World Cup 2026 intercontinental playoffs will serve as the final opportunity for teams across the globe to secure their place in next summer’s tournament. The concluding matches of this qualification path are scheduled for March 31, 2026, less than three months before the World Cup begins. While the European qualifiers will continue until March, most other continental confederations are expected to wrap up their qualification campaigns well before that. The draw for the intercontinental playoffs will be held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., a location confirmed by U.S. President Donald Trump during remarks in the Oval Office, alongside Vice President JD Vance and FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Trump did not dismiss the possibility of personally presiding over the draw.

FIFA World Cup 2026 will be hosted across 11 cities in the United States: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, the New Jersey/New York region, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Seattle.
Canada will stage a total of 13 matches, divided between Toronto and Vancouver.
Mexico will also host 13 games, set to take place in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey. During the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup held in the U.S., intense heat and frequent thunderstorms caused significant challenges. To mitigate similar issues, three U.S. venues—in Arlington, Atlanta, and Houston—featuring retractable roofs are expected to remain closed during the summer, while the stadiums in Inglewood and Vancouver have fixed roofs providing full coverage.

2026 World Cup soccer has faced widespread criticism, as the new format is expected to produce highly uneven and one-sided groups in the opening stage. The structure also gives a notable edge to teams playing in the first group match, since they will already know what results are required in their next game to advance.
This could lead to teams adopting overly defensive tactics in their second match, reducing the overall excitement and entertainment of the tournament.
On the other hand, supporters of the World Cup’s expansion argue that including more nations will promote the growth and development of soccer in smaller countries.

World Cup 2026 tickets have already surpassed 1 million in sales, according to FIFA’s announcement earlier this month, with fans from 212 countries and territories securing their seats. So far, 28 of the 48 team spots in the tournament have been confirmed. However, despite the excitement, there remain distinct concerns for attendees — especially regarding visa requirements amid the United States’ tighter immigration policies. In a related development, an international friendly featuring reigning World Cup champion Argentina — led by Lionel Messi — and Puerto Rico was relocated from Chicago to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, reportedly due to sluggish ticket sales that some attribute to the ongoing immigration restrictions.

FIFA World Cup 2026 teams have automatically included the host nations — Canada, Mexico, and the United States — who have earned direct entry into the group stage. Each host country will headline a separate group: Mexico in Group A, Canada in Group B, and the United States in Group D. Japan was the first nation from Asia to secure qualification, followed by Argentina representing CONMEBOL, New Zealand from the OFC, England from Europe, and Morocco from Africa. The remaining places will be determined after the completion of the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The official schedule for both the group and knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup 2026 has been confirmed. For the first time in football history, the competition will feature 48 teams — an increase of 16 compared to previous tournaments since 1998. Once qualifying rounds are finished, all 48 teams will advance to the final tournament, divided into 12 groups for the group stage. Set to run from June 11 to July 19, 2026, this global sporting extravaganza will mark the 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup and the first ever to be co-hosted by three nations — Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The tournament follows another major FIFA event — the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, scheduled to be held in the United States from June 14 to July 13, 2025, featuring 32 clubs in a format mirroring the World Cup structure.

World Cup 2026 schedule promises to deliver the most inclusive and impactful tournament ever, as emphasized by FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The event will feature 104 matches across 16 cutting-edge stadiums in Canada, Mexico, and the USA, turning this vision into reality. From the opening match at the legendary Estadio Azteca to the grand final in New York/New Jersey, both players and fans remain central to FIFA’s comprehensive planning for this groundbreaking competition. Infantino also expressed gratitude to the three host nations and 16 Host Cities for their steadfast dedication to hosting a World Cup that will not only set new benchmarks but also create a lasting legacy.

The innovative match schedule has been carefully designed to reduce travel for teams and supporters, while maximizing rest days between games. Developed in collaboration with national-team coaches, technical directors, and other key stakeholders, the schedule ensures matches are played under the best possible conditions and allows fans to enjoy shorter travel times as they follow their favorite teams.

World Cup 2026 host cities will welcome fans for an exciting summer tournament running from June 11 to July 19. This is great news for those who preferred the traditional warm-weather games instead of the winter World Cup in Qatar 2022. FIFA shared the full schedule on February 4, 2024. The opening match will be held at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, while the final will take place in New York/New Jersey. With the dates and venues confirmed, supporters can now start preparing for the big event. These two major cities will be key locations throughout the tournament. The 2026 World Cup Final Draw is set for December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. During this event, the matchups for the group stage will be revealed. The competition will be co-hosted by three countries — Mexico, Canada, and the United States — all of which have already secured their group positions. Mexico will be team A1, Canada will take B1, and the USA will hold D1, following FIFA’s 2024 schedule. The draw will start at 12 PM local time in D.C., which is 6 PM for fans watching in Europe. Football lovers around the world will be tuning in to see who their national teams will face in the tournament.

World Cup 2026 venues will be finalized after cities express their interest and submit proposals. The United Bid Committee will evaluate these submissions and aims to announce a shortlist of candidate cities by late September. Following that, the Committee will distribute more comprehensive bid materials and hold meetings to address any questions as the selected cities prepare their final bids, which are expected by early January 2018. The Committee’s final submission to FIFA is expected to feature between 20 and 25 venues. Upon selection to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup™, and pending FIFA’s final decision, it is anticipated that at least 12 cities will ultimately be designated as Official Host Cities. Even if a city is not chosen to host matches, there may still be opportunities to participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup™, such as serving as the location for the International Broadcast Center, Team Base Camps, or major events like the Preliminary or Final Draw.

As the first tournament to feature an expanded 48-team format, the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ will demand top-tier facilities and infrastructure. The United States, Mexico, and Canada are exceptionally equipped to meet FIFA’s world-class hosting standards.

FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying saw Thomas Tuchel’s England drawn into Group K alongside Serbia, Albania, Latvia, and Andorra. Tuchel, who will officially begin his role as England manager on January 1, attended the draw held at UEFA’s headquarters in Zurich on Friday. As a top seed in Pot One, England avoided major European powers such as Spain, France, Germany, and Italy. However, they will once again meet Serbia, whom they defeated 1-0 in their opening match at Euro 2024. With a strong record—having never lost against any of the four teams in their group—the Three Lions will be confident of advancing and securing qualification for their eighth consecutive World Cup. In other draws, Craig Bellamy’s Wales were placed in Group J with Belgium, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, and Liechtenstein. Scotland were drawn in Group C alongside the Nations League quarter-final losers between Portugal and Denmark, as well as Greece and Belarus. Northern Ireland landed in Group A with the Nations League quarter-final winners between Germany and Italy, joined by Slovakia and Luxembourg.

World Cup 2026 groups will feature 18 remaining Asian teams divided into three groups of six, who will compete against each other in home-and-away matches. The top two teams from each group will secure direct qualification for the World Cup. The next six teams — made up of the best third- and fourth-placed sides — will move into another round, split into two groups of three. These teams will play each other once at neutral venues, with the top two from each group earning World Cup spots. The runners-up from these groups will face off in a playoff to determine who advances to the intercontinental playoffs for the remaining qualification berths. Starting from this edition, the FIFA World Cup expands to 48 teams — an increase of 16 compared to the previous seven tournaments. The teams will be arranged into 12 groups of four, with the top two from each group and the eight best third-placed teams advancing to a newly introduced round of 32. This format change, approved by the FIFA Council on March 14, 2023, marks the first major revision since 1998.

The total number of matches will rise from 64 to 104, and teams that reach the semifinals will now play eight games instead of seven. The tournament duration will extend to 39 days, up from 32 days in the 2014 and 2018 editions. Each nation will still play three group-stage matches. The final club-level matchday for players selected in national squads is scheduled for May 24, 2026, with mandatory player release by May 25 — except for those involved in continental finals until May 30. Despite these changes, the overall period for rest, release, and competition remains 56 days, consistent with the 2010, 2014, and 2018 tournaments.