continental confederations.

For North America, six automatic spots were allocated, but three of these spots have been allocated to the host nations, leaving three more spots to be competed for. The round initially begins with 32 nations. At the end of the final round, the three group leaders qualify for the World Cup while the best two runner-ups make it to the intercontinental playoffs for a chance to win one of two additional places in the tournament.

In the South American qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, all 10 national teams compete in a home-and-away round-robin format, where each team plays every other team twice. The top six teams in the standings will earn direct qualification to the World Cup while the team that finishes in seventh place will enter the intercontinental playoffs. The qualifications kicked off in September 2023 and will conclude in September 2025.

A total of 16 European nations will compete at the 48-team FIFA Men’s World Cup in 2026.  European qualifiers begin in March 2025, with the play-offs in March 2026. Teams were drawn into 12 groups of four and five teams. The 12 group winners qualify directly for the World Cup while the four remaining nations are determined by play-offs involving the 12 group runners-up. Joining them will be the four highest-ranked group winners from the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League who did not secure first or second place in their World Cup qualifying groups. These 16 teams will be drawn into four separate play-off paths, each consisting of four teams. The play-offs will feature single-leg semi-finals and finals, all taking place within the same international window in March 2026. This structure offers Nations League group winners an additional opportunity to qualify for the World Cup, even if they did not finish in the top two of their respective European qualifying groups.

In Africa, 53 teams (excluded: Congo, due to suspension) are in eight groups of six nations, and one group of four.  The nine group winners qualify for the World Cup. The qualification rounds kicked off in November 2024 and would conclude in October 2025. The four best runners-up will enter playoffs (two semifinals and a final) to decide which country (1) will go to the intercontinental playoffs. Only Europe and Africa will have more nations in the 2026 World Cup.

For Asia, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) will only produce eight teams that will qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup, with a ninth team going to the inter-confederation playoffs in hopes of making the tournament. The top two teams from each of the qualifier groups will qualify automatically for the 2026 World Cup, with the third and fourth-place teams from each group going into the next round of qualifying for the last two automatic spots.

One nation from Oceania will join the World Cup after winning the qualification round while the runner-up joins the intercontinental playoffs. 

The Intercontinental playoffs are scheduled to take place in March 2026 and will determine the final two qualifiers for the World Cup in North America. The tournament will be played in one of the host nations as a test event before the World Cup kicks off months later.

MESSI AND RONALDO, LAST DANCE?

The emotional depth of the forthcoming 2026 World Cup is that it will most certainly be the last time the World will experience the best two players of the generation in the prestigious tournament. 

After dominating World football for more than two decades, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are past their prime and could be heading for retirement in the near future. The two giants have undoubtedly replicated their club successes on the international stage and have nothing left to prove.

Lionel Messi will be 39 years old during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Despite his age, he continues to excel with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer. Given the tournament’s proximity, it’s likely Messi will aim for a final World Cup appearance. After years of near misses, he has achieved success in his recent international tournaments with Argentina, winning the 2022 World Cup, the last two Copa America tournaments, and the Finalissima. With his influence on the Argentina team, they are strong contenders for the next World Cup. 

Similarly, Cristiano Ronaldo, who will be 41 by the next World Cup, shows no signs of retiring before 2026. His recent performances for Portugal haven’t been very impressive but Portugal’s coach – Roberto Martinez has continued to include him in the starting lineup, expressing his importance in the team. Despite being left out for most of the last tournament, Ronaldo’s desire to participate in another World Cup is strong, and his role as the captain could benefit both him and the team. His recent performances and goal-scoring record for Al Nassar in the Saudi Pro League show he still has what it takes to be a winner.

2026 FIFA WORLD CUP TICKETS ARE IN HIGH DEMAND!

With the expanded format, new host cities, and increased global participation, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be the biggest and most exciting tournament yet. Fans around the world are eagerly counting down the days until the first whistle blows, ready to witness football history in the making.

Ready to witness the World Cup action firsthand, Buy available FIFA World Cup 2026 Tickets early and reserve seats for yourself and your loved ones through the tournament. Available tickets are scarce and limited due to this overwhelming demand. Secondary marketplaces remain your best bet at securing tickets with the best views and experience.