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About the Tournament

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the 23rd edition of the tournament and a milestone of firsts: the first ever co-hosted by three nations — the United States, Canada and Mexico — and the first to expand from 32 to 48 teams. Spanning 39 days from 11 June 2026 to 19 July 2026, it stretches across 16 cities and stadiums in three countries, with a record 104 matches — up from 64.

The opening match is at Mexico City's Estadio Azteca, which becomes the first stadium ever to host World Cup games across three tournaments (1970, 1986 and 2026); the final is staged at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Argentina arrive as defending champions after their 2022 triumph. The 48 teams are drawn into 12 groups, with a new Round of 32 added to the knockout phase — the eventual champion will play up to eight matches.

48
Teams
104
Matches
16
Cities
3
Host Nations
Opening 11 June 2026 · Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
Final 19 July 2026 · MetLife Stadium, New Jersey

Format & Special Rules

48 Teams for the First Time
Expanded from 32 to 48 teams — the largest World Cup in history.
12 Groups of 4
The 48 teams are split into 12 groups of four, each playing a single round-robin.
New Round of 32
The top two from each group (24) plus the 8 best third-placed teams advance to a brand-new Round of 32.
104 Matches
Up from 64 to 104 matches; the champion will play up to 8 games (previously 7).
First Three-Nation Hosting
Co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico across 16 cities — a first in World Cup history.
Iconic Venues
The opening match is at Mexico City's Estadio Azteca; the final at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey.

New Rules This Edition

Officiating changes introduced for this tournament to speed up play and improve fairness.

5-Second Limit on Goal Kicks & Throw-ins
Referees may run a visible 5-second countdown. A goal kick not taken in time hands the opponent a corner; a late throw-in is given to the opponent. It mirrors the goalkeeper '8-second rule'.
Subbed-off Players Must Leave Within 10s
A substituted player must leave the pitch within 10 seconds (injury/safety aside). Walking off in protest of a decision can earn a red card.
Covering the Mouth in Confrontations
In confrontational situations, covering the mouth with hand, arm or shirt to talk to an opponent — if judged non-friendly — is a red card. Ordinary mouth-covering is not punished.
Clearer VAR Intervention
VAR may review red cards from a clearly wrong second yellow, mistaken identity, wrongly awarded corners, and clear fouls before a corner/free kick that directly lead to a goal, penalty or disciplinary action.
3-Minute Cooling Breaks Each Half
Each match includes a three-minute cooling break midway through both halves — though a faster tempo won't necessarily shorten total playing time.

Stadiums

16 venues across the three hosts. Capacities are approximate tournament configuration.

Venue Opening Final 3rd Place

United States 11 venues

Final
MetLife Stadium
New York / New Jersey
~82,500
SoFi Stadium
Los Angeles
~70,000
AT&T Stadium
Dallas
~80,000
NRG Stadium
Houston
~72,000
Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Atlanta
~71,000
Lincoln Financial Field
Philadelphia
~69,000
Gillette Stadium
Boston
~65,000
Lumen Field
Seattle
~69,000
Levi's Stadium
San Francisco Bay
~68,500
Arrowhead Stadium
Kansas City
~76,000
3rd Place
Hard Rock Stadium
Miami
~65,000

Canada 2 venues

BMO Field
Toronto
~45,000
BC Place
Vancouver
~54,000

Mexico 3 venues

Opening Match
Estadio Azteca
Mexico City
~83,000
Estadio Akron
Guadalajara
~49,000
Estadio BBVA
Monterrey
~53,500