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2026 FIFA World Cup

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2026 FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup 26
Copa Mundial de la FIFA 2026 (Spanish)
Coupe du Monde de la FIFA 2026 (French)
Emblem of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, showing numbers "2" (top) and "6" (bottom) placed behind the World Cup trophy
Tournament details
Host countriesCanada
Mexico
United States
DatesJune 11 – July 19
Teams48 (from 6 confederations)
Venue16 (in 16 host cities)
Tournament statistics
Matches played46
Goals scored139 (3.02 per match)
Attendance2,983,770 (64,865 per match)
Top scorerArgentina national football team Lionel Messi (5 goals)
← 2022
2030 →
All statistics correct as of June 23, 2026 (2 of 4 matches finished).

The 2026 FIFA World Cup[A] is the 23rd and current FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international men's soccer championship contested by the national teams of the member associations of FIFA. The tournament began on June 11, 2026, and is scheduled to conclude on July 19.[3] It is jointly hosted by sixteen North American cities – eleven in the United States, three in Mexico, and two in Canada. The tournament is the first FIFA World Cup to be hosted by three nations and the first to include 48 teams, an expansion from the previous 32-team format.

The United 2026 bid beat a rival bid by Morocco during a final vote at the 68th FIFA Congress in Moscow. It is the first World Cup since 2002 to be co-hosted by multiple nations. With its past hosting of the 1970 and 1986 tournaments, Mexico became the first country to host or co-host the World Cup three times. The United States previously hosted the World Cup in 1994. By contrast, it is Canada's first time hosting or co-hosting the tournament. The event is returning to its traditional Northern Hemisphere summer schedule after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar was uniquely held in November and December.

As the host nations, Canada, Mexico, and the United States all automatically qualified. Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan all made their World Cup debuts. Argentina is the defending champion, having won its third World Cup in 2022.

Preparations for the tournament have drawn controversy, particularly over the United States' immigration and visa policies affecting qualified teams and their fans, Iran's participation during the ongoing 2026 Iran war, security concerns surrounding drug cartel violence in Mexico, and FIFA's use of dynamic ticket pricing.

Format

Expansion

The idea of expanding the tournament had been suggested as early as 2013 by then UEFA president Michel Platini,[4][5] and also in 2016 by current FIFA president Gianni Infantino.[6] Opponents of the proposal argued that the number of matches played was already at an unacceptable level, that the expansion would dilute the quality of the matches,[7][8] and that the decision was driven by political rather than sporting concerns, accusing Infantino of using the promise of bringing more countries to the World Cup to win his election.[9]

Starting with this edition, the FIFA World Cup expanded to 48 teams, an increase of 16 teams compared to the previous seven tournaments.[10] The teams will be split into 12 groups of 4 teams, with the top 2 teams in each group and the 8 best third-placed teams progressing to a new round of 32, as approved by the FIFA Council on March 14, 2023.[11] This is set to be the first expansion and format change since 1998.[12]

The total number of matches played increased from 64 to 104, and the number of matches played by teams reaching the final four will increase from 7 to 8. The tournament will last 39 days, an increase from 32 days of the 2014 and 2018 tournaments.[13][14] Each team will still play three group matches.[15][16] The final matchday at club level for players named in the final squads is May 24, 2026; clubs have to release their players by May 25, with exceptions granted to players participating in continental club competition finals up until May 30. The 56 days of the combined rest, release, and tournament periods remain identical to the 2010, 2014, and 2018 tournaments.[11]

Other expansion formats explored

The expansion to 48 teams had already been approved on January 10, 2017, when it was initially decided that the tournament would include 16 groups of 3 teams, and 80 matches in total, with the top two teams of each group progressing to a round of 32.[10][17] Under this later-superseded format, the maximum number of matches per team would have remained at seven, but each team would have played one fewer group match than before. The tournament would still have been completed within 32 days.[18] This format was initially chosen over three other proposals, ranging from 40 to 48 teams, from 76 to 88 matches, and from one to four minimum matches per team.[19][20][21]

Critics of this format argued that the use of three-team groups with two teams progressing significantly increased the risk of collusion between teams.[22] This prompted FIFA to suggest that penalty shootouts may be used to prevent draws in the group stage,[23] although even then some risk of collusion would remain, and a possibility would emerge of teams deliberately losing shootouts to eliminate a rival.[22] To address these concerns, FIFA continued considering alternative formats[24]—a process that ended with the 2023 announcement that the format would be 12 groups of 4 teams.[25]

New rules

The 2026 FIFA World Cup introduces several rule changes. In accordance with IFAB, these are primarily designed to reduce time-wasting. The new rules for the tournament include:[26]

  • 10-second substitutions: Players being substituted have 10 seconds to exit the pitch, otherwise the substitute must wait for one minute before entering the match.
  • 5-second restarts: A visual 5-second countdown can be shown by the referee for throw-ins and goal kicks in situations of time-wasting. If the ball is not put into play in time, possession is awarded to the opposing team.
  • Medical treatment: Any outfield player who receives medical attention on the pitch must leave the field and wait for 1 minute before returning to play.
  • Expanded video assistant referee (VAR): VAR can now review and overturn clear mistakes on given second yellow cards, wrongly awarded corner kicks, expanded mistaken identity, and certain attacking fouls.
  • Mouth-covering red cards: To stop confrontational or insulting behavior hidden from lip-reading, any player who covers his mouth with his hand, arm, or shirt while confronting an opponent will be shown a red card.
  • Player leaving the pitch in protest: Players or officials who leave the field in protest will be shown a red card.

The tiebreakers for when teams finish the group stage equal on points also changed. The first tiebreaker is now the number of points earned in head-to-head matches between the tied teams, not goal difference.[27][28][29]

Breaks

Cooling or hydration breaks were introduced at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. For the 2026 World Cup, FIFA introduced mandatory 3-minute hydration breaks in every half for all matches. Broadcasters are permitted to run commercials during these pauses.[30]

Match schedule

The match schedule, without group assignments, was announced on February 4, 2024.[3][31][32] On June 13, 2024, FIFA released an updated schedule, with specific pairings assigned to venues for the knockout stage.[33] In addition, group stage matches were assigned to specific groups (though pairings for non-host groups were not assigned to specific matches until after the final draw; thus the group venues were known, but not for which specific pairing each matchday). The full schedule was unveiled in a live broadcast on December 6, 2025, the day after the draw. Group stage pairings were allocated to specific matches, and the kickoff times were confirmed for all fixtures.[34]

The final match will feature the first-ever Super Bowl-style halftime show in FIFA World Cup history. Produced by Global Citizen and curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay, the performance will co-headline Madonna, Shakira, and BTS to support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.[35]

The opening match was announced to include Mexico; it took place on June 11, 2026, at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. This match included South Africa.[36] The opening match involving Canada took place on June 12 at BMO Field in Toronto, while the opening match for the United States took place on the same day at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. Each host nation is scheduled to play each of its three matches in the group stage within its own country.[31]

AT&T Stadium in Arlington, will host the most matches of any venue at the tournament, with nine. MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, will host the final on July 19. The United States will host 78 matches, including from the quarterfinal stage onward, while Canada and Mexico will each host 13. Each tournament venue, except for the Estadio Akron, will host at least one knockout stage fixture.[37] The match schedule will overlap with the 2026 CFL season, resulting in scheduling conflicts and loss of home games for the Toronto Argonauts and BC Lions.[38][39] The match schedule will also affect the 2026 Major League Baseball season schedules of the Kansas City Royals, Philadelphia Phillies, Seattle Mariners, and Texas Rangers, whose home stadiums are located near World Cup venues.[40]

Host cities were geographically grouped into three regions:[3]

  • Western Region (Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles)
  • Central Region (Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey, Houston, Dallas, Kansas City)
  • Eastern Region (Atlanta, Miami, Toronto, Boston, Philadelphia, New York/New Jersey)
Schedule by round
Stage Matchday Date
Group 1 June 11–17
2 June 18–23
3 June 24–27
Knockout Round of 32 June 28 – July 3
Round of 16 July 4–7
Quarterfinals July 9–11
Semifinals July 14–15
Third place July 18
Final July 19
Schedule by group
Matchday Pairings Groups Date
1 1 vs 2
3 vs 4 		A June 11
B & D June 12
B, C & D June 13
E & F June 14
G & H June 15
I & J June 16
K & L June 17
2 1 vs 3
4 vs 2 		A & B June 18
C & D June 19
E & F June 20
G & H June 21
I & J June 22
K & L June 23
3 4 vs 1
2 vs 3 		A, B & C June 24
D, E & F June 25
G, H & I June 26
J, K & L June 27

Host selection

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup bids

The FIFA Council went back and forth between 2013 and 2017 on limitations within hosting rotation based on the continental confederations.[41][42] Finally, the FIFA Council decided to make an exception to potentially grant eligibility to member associations of the confederation of the second-to-last host of the FIFA World Cup in the event that none of the received bids fulfill the strict technical and financial requirements.[43][44] In March 2017, FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed that "Europe (UEFA) and Asia (AFC) are excluded from the bidding following the selection of Russia and Qatar in 2018 and 2022 respectively."[45] Therefore, the 2026 World Cup could be hosted by one of the remaining four confederations: CONCACAF (North America; last hosted in 1994), CAF (Africa; last hosted in 2010), CONMEBOL (South America; last hosted in 2014), or OFC (Oceania, never hosted before), or potentially by AFC or UEFA in case no bid from the others met the requirements.[46]

Co-hosting the FIFA World Cup—which had been banned by FIFA after the 2002 World Cup—was approved for the 2026 World Cup, though not limited to a specific number, but instead evaluated on a case-by-case basis.[43] Canada, Mexico, and the United States had each publicly considered bidding for the tournament separately, but the United joint bid was announced on April 10, 2017.[47][48] On August 11, 2017, the Moroccan bid was officially announced.[49]

Voting

Voting results
Allowed to vote Ineligible to vote
  Voted for United bid
  Canada–Mexico–United States
  Voted for Moroccan bid
  Morocco
  Voted for neither
  Sanctioned by FIFA
  Abstained from voting
  Not a FIFA member

The voting took place on June 13, 2018, during the 68th FIFA Congress in Moscow, and it was opened to all 203 eligible members.[50] The United bid won with 134 valid ballots, while the Morocco bid received 65 valid ballots.[48][51] Iran voted for neither of the two bids, while Cuba, Slovenia, and Spain abstained from voting. Ghana was suspended by FIFA due to a corruption scandal and was therefore ineligible to vote.[52][53][54][55][56]

Voting results
Nation Vote
Round 1
Canada, Mexico, United States 134
Morocco 65
None of the bids 1
Abstentions 3
Total valid votes 200
Required for majority 101

Venues

See also: United 2026 FIFA World Cup bid § Venues excluded since start of bidding process
Map
About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
1000km
621miles
Toronto
Toronto
Philadelphia
Philadelphia
New York/New Jersey
New York/New Jersey
Miami
Miami
Boston
Boston
Atlanta
Atlanta
Monterrey
Monterrey
Mexico City
Mexico City
Kansas City
Kansas City
Houston
Houston
Guadalajara
Guadalajara
Dallas
Dallas
Vancouver
Vancouver
Seattle
Seattle
San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
Los Angeles
Los Angeles
Western region
Central region
Eastern region
SoFi Stadium three hours before United States–Paraguay inaugural match

During the bidding process, 41 cities with 42 existing, fully functional venues with regular tenants (except Montreal) and two venues under construction (Las Vegas and Los Angeles) submitted to be part of the bid (three venues in three cities in Mexico; six venues in six cities in Canada; 35 venues in 32 cities in the United States).[57] A first-round elimination cut nine venues and nine cities. A second-round elimination cut an additional nine venues in six cities, while three venues in three cities (Chicago, Minneapolis, and Vancouver) dropped out due to FIFA's unwillingness to discuss financial details.[58] After Montreal dropped out in July 2021 due to lack of provincial funding and support to renovate Olympic Stadium,[59] Vancouver rejoined the bid as a candidate city in April 2022,[60] bringing the total number to 24 venues, each in its own city or metropolitan area.[61]

On June 16, 2022, the sixteen host cities (two in Canada, three in Mexico, eleven in the United States) were announced by FIFA: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Guadalajara, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Miami, Monterrey, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Toronto, and Vancouver.[62] Eight of the sixteen chosen stadiums have permanent artificial turf surfaces that are planned to be replaced with grass under the direction of FIFA and a University of Tennessee–Michigan State University research team. Depending on the venue's climate, the turf used is either a hybrid of 84% Kentucky bluegrass and 16% perennial ryegrass (for cooler temperatures), or Bermuda grass (for warmer temperatures).[63][64][65]

Four venues (Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, and Vancouver) are indoor stadiums that use retractable roof systems, all equipped with climate control, while a fifth, Los Angeles, is open-air but has a translucent roof and no climate control.[66] The host of the final match—MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey—was announced by FIFA on February 4, 2024.[67]

Although there are soccer-specific stadiums in Canada and the United States, the largest dedicated soccer-specific stadium in the United States, Geodis Park in Nashville, Tennessee, seats 30,000, which falls short of FIFA's minimum of 40,000 (Toronto's BMO Field is being expanded from 30,000 to 45,500 for this tournament).[68] Stadiums including Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta; Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts; and Lumen Field in Seattle are used by National Football League (NFL) and Major League Soccer (MLS) teams.[69] Although primarily used for gridiron football, with the American stadiums hosting NFL teams and Canada's hosting the Canadian Football League (CFL), all of the Canadian and American stadiums have been used on numerous occasions for soccer and are also designed to host that sport.[70]

Mexico City is the only capital of the three host nations chosen as a venue site; Ottawa and Washington, D.C., joined Bonn (West Germany, 1974) and Tokyo (Japan, 2002) as the only capital cities not selected to host World Cup matches. Washington was a host city candidate, but the poor state of Northwest Stadium caused the city to combine its bid with nearby Baltimore's, which was unsuccessful. Other cities eliminated from the final hosting list were Cincinnati, Denver, Nashville, Orlando, and Edmonton. Ottawa's candidate venue, TD Place Stadium, was eliminated early on for insufficient capacity.[71] Though eight of the metropolitan areas hosting games had previously hosted World Cup games (Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, New York/New Jersey, and Boston in 1994; Guadalajara and Mexico City in both 1970 and 1986; Monterrey in 1986), Estadio Azteca is the only stadium in this tournament that previously hosted World Cup games, having done so in both 1970 and 1986; none of the stadiums used in the 1994 FIFA World Cup will be used in this tournament (though MetLife Stadium is located at the same site as one of the 1994 venues, Giants Stadium).[72] Soldier Field in Chicago, the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, and the Rose Bowl in Pasadena (Los Angeles area) were the only stadiums in the bidding process to have hosted games in 1994, but none of them were selected.[57]

FIFA's rules on stadium sponsorships required the venues to use alternative names for the duration of the tournament, shown below in parentheses.[73][74] The capacity is based on information published by FIFA.[74]

Key
† denotes a stadium used for previous men's World Cup tournaments.
‡ denotes an indoor stadium with a fixed or retractable roof with interior climate control.
List of tournament venues
City Stadium Number of matches Capacity Image
Mexico Mexico City Estadio Azteca†
(Mexico City Stadium) 		5; 3 group, 2 knockout 80,824
United States New York/New Jersey
(East Rutherford, New Jersey) 		MetLife Stadium
(New York New Jersey Stadium) 		8; 5 group, 2 knockout, and the final 80,663
United States Dallas
(Arlington, Texas) 		AT&T Stadium‡
(Dallas Stadium) 		9; 5 group, 4 knockout 70,649
United States Los Angeles
(Inglewood, California) 		SoFi Stadium‡
(Los Angeles Stadium) 		8; 5 group, 3 knockout 70,492
United States Kansas City Arrowhead Stadium
(Kansas City Stadium) 		6; 4 group, 2 knockout 69,045
United States San Francisco Bay Area
(Santa Clara, California) 		Levi's Stadium
(San Francisco Bay Area Stadium) 		6; 5 group, 1 knockout 68,827
United States Houston NRG Stadium‡
(Houston Stadium) 		7; 5 group, 2 knockout 68,777
United States Philadelphia Lincoln Financial Field
(Philadelphia Stadium) 		6; 5 group, 1 knockout 68,324
United States Atlanta Mercedes-Benz Stadium‡
(Atlanta Stadium) 		8; 5 group, 3 knockout 68,239
United States Seattle Lumen Field
(Seattle Stadium) 		6; 4 group, 2 knockout 66,925
United States Miami
(Miami Gardens, Florida) 		Hard Rock Stadium
(Miami Stadium) 		7; 4 group, 2 knockout, and third-place 64,478
United States Boston
(Foxborough, Massachusetts) 		Gillette Stadium
(Boston Stadium) 		7; 5 group, 2 knockout 64,146
Canada Vancouver BC Place‡
(BC Place Vancouver) 		7; 5 group, 2 knockout 52,497
Mexico Monterrey
(Guadalupe, Nuevo León) 		Estadio BBVA
(Estadio Monterrey) 		4; 3 group, 1 knockout 51,243
Mexico Guadalajara
(Zapopan, Jalisco) 		Estadio Akron
(Estadio Guadalajara) 		4 group 45,664
Canada Toronto BMO Field
(Toronto Stadium) 		6; 5 group, 1 knockout 43,036

Teams

Qualification

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification
  Team qualified
  Team eliminated
  Team withdrew or suspended
  Not a FIFA member

The United Bid personnel anticipated that all three host countries would be awarded automatic berths.[75] On August 31, 2022, FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed that six CONCACAF teams would qualify for the World Cup, with Canada, Mexico, and the United States automatically qualifying as hosts.[76][77] This was confirmed by the FIFA Council on February 14, 2023.[78][79]

Immediately prior to the 67th FIFA Congress, the FIFA Council approved the slot allocation in a meeting in Manama, Bahrain.[80][81] This included an inter-confederation playoff tournament involving six teams to decide the last two FIFA World Cup spots.[82] The six teams in the playoffs comprised one team from each confederation excluding UEFA, and one additional team from the confederation of the host countries (CONCACAF). Two of the teams were seeded based on the World Rankings, and they played the winners of two knockout matches between the four unseeded teams for the two FIFA World Cup berths. The four-match tournament was played in Mexico, one of the host countries, and was also used as a test event for the FIFA World Cup.[80]

The ratification of slot allocation also gave the OFC a guaranteed berth in the final tournament for the first time: the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first tournament in which all six confederations have at least one guaranteed berth and also the first time since the 2010 edition in which all confederations have a team qualified for the World Cup finals.[80]

Of the 48 qualified teams, 26 also appeared in the 2022 edition. Highlights include:

Four-time champion Italy missed out after being defeated in the European playoff final by Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties, becoming the first former champion to miss out on three consecutive World Cups;[91] as in 2018 and 2022, Italy was the only former champion that did not qualify. With a FIFA Men's World Ranking of 12, Italy was also the highest-ranking team that did not qualify.

The qualified teams, listed by region, with numbers in parentheses indicating final positions in the FIFA Men's World Ranking before the tournament were:[92]

Draw

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup draw
From left to right, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, US President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the start of the draw.

The draw took place on December 5, 2025, at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.[93] The draw ceremony began with FIFA presenting the first (and as of 2026 the only) FIFA Peace Prize to United States president Donald Trump,[94] an award which fueled scrutiny and controversy among human rights groups, analysts, and others.[95][96][97][98]

The 48 teams were divided into four pots of 12. Pot 1 consisted of the three hosts and the top nine teams from the November 2025 FIFA Men's World Ranking. Pots 2, 3, and 4 consisted of the remaining teams according to the ranking. The four winners of the UEFA playoffs and the two winners of the inter-confederation playoffs were not known at the time of the draw and thus were automatically allocated to Pot 4. The 12 groups were randomly formed by selecting one team from each of the four pots. With the exception of UEFA, no group could have more than one team from the same confederation drawn into it.[99][100]

The three host nations were pre-allocated to three groups for scheduling purposes. Mexico was placed in Group A, Canada in Group B, and the United States in Group D.[3][101]

The confederation restriction applied to all three potential winners of the inter-confederation playoffs. FIFA also announced that, "in the interest of ensuring competitive balance", the teams ranked first (Spain) and second (Argentina) in the ranking were randomly drawn into groups in opposite pathways, as were the teams ranked third (France) and fourth (England). Therefore, should these pairs of teams win their groups, they will be unable to meet until the final, while all four will be unable to meet until the semifinals.[102] The draw started with Pot 1 and ended with Pot 4, with each team selected and then allocated into the first available group alphabetically. For the purpose of the match schedule, the Pot 1 teams were automatically drawn into position 1 of each group. For the remaining pots, FIFA established a predetermined pattern to define the position of teams based on their pot and the group they were drawn into.

Pots[M]
Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3 Pot 4
  1.  United States (co-host) (14)
  2.  Mexico (co-host) (15)
  3.  Canada (co-host) (27)
  4.  Spain (1)
  5.  Argentina (2)
  6.  France (3)
  7.  England (4)
  8.  Brazil (5)
  9.  Portugal (6)
  10.  Netherlands (7)
  11.  Belgium (8)
  12.  Germany (9)
  1.  Croatia (10)
  2.  Morocco (11)
  3.  Colombia (13)
  4.  Uruguay (16)
  5.  Switzerland (17)
  6.  Japan (18)
  7.  Senegal (19)
  8.  Iran (20)
  9.  South Korea (22)
  10.  Ecuador (23)
  11.  Austria (24)
  12.  Australia (26)
  1.  Norway (29)
  2.  Panama (30)
  3.  Egypt (34)
  4.  Algeria (35)
  5.  Scotland (36)
  6.  Paraguay (39)
  7.  Tunisia (40)
  8.  Ivory Coast (42)
  9.  Uzbekistan (50)
  10.  Qatar (51)
  11.  Saudi Arabia (60)
  12.  South Africa (61)
  1.  Jordan (66)
  2.  Cape Verde (68)
  3.  Ghana (72)
  4.  Curaçao (82)
  5.  Haiti (84)
  6.  New Zealand (86)
  7. UEFA Path A winner[N]
  8. UEFA Path B winner[N]
  9. UEFA Path C winner[N]
  10. UEFA Path D winner[N]
  11. IC Path 1 winner[N][O]
  12. IC Path 2 winner[N][P]

Team base camps

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup base camps

Base camps were used by the 48 squads to stay and train at before and during the World Cup tournament.[104][105][106][107]

Squads

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup squads

Before submitting their final squad for the tournament, teams named a provisional squad of between 35 and 55 players one month prior to the tournament. Teams were required to name their final squads by June 2. If a player becomes too injured or ill to prevent his participation in the tournament, he can be replaced by another player from the provisional squad until 24 hours before the team's first match. However, an injured or ill goalkeeper may be replaced by another goalkeeper from the provisional squad at any time during the tournament.[108]

Officiating

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup officials

On April 9, 2026, FIFA announced the list of 52 referees, 88 assistant referees, and 30 video assistant referees for the tournament.[109][110]

Ceremonies

Opening ceremonies

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup opening ceremonies

The tournament featured three opening ceremonies, one for each of the hosts.[111] The opening ceremony in Mexico took place on June 11, 2026, at Estadio Banorte.[112] Mexican singer Alejandro Fernández performed "Himno Nacional Mexicano" and South African singer Tyla performed the "National anthem of South Africa"[113] The next day, on June 12, 2026, the opening ceremony in Canada took place at BMO Field in Toronto. Canadian-American musician Alanis Morissette performed "O Canada" while Serbian-Canadian violinist Aleksandar Gajić performed "Državna himna Bosne i Hercegovine".[114] On the same day, the opening ceremony for the United States took place at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. American country duo Dan + Shay performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" while Paraguayan soul duo Purahei Soul performed "Himno Nacional Paraguayo".[115]

Independence Day ceremonies

In addition, two special ceremonies will take place on July 4, 2026, to honor the United States Semiquincentennial at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia and NRG Stadium in Houston.[116]

Group stage

Result of countries participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup
  Round of 32
  Group stage

The round-robin group stage is being played in twelve groups (A to L) of four teams each, from June 11 to 27.[117] Teams are awarded three points for a win, one for a draw, and none for a loss. Following the conclusion of group play, the top two teams of each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will advance to the knockout stage.

All times are local.

Tie-breaking criteria for group stage ranking
The ranking of teams in each group is determined by the points obtained in all group matches. If two or more teams are equal on points, the following criteria are used to determine the ranking:[118]
  1. Most points obtained in the group matches played between the teams concerned;
  2. Superior goal difference in the group matches played between the teams concerned;
  3. Most goals scored in the group matches played between the teams concerned;

If, after having applied criteria a to c, teams still had an equal ranking, criteria a to c are reapplied exclusively to the matches between the teams who are still level to determine their final rankings.[Q] If this procedure does not lead to a decision, criteria d to h apply.

  1. Superior goal difference in all group matches;
  2. Most goals scored in all group matches;
  3. Highest team conduct ("fair play") score in all group matches (only one deduction can be applied to a player or team coach/official in a single match):
    • Yellow card: −1 point;
    • Indirect red card (second yellow card): −3 points;
    • Direct red card: −4 points;
    • Yellow card and direct red card: −5 points;
  4. Better position in the most recent FIFA Men's World Ranking;
  5. Better position in progressively older FIFA Men's World Rankings until teams can be separated.

Group A

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup Group A
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Position will qualify for:
1  Mexico (H, A) 2 2 0 0 3 0 +3 6 Knockout stage
2  South Korea 2 1 0 1 2 2 0 3
3  Czech Republic 2 0 1 1 2 3 −1 1 Possible knockout stage based on ranking
4  South Africa 2 0 1 1 1 3 −2 1
Updated to match(es) played on June 18, 2026. Source: FIFA
(A) Advance to a further round; (H) Hosts
Mexico 2–0 South Africa
 [Report 1]
Attendance: 80,824
South Korea 2–1 Czech Republic
 [Report 2] Krejčí 59'
Attendance: 44,985
Czech Republic 1–1 South Africa
 [Report 3]
Attendance: 67,442
Mexico 1–0 South Korea
 [Report 4]
Attendance: 45,522
Czech Republic Match 53 Mexico
[Report 5]
South Africa Match 54 South Korea
[Report 6]

Group B

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup Group B
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Position will qualify for:
1  Canada (H) 2 1 1 0 7 1 +6 4 Knockout stage
2  Switzerland 2 1 1 0 5 2 +3 4
3  Bosnia and Herzegovina 2 0 1 1 2 5 −3 1 Possible knockout stage based on ranking
4  Qatar 2 0 1 1 1 7 −6 1
Updated to match(es) played on June 18, 2026. Source: FIFA
(H) Hosts
Canada 1–1 Bosnia and Herzegovina
 [Report 7]
Attendance: 43,002
Qatar 1–1 Switzerland
 [Report 8]
Attendance: 67,966
Switzerland 4–1 Bosnia and Herzegovina
 [Report 9]
Attendance: 70,026
Canada 6–0 Qatar
 [Report 10]
Attendance: 52,497
Switzerland Match 51 Canada
[Report 11]
Referee: Ramon Abatti (Brazil)
Bosnia and Herzegovina Match 52 Qatar
[Report 12]

Group C

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup Group C
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Position will qualify for:
1  Brazil 2 1 1 0 4 1 +3 4 Knockout stage
2  Morocco 2 1 1 0 2 1 +1 4
3  Scotland 2 1 0 1 1 1 0 3 Possible knockout stage based on ranking
4  Haiti (E) 2 0 0 2 0 4 −4 0
Updated to match(es) played on June 19, 2026. Source: FIFA
(E) Eliminated
Brazil 1–1 Morocco
 [Report 13]
Attendance: 80,663
Haiti 0–1 Scotland
[Report 14]
Attendance: 64,146
Scotland 0–1 Morocco
[Report 15]
Attendance: 64,146
Brazil 3–0 Haiti
 [Report 16]
Attendance: 68,324
Scotland Match 49 Brazil
[Report 17]
Morocco Match 50 Haiti
[Report 18]

Group D

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup Group D
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Position will qualify for:
1  United States (H, A) 2 2 0 0 6 1 +5 6 Knockout stage
2  Australia 2 1 0 1 2 2 0 3
3  Paraguay 2 1 0 1 2 4 −2 3 Possible knockout stage based on ranking
4  Turkey (E) 2 0 0 2 0 3 −3 0
Updated to match(es) played on June 19, 2026. Source: FIFA
(A) Advance to a further round; (E) Eliminated; (H) Hosts
United States 4–1 Paraguay
 [Report 19]
Attendance: 70,492
Australia 2–0 Turkey
 [Report 20]
Attendance: 52,497
United States 2–0 Australia
 [Report 21]
Attendance: 66,925
Turkey 0–1 Paraguay
[Report 22]
Attendance: 68,827
Turkey Match 59 United States
[Report 23]
Paraguay Match 60 Australia
[Report 24]

Group E

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup Group E
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Position will qualify for:
1  Germany (A) 2 2 0 0 9 2 +7 6 Knockout stage
2  Ivory Coast 2 1 0 1 2 2 0 3
3  Ecuador 2 0 1 1 0 1 −1 1 Possible knockout stage based on ranking
4  Curaçao 2 0 1 1 1 7 −6 1
Updated to match(es) played on June 20, 2026. Source: FIFA
(A) Advance to a further round
Germany 7–1 Curaçao
 [Report 25]
Attendance: 68,021
Referee: Jalal Jayed (Morocco)
Ivory Coast 1–0 Ecuador
 [Report 26]
Attendance: 68,274
Germany 2–1 Ivory Coast
 [Report 27]
Attendance: 43,036
Ecuador 0–0 Curaçao
[Report 28]
Attendance: 68,598
Referee: Ma Ning (China)
Curaçao Match 55 Ivory Coast
[Report 29]
Referee: Glenn Nyberg (Sweden)
Ecuador Match 56 Germany
[Report 30]

Group F

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup Group F
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Position will qualify for:
1  Netherlands 2 1 1 0 7 3 +4 4 Knockout stage
2  Japan 2 1 1 0 6 2 +4 4
3  Sweden 2 1 0 1 6 6 0 3 Possible knockout stage based on ranking
4  Tunisia (E) 2 0 0 2 1 9 −8 0
Updated to match(es) played on June 20, 2026. Source: FIFA
(E) Eliminated
Netherlands 2–2 Japan
 [Report 31]
Attendance: 69,285
Sweden 5–1 Tunisia
 [Report 32]
Attendance: 50,987
Netherlands 5–1 Sweden
 [Report 33]
Attendance: 68,777
Tunisia 0–4 Japan
[Report 34]
Attendance: 51,243
Japan Match 57 Sweden
[Report 35]
Tunisia Match 58 Netherlands
[Report 36]

Group G

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup Group G
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Position will qualify for:
1  Egypt 2 1 1 0 4 2 +2 4 Knockout stage
2  Iran 2 0 2 0 2 2 0 2
3  Belgium 2 0 2 0 1 1 0 2 Possible knockout stage based on ranking
4  New Zealand 2 0 1 1 3 5 −2 1
Updated to match(es) played on June 21, 2026. Source: FIFA
Belgium 1–1 Egypt
 [Report 37]
Attendance: 66,775
Referee: Ramon Abatti (Brazil)
Iran 2–2 New Zealand
 [Report 38]
Attendance: 70,108
Belgium 0–0 Iran
[Report 39]
Attendance: 70,317
New Zealand 1–3 Egypt
 [Report 40]
Attendance: 52,497
Egypt Match 63 Iran
[Report 41]
New Zealand Match 64 Belgium
[Report 42]

Group H

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup Group H
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Position will qualify for:
1  Spain 2 1 1 0 4 0 +4 4 Knockout stage
2  Uruguay 2 0 2 0 3 3 0 2
3  Cape Verde 2 0 2 0 2 2 0 2 Possible knockout stage based on ranking
4  Saudi Arabia 2 0 1 1 1 5 −4 1
Updated to match(es) played on June 21, 2026. Source: FIFA
Spain 0–0 Cape Verde
[Report 43]
Attendance: 67,640
Saudi Arabia 1–1 Uruguay
 [Report 44]
Attendance: 62,764
Spain 4–0 Saudi Arabia
 [Report 45]
Attendance: 68,239
Uruguay 2–2 Cape Verde
 [Report 46]
Attendance: 64,003
Referee: Espen Eskås (Norway)
Cape Verde Match 65 Saudi Arabia
[Report 47]
Uruguay Match 66 Spain
[Report 48]

Group I

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup Group I
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Position will qualify for:
1  France (A) 2 2 0 0 6 1 +5 6 Knockout stage
2  Norway (A) 2 2 0 0 7 3 +4 6
3  Senegal 2 0 0 2 3 6 −3 0 Possible knockout stage based on ranking
4  Iraq 2 0 0 2 1 7 −6 0
Updated to match(es) played on June 22, 2026. Source: FIFA
(A) Advance to a further round
France 3–1 Senegal
 [Report 49]
Attendance: 80,545
Iraq 1–4 Norway
 [Report 50]
Attendance: 63,106
Referee: Pierre Atcho (Gabon)
France 3–0 Iraq
 [Report 51]
Attendance: 68,324
Referee: Drew Fischer (Canada)
Norway 3–2 Senegal
 [Report 52]
Attendance: 80,663
Norway Match 61 France
[Report 53]
Senegal Match 62 Iraq
[Report 54]

Group J

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup Group J
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Position will qualify for:
1  Argentina (A) 2 2 0 0 5 0 +5 6 Knockout stage
2  Austria 2 1 0 1 3 3 0 3
3  Algeria 2 1 0 1 2 4 −2 3 Possible knockout stage based on ranking
4  Jordan (E) 2 0 0 2 2 5 −3 0
Updated to match(es) played on June 22, 2026. Source: FIFA
(A) Advance to a further round; (E) Eliminated
Argentina 3–0 Algeria
 [Report 55]
Attendance: 69,045
Austria 3–1 Jordan
 [Report 56]
Attendance: 68,527
Argentina 2–0 Austria
 [Report 57]
Attendance: 70,649
Referee: Amin Omar (Egypt)
Jordan 1–2 Algeria
 [Report 58]
Attendance: 68,371
Algeria Match 69 Austria
[Report 59]
Jordan Match 70 Argentina
[Report 60]

Group K

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup Group K
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Position will qualify for:
1  Portugal 2 1 1 0 6 1 +5 4 Knockout stage
2  Colombia 1 1 0 0 3 1 +2 3
3  DR Congo 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 Possible knockout stage based on ranking
4  Uzbekistan 2 0 0 2 1 8 −7 0
Updated to match(es) played on June 23, 2026. Source: FIFA
Portugal 1–1 DR Congo
 [Report 61]
Attendance: 68,777
Uzbekistan 1–3 Colombia
 [Report 62]
Attendance: 80,824
Portugal 5–0 Uzbekistan
 [Report 63]
Attendance: 68,777
Referee: Jalal Jayed (Morocco)
Colombia Match 48 DR Congo
[Report 64]
Colombia Match 71 Portugal
[Report 65]
DR Congo Match 72 Uzbekistan
[Report 66]

Group L

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup Group L
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Position will qualify for:
1  England 2 1 1 0 4 2 +2 4 Knockout stage
2  Ghana 2 1 1 0 1 0 +1 4
3  Panama 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1 0 Possible knockout stage based on ranking
4  Croatia 1 0 0 1 2 4 −2 0
Updated to match(es) played on June 23, 2026. Source: FIFA
England 4–2 Croatia
 [Report 67]
Attendance: 70,389
Ghana 1–0 Panama
 [Report 68]
Attendance: 42,942
Referee: Glenn Nyberg (Sweden)
England 0–0 Ghana
[Report 69]
Attendance: 63,983
Panama Match 46 Croatia
[Report 70]
Referee: Pierre Atcho (Gabon)
Panama Match 67 England
[Report 71]
Croatia Match 68 Ghana
[Report 72]

Ranking of third-placed teams

Pos Grp Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Position will qualify for:
1 F  Sweden 2 1 0 1 6 6 0 3 Knockout stage
2 C  Scotland 2 1 0 1 1 1 0 3
3 J  Algeria 2 1 0 1 2 4 −2 3[a]
4 D  Paraguay 2 1 0 1 2 4 −2 3[a]
5 H  Cape Verde 2 0 2 0 2 2 0 2
6 G  Belgium 2 0 2 0 1 1 0 2
7 K  DR Congo 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1
8 A  Czech Republic 2 0 1 1 2 3 −1 1
9 E  Ecuador 2 0 1 1 0 1 −1 1
10 B  Bosnia and Herzegovina 2 0 1 1 2 5 −3 1
11 L  Panama 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1 0
12 I  Senegal 2 0 0 2 3 6 −3 0
Updated to match(es) played on June 23, 2026. Source: FIFA; Flashscore
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Team conduct ("fair play") score; 5) Latest FIFA ranking (June 11, 2026); 6) Previous FIFA ranking(s) report.
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Team conduct score: Algeria −1, Paraguay −11.

The specific matchups involving the third-placed teams depend on which eight third-placed teams qualify for the round of 32. The 495 possible combinations were published in Annex C of the tournament regulations.[118]

For the list of all 495 possible combinations, see 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stage § Combinations of matches in the round of 32.

Knockout stage

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stage

The knockout stage will be played in a single-elimination format, starting with the newly-introduced round of 32 on June 28 and culminating with the final on July 19. On the day prior, a match for third place will also be played. In the knockout stage, if the scores are level when normal playing time expires, 30 minutes of extra time will be played. If still tied at the end of extra time, a penalty shootout will be used to determine the winner.[118]

Bracket

 
Round of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal
 
                  
 
June 29 – Foxborough
 
 
 Germany
 
July 4 – Philadelphia
 
3rd Group A/B/C/D/F
 
Winner Match 74
 
June 30 – East Rutherford
 
Winner Match 77
 
Winner Group I
 
July 9 – Foxborough
 
3rd Group C/D/F/G/H
 
Winner Match 89
 
June 28 – Inglewood
 
Winner Match 90
 
Runner-up Group A
 
July 4 – Houston
 
Runner-up Group B
 
Winner Match 73
 
June 29 – Guadalupe
 
Winner Match 75
 
Winner Group F
 
July 14 – Arlington
 
Runner-up Group C
 
Winner Match 97
 
July 2 – Toronto
 
Winner Match 98
 
Runner-up Group K
 
July 6 – Arlington
 
Runner-up Group L
 
Winner Match 83
 
July 2 – Inglewood
 
Winner Match 84
 
Winner Group H
 
July 10 – Inglewood
 
Runner-up Group J
 
Winner Match 93
 
July 1 – Santa Clara
 
Winner Match 94
 
 United States
 
July 6 – Seattle
 
3rd Group B/E/F/I/J
 
Winner Match 81
 
July 1 – Seattle
 
Winner Match 82
 
Winner Group G
 
July 19 – East Rutherford
 
3rd Group A/E/H/I/J
 
Winner Match 101
 
June 29 – Houston
 
Winner Match 102
 
Winner Group C
 
July 5 – East Rutherford
 
Runner-up Group F
 
Winner Match 76
 
June 30 – Arlington
 
Winner Match 78
 
Runner-up Group E
 
July 11 – Miami Gardens
 
Runner-up Group I
 
Winner Match 91
 
June 30 – Mexico City
 
Winner Match 92
 
 Mexico
 
July 5 – Mexico City
 
3rd Group C/E/F/H/I
 
Winner Match 79
 
July 1 – Atlanta
 
Winner Match 80
 
Winner Group L
 
July 15 – Atlanta
 
3rd Group E/H/I/J/K
 
Winner Match 99
 
July 3 – Miami Gardens
 
Winner Match 100Match for third place
 
 Argentina
 
July 7 – AtlantaJuly 18 – Miami Gardens
 
Runner-up Group H
 
Winner Match 86Loser Match 101
 
July 3 – Arlington
 
Winner Match 88Loser Match 102
 
Runner-up Group D
 
July 11 – Kansas City
 
Runner-up Group G
 
Winner Match 95
 
July 2 – Vancouver
 
Winner Match 96
 
Winner Group B
 
July 7 – Vancouver
 
3rd Group E/F/G/I/J
 
Winner Match 85
 
July 3 – Kansas City
 
Winner Match 87
 
Winner Group K
 
 
3rd Group D/E/I/J/L
 

Round of 32

Runner-up Group AMatch 73Runner-up Group B
[Report 73]
Winner Group CMatch 76Runner-up Group F
[Report 74]
Germany Match 743rd Group A/B/C/D/F
[Report 75]
Winner Group FMatch 75Runner-up Group C
[Report 76]
Runner-up Group EMatch 78Runner-up Group I
[Report 77]
Winner Group IMatch 773rd Group C/D/F/G/H
[Report 78]
Mexico Match 793rd Group C/E/F/H/I
[Report 79]
Winner Group LMatch 803rd Group E/H/I/J/K
[Report 80]
Winner Group GMatch 823rd Group A/E/H/I/J
[Report 81]
United States Match 813rd Group B/E/F/I/J
[Report 82]
Winner Group HMatch 84Runner-up Group J
[Report 83]
Runner-up Group KMatch 83Runner-up Group L
[Report 84]
Winner Group BMatch 853rd Group E/F/G/I/J
[Report 85]
Runner-up Group DMatch 88Runner-up Group G
[Report 86]
Argentina Match 86Runner-up Group H
[Report 87]
Winner Group KMatch 873rd Group D/E/I/J/L
[Report 88]

Round of 16

Winner Match 73Match 90Winner Match 75
[Report 89]
Winner Match 74Match 89Winner Match 77
[Report 90]
Winner Match 76Match 91Winner Match 78
[Report 91]
Winner Match 79Match 92Winner Match 80
[Report 92]
Winner Match 83Match 93Winner Match 84
[Report 93]
Winner Match 81Match 94Winner Match 82
[Report 94]
Winner Match 86Match 95Winner Match 88
[Report 95]
Winner Match 85Match 96Winner Match 87
[Report 96]

Quarterfinals

Winner Match 89Match 97Winner Match 90
[Report 97]
Winner Match 93Match 98Winner Match 94
[Report 98]
Winner Match 91Match 99Winner Match 92
[Report 99]
Winner Match 95Match 100Winner Match 96
[Report 100]

Semifinals

Winner Match 97Match 101Winner Match 98
[Report 101]
Winner Match 99Match 102Winner Match 100
[Report 102]

Match for third place

Loser Match 101Match 103Loser Match 102
[Report 103]

Final

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup final
Winner Match 101Match 104Winner Match 102
[Report 104]

Statistics

See also: FIFA World Cup records and statistics

Goalscorers

There have been 139 goals scored in 46 matches, for an average of 3.02 goals per match (as of June 23, 2026, 2 of 4 matches finished).

5 goals

4 goals

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

Discipline

A player or team official is automatically suspended for the next match for the following offenses:[118]

  • Receiving a red card (red card suspensions may be extended for serious offenses).
  • Receiving two yellow cards in the tournament;[S] yellow cards expire after the completion of the group stage and again after the quarterfinals (yellow card suspensions are not carried forward to any other future international matches).[120]

During qualification, Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off for violent conduct in Portugal's penultimate match against the Republic of Ireland, with such an offense typically resulting in a ban of at least two matches. Ronaldo was handed a three-match ban, though the final two matches of the ban were suspended for a one-year probationary period, making him eligible to appear in Portugal's opening World Cup match.[121] On May 8, 2026, the Bureau of the FIFA Council amended the tournament regulations so that pending one- or two-match suspensions resulting from red cards for two yellow cards, denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, or serious foul play during qualification would no longer be carried forward to the final competition.[122] This exempted Argentina's Nicolás Otamendi, Ecuador's Moisés Caicedo, and Qatar's Tarek Salman from serving their qualifying-round suspensions during the tournament, with the bans to instead be served in a subsequent competition.[123]

The following suspensions were served during the tournament:

Tournament suspensions for players and team officials
Player Offense(s) Suspension(s)
South Africa national soccer team Sphephelo Sithole Red card in Group A vs Mexico (matchday 1; June 11) Group A vs Czech Republic (matchday 2; June 18)
South Africa national soccer team Themba Zwane Red card in Group A vs Mexico (matchday 1; June 11) Group A vs Czech Republic (matchday 2; June 18)
Group A vs South Korea (matchday 3; June 24)[T]
Mexico national football team César Montes Red card in Group A vs South Africa (matchday 1; June 11) Group A vs South Korea (matchday 2; June 18)
South Africa national soccer team Teboho Mokoena Yellow card in Group A vs Mexico (matchday 1; June 11)
Yellow card in Group A vs Czech Republic (matchday 2; June 18) 		Group A vs South Korea (matchday 3; June 24)
Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team Tarik Muharemović Red card in Group B vs Switzerland (matchday 2; June 18) Group B vs Qatar (matchday 3; June 24)
Qatar national football team Homam Ahmed Red card in Group B vs Canada (matchday 2; June 18) Group B vs Bosnia and Herzegovina (matchday 3; June 24)
Qatar national football team Assim Madibo Red card in Group B vs Canada (matchday 2; June 18) Group B vs Bosnia and Herzegovina (matchday 3; June 24)
Paraguay national football team Miguel Almirón Red card in Group D vs Turkey (matchday 2; June 19) Group D vs Australia (matchday 3; June 25)
Belgium national football team Nathan Ngoy Red card in Group G vs Iran (matchday 2; June 21) Group G vs New Zealand (matchday 3; June 26)
Cape Verde national football team Sidny Lopes Cabral Yellow card in Group H vs Spain (matchday 1; June 15)
Yellow card in Group H vs Uruguay (matchday 2; June 21) 		Group H vs Saudi Arabia (matchday 3; June 26)

Awards

Prize money

In April 2026, FIFA confirmed the prizes for all participating nations. This edition's total distribution for the tournament will be $871 million, $431 million higher than the prize pool of the previous tournament. In addition to the performance-based prize money, each qualified team will also receive a $10 million qualification payment and a $2.5 million preparation fee before the competition.[125][126]

Performance-based prize money based on final position
Place Teams Amount (in millions)
Per team Total
Champions 1 $50 $50
Runners-up 1 $33 $33
Third place 1 $29 $29
Fourth place 1 $27 $27
5th–8th place (quarter-finals) 4 $19 $76
9th–16th place (round of 16) 8 $15 $120
17th–32nd place (round of 32) 16 $11 $176
33rd–48th place (group stage) 16 $9 $144
Total 48 $655

Individual and team awards

See also: FIFA World Cup awards

The following awards are to be presented at the end of the tournament.

  • Golden Boot: Awarded to the tournament's top goal scorer.
  • Golden Glove: Awarded to the tournament's best goalkeeper.
  • Golden Ball: Awarded to the best overall player of the tournament.
  • FIFA Young Player Award: Awarded to the best overall player of the tournament under the age of 21.
  • FIFA Fair Play Trophy: Awarded to the team with the best disciplinary record that reached the knockout stage.

Additionally, a "superior player of the match" is presented after each fixture to the player deemed to have delivered the most outstanding performance and greatest impact in that match. The recipient is selected through a public online vote conducted by FIFA. The award is sponsored by Michelob Ultra.[127]

Marketing

Branding

A freestanding digital clock with Fifa branding placed on the sidewalk.
Countdown clock on Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City

The official emblem and brand identity was unveiled on May 17, 2023, at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, California; its basic form consists of a stacked "26" with an image of the FIFA World Cup Trophy in front of it, designed to be adaptable to different backdrops. This is the first time that the trophy has been depicted in a World Cup emblem as a photo, as opposed to a stylized representation.[128][129] The next day, FIFA unveiled variants of the emblem for each of the host cities, which feature color variants and designs that reflect local landscapes or culture. For example, the Los Angeles features a stylized sun and wave, Monterrey features the Cerro de la Silla mountain, and Toronto features the city skyline and the CN Tower.[130][131]

Reaction to the logo from the initial unveiling was largely negative, with many feeling that the design was either unfinished or uncreative compared to the emblems of past FIFA World Cup tournaments. By contrast, United States national team player Jesús Ferreira described the emblem as "beautiful".[129][132][133]

Official poster

In March and April 2025, FIFA unveiled a set of 16 posters representing each of the 2026 World Cup host cities. The posters, designed by local artists, were intended to reflect the "distinct identity and heritage" of each host city.[134][135] On March 3, 2026, the official poster was unveiled. For the first time, three artists combined their artistic styles to create the official poster: Carson Ting (Canada), Minerva GM (Mexico), and Hank Willis Thomas (United States).[136]

Broadcasting rights

Main article: 2026 FIFA World Cup broadcasting rights

On February 12, 2015, FIFA renewed the United States and Canadian broadcasting rights contracts for Fox Sports (US English), Telemundo Deportes (US Spanish), and Bell Media (Canada) to cover the 2026 World Cup, without accepting any other bids. A report in The New York Times asserted that this extension was intended as compensation for the rescheduling of the 2022 World Cup to November–December rather than its traditional June–July scheduling, as it created considerable conflicts with major professional sports leagues that are normally in their offseasons during the World Cup.[137][138][139]

Bell Media broadcast studio located at Jack Poole Plaza in Vancouver. TSN is the primary broadcaster, while select matches are on CTV and Crave in Canada.

The International Broadcast Center (IBC) will be located at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas.[140][141][142] Bell Media constructed a broadcast studio at Jack Poole Plaza in Vancouver for the tournament (mirroring an arrangement used by Fox during the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup), which will operate through the final match played in Vancouver on July 7.[143]

On January 8, 2026, FIFA signed a deal to make TikTok a "preferred platform" for World Cup video content. As part of the agreement, broadcasters may stream parts of matches at a dedicated hub on the TikTok app.[144] FIFA then made a similar "preferred platform" deal with YouTube on March 17, allowing broadcasters to stream select matches in full on their respective YouTube channels, as well as stream the first 10 minutes of every match on the platform as "an appetizer encouraging young fans then to watch on traditional channels".[145]

A number of internet content creators have also been involved in coverage of the tournament; in Brazil, Casimiro Miguel's CazéTV renewed its digital rights to the World Cup in Brazil, streaming all matches on its YouTube channel.[146][147] IShowSpeed has conducted streams from matches during the tournament, and later reached an agreement with Fox Sports to offer altcasts of selected matches on Fox One and its YouTube channel featuring his streams combined with the Fox telecasts.[148][149][150][149]

Sponsorships

FIFA partners FIFA World Cup sponsors FIFA World Cup supporters
North American supporters South American supporters European supporters Asian supporters

Advertising

On May 7, 2026, Adidas released Backyard Legends: the Greatest Football Story Ever Told, a 5-minute short film.[183][184] On June 4, 2026, Nike released Rip The Script, a 6-minute short film.[185][186]

FIFA fan festivals

FIFA will stage fan festivals in cities across the host nations, featuring matches on giant screens and live entertainment.[187] Among the confirmed fan fest locations are Liberty State Park in Jersey City,[187] Fairmount Park in Philadelphia,[188] Fort York and The Bentway in Toronto,[189] Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta,[190] and East Downtown Houston.[191]

Tickets

See also: List of 2026 FIFA World Cup controversies § Ticket prices

Ticket prices for the 2026 FIFA World Cup initially ranged from $60 for group stage matches to $6,730 for the final—largely increased from the USD equivalent of $69 to $1,607 in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. However, in September 2025, FIFA confirmed it would use dynamic pricing for tickets for the first time, following the practice used in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.[192] Hospitality seats were made available in April 2025 via FIFA's ticket partner for the event.[193]

An initial draw period for non-hospitality seats occurred between September 10–19, 2025, limited to Visa cardholders. A second phase ran from October 27–31, and a third phase started after the final draw of teams on December 5. Sales are capped at four tickets per person per match, and no person is able to purchase more than 40 tickets for the overall tournament. FIFA's official resale platform went live on October 2, 2025.[192][194]

A final "last-minute" sales phase reopened on April 22, 2026, approximately 50 days before the start of the tournament, with tickets for all 104 matches made available on a first-come, first-served basis. By that stage, more than five million tickets had been sold out of an expected total exceeding six million, with additional tickets scheduled to be released in phases up to the final, subject to availability.[195]

Every city hosting the World Cup in the United States has passed a law stating that ticket sales to World Cup events are exempt from state and local sales taxes.[196][197][198]

Merchandise

Video games

Main article: FIFA World Cup video games § 2026 FIFA World Cup

On October 2, 2025, FIFA announced the video game FIFA Heroes, scheduled for release in 2026 on Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms.[199]

In May 2026, the Football Manager 26 video game also announced the addition of licensed 2026 FIFA World Cup content.[200]

In December 2025, Netflix announced a new simulation-type game featuring the World Cup, produced by Delphi Interactive and Refactor Games.[201][202] In May 2026, it was announced the Netflix-published game would be titled "FIFA World Cup – Launch Edition" and would be released in June 2026.[203]

In the same May 2026 announcement, FIFA also confirmed that they would adopt a non-exclusive "Digital Football" ecosystem, with games of various genres adopting the FIFA license. Alongside the new World Cup game, were mentioned FIFA Heroes, FIFA Rivals, FIFA Super Soccer, Football Manager, eFootball and Rocket League, with more games joining the ecosystem in the following months.[203][204]

Other products

A pop-up truck selling FIFA 2026 merchandise at Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, California

Panini sticker albums were again announced for the 2026 World Cup. Due to the expansion of the tournament, each pack now contains seven stickers as opposed to the usual 5. In the United States and Canada, a set of 12 stickers was reserved for stickers that could only be obtained from Coca-Cola bottles, with each bottle containing a sticker printed inside the label.[205] In May 2026, it was announced that the 2026 World Cup would be Panini's second-to-last tournament with a sticker album, after FIFA announced that Fanatics (via their Topps brand) would distribute collectables for FIFA tournaments from 2031.[206]

In conjunction with the tournament, the Lego Group released a series of officially licensed FIFA World Cup 2026-themed construction sets. The collection included models of the FIFA World Cup Trophy, the official tournament emblem, a brick-built Adidas Trionda soccer ball containing a miniature stadium, and player-focused sets based on soccer players Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé, and Vinícius Júnior. Several sets featured hidden references to the players' careers, alternative display poses, and commemorative World Cup-themed designs.[207][208] To promote the product line, Lego organized FIFA World Cup 2026-themed activations in several markets, including a soccer festival and pop-up experience in Singapore. The events featured interactive soccer challenges, soccer-themed Lego builds, displays of player-inspired models, and promotional giveaways tied to the World Cup collection.[209][210]

Symbols

Mascots

Main article: Maple, Zayu and Clutch
See also: List of FIFA World Cup official mascots
Refer to caption.
The tournament mascots: Maple the Moose, Zayu the Jaguar, and Clutch the Bald Eagle

The official mascots of the tournament were revealed on September 25, 2025, and are Maple, Zayu and Clutch. Maple is a moose, Zayu is a jaguar, and Clutch is a bald eagle, representing Canada, Mexico, and the United States, respectively.[211] They were designed to reflect the cultural heritage of their respective countries.[212]

Match ball

Main article: Adidas Trionda
See also: List of FIFA World Cup official match balls
The match ball displayed on a stand.
Adidas Trionda, the match ball

On May 2, 2025, reports surfaced that the match ball would be called Adidas Trionda. The design features red, green, and blue (the three colors representing Canada, Mexico, and the United States, respectively, and also featured on the host countries' flags), as well as a white wave connecting each of the colors, hence the name using the Spanish words for three (tri) and wave (onda).[213] The design also features the national symbols of the three host countries (a maple leaf for Canada, a golden eagle for Mexico, and a five-pointed star for the United States) as well as gold embellishments to represent the World Cup Trophy.[214]

On June 11, 2025, and in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, NASA conducted experiments aboard the International Space Station using soccer balls to study how mass distribution and embedded sensor technology affect ball motion and stability in microgravity. According to NASA, the research contributed to the development and evaluation of technologies used in the 2026 FIFA World Cup official match ball.[215]

Music

See also: Official FIFA World Cup 2026 Album and List of FIFA World Cup songs and anthems

The tournament's official instrumental theme music was composed by Zachary Aaron Golden. Throughout March 2025, FIFA released remixes of the theme for each host city by local producers.[216]

The official song "Dai Dai" by Colombian singer Shakira and Nigerian singer Burna Boy was released on May 15, 2026,[217] followed by the official anthem "DNA (More Than a Game)" by French producer David Guetta, featuring Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, South Korean-American singer Ejae, and American rapper Megan Thee Stallion, on June 10, 2026.[218]

The official soundtrack album was released on June 5, 2026, with its first single "Lighter" by Jelly Roll and Carín León having been released on March 20, 2026; the song had garnered a mixed reception from listeners and critics, with some having falsely assumed that it was meant to be the tournament's official song before "Dai Dai" was released.[219][220][221]

Instrumental song "Sirius" by British rock band the Alan Parsons Project was used for the theme song for the entrances of the national teams before each game during the first matchday of the group stage.[222] This was changed to a remix of "Dai Dai" done by English electronic group Clean Bandit for the second matchday.[citation needed]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Also marketed as FIFA World Cup 26.[1] Furthermore, the signage, on-air displays, and the English website reads FIFA World Cup 2026.[2]
  2. ^ Curaçao is the smallest country by area and the least populous to qualify for the World Cup. Excluding teams from the United Kingdom, Curaçao is also the first team representing a non-sovereign nation to qualify for the World Cup since the Dutch East Indies (currently Indonesia) in 1938.
  3. ^ Until 1991, Uzbekistan was part of the Soviet Union, which competed at seven World Cup tournaments. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Uzbekistan will become the third former Soviet republic to compete as an independent nation after Russia (1994, 2002, 2014 and 2018) and Ukraine (2006). FIFA considers Russia to be the successor team of the Soviet Union.
  4. ^ From 1971 to 1997, DR Congo competed as Zaire. This will be the first time the country competes under DR Congo.
  5. ^ Recognized as IR Iran by FIFA
  6. ^ Recognized as Korea Republic by FIFA
  7. ^ Recognized as Cabo Verde by FIFA
  8. ^ Recognized as Congo DR by FIFA
  9. ^ Recognized as Côte d'Ivoire by FIFA
  10. ^ Recognized as USA by FIFA
  11. ^ Recognized as Czechia by FIFA
  12. ^ Recognized as Türkiye by FIFA
  13. ^ The number in parentheses indicates the FIFA ranking of teams as of November 19, 2025.[103]
  14. ^ a b c d e f The winners of the UEFA playoffs and inter-confederation playoffs were not known at the time of the draw, as those matches were held on 26 and 31 March 2026.
  15. ^ The placeholder for the inter-confederation playoff Pathway 1 winner adhered to the confederation restrictions of a CAF, CONCACAF, or OFC team.
  16. ^ The placeholder for the inter-confederation playoff Pathway 2 winner adhered to the confederation restrictions of an AFC, CONCACAF, or CONMEBOL team.
  17. ^ When there are two or more teams tied on points, criteria a to c are applied. After these criteria are applied, they may define the position of some of the teams involved, but not all of them. For example, if there is a three-way tie on points, the application of the first three criteria may only break the tie for one of the teams, leaving the other two teams still tied. In this case, the tiebreaking procedure is resumed, from the beginning, for those teams that are still tied.
  18. ^ Michael Oliver (England) was originally appointed to the Ivory Coast vs Ecuador match, but he pulled out due to a minor injury.[119]
  19. ^ As yellow cards are not carried forward to penalty shootouts, players may be shown two yellow cards in the same match without being sent off. However, this would result in a suspension for accumulating two yellow cards during the tournament.
  20. ^ Zwane has been handed a three-match ban, with the third match of the suspension to be served in the Round of 32 if South Africa qualify or outside the tournament (in an AFCON qualifying match) if they are eliminated in the group stage.[124]

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Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2026_FIFA_World_Cup&oldid=1360831747"