FIFA World Cup 2026

Tournament Dates & Format:

– Opening Match: 11 June 2026 at Estadio Azteca, Mexico City. The group stage kicks off with Mexico playing on that date.
– Final Match: 19 July 2026 at MetLife Stadium, in East Rutherford, New Jersey, about 5 miles (8 km) west of New York City.

Group Stage:

Matchday 1: 11–17 June 2026
Matchday 2: 18–23 June 2026
Matchday 3: 24–27 June 2026

Knockout Rounds:

Round of 32: 28 June – 3 July 2026
Round of 16: 4–7 July 2026
Quarter-finals: 9–11 July 2026
Semi-finals: 14–15 July 2026
Third‑place Play‑off: 18 July 2026
Final: 19 July 2026

In total, 104 matches will be played—the group stage followed by a 32-team knockout format—across all three host nations. This is the first World Cup to expand to 48 teams.

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Host Venues & Cities

FIFA selected 16 stadiums: 3 in Mexico, 2 in Canada, and 11 in the U.S., grouped regionally:

Western:

• Mexico: Guadalajara (Estadio Akron)
• Canada: Vancouver (BC Place)
• U.S.: Los Angeles (SoFi Stadium), San Francisco Bay Area (Levi’s Stadium), Seattle (Lumen Field)

Central:

• Mexico: Mexico City (Estadio Azteca), Monterrey (Estadio BBVA)
• U.S.: Houston (NRG Stadium), Dallas (AT&T Stadium), Kansas City (Arrowhead Stadium)

Eastern

• Canada: Toronto (BMO Field)
• U.S.: Boston (Gillette), Philadelphia (Lincoln Financial), Miami (Hard Rock), Atlanta (Mercedes‑Benz), New York/New Jersey (MetLife Stadium)

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Tournament Structure

48 teams, a record entry, with 12 groups of four
Group Stage: round-robin within each group
Advancement: top two teams per group plus the eight best third‑placed teams proceed to a Round of 32
Knockout Rounds: Single elimination through Round of 16, Quarter-finals, Semi-finals, and culminating in the Final

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Summary Table

Phase | Dates | Venues | Cities 

• Opening Match | 11 June 2026 | Estadio Azteca | Mexico City
• Group Stage | 11–27 June 2026 | Across all 16 host cities
• Knockout Rounds | 28 June–15 July 2026 | Across host venues
• Third‑place Play‑off | 18 July 2026 | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, FL
• Final | 19 July 2026 | MetLife Stadium | East Rutherford, NY