The FIFA World Cup 2026 is historic. For the first time, 48 nations are competing for the ultimate prize in football. This expansion from 32 teams means more matches, more host venues, and a brand new group structure. The tournament is co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, running from June 11 to July 19, 2026.

If you are planning to follow the tournament, here is the complete guide to the groups, stadiums, and key schedule milestones.

The New Group Stage Format (Groups A to L)

Instead of the traditional 8 groups, the 2026 tournament features 12 groups of 4 teams each.

The top two teams from each group automatically qualify for the knockout stage. In addition, the eight best third-placed teams will also advance, completing a pool of 32 teams for the knockout rounds. This introduces a new Round of 32.

Here is the grouping of the 48 qualified countries:

• Group A: Mexico 🇲🇽, Honduras 🇭🇳, Sweden 🇸🇪, New Zealand 🇳🇿
• Group B: Canada 🇨🇦, Jamaica 🇯🇲, Switzerland 🇨🇭, Cameroon 🇨🇲
• Group C: United States 🇺🇸, Bolivia 🇧🇴, Panama 🇵🇦, Ghana 🇬🇭
• Group D: Argentina 🇦🇷, Australia 🇦🇺, Poland 🇵🇱, Algeria 🇩🇿
• Group E: France 🇫🇷, Japan 🇯🇵, Ecuador 🇪🇨, Norway 🇳🇴
• Group F: Spain 🇪🇸, Morocco 🇲🇦, South Korea 🇰🇷, Nigeria 🇩🇿
• Group G: Brazil 🇧🇷, Tunisia 🇹🇳, Czech Republic 🇨🇿, Mali 🇲🇱
• Group H: England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿, Egypt 🇪🇬, Peru 🇵🇪, Slovakia 🇸🇰
• Group I: Germany 🇩🇪, Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦, Costa Rica 🇨🇷, Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
• Group J: Belgium 🇧🇪, South Africa 🇿🇦, Uruguay 🇺🇾, Iran 🇮🇷
• Group K: Portugal 🇵🇹, Chile 🇨🇱, Ukraine 🇺🇦, Iraq 🇮🇶
• Group L: Netherlands 🇳🇱, Senegal 🇸🇳, Colombia 🇨🇴, Austria 🇦🇹

The 16 Host Cities and Stadiums

Matches are played in 16 venues across three host nations, divided into Western, Central, and Eastern regions to minimize travel times for teams.

United States (11 Stadiums)

• New York/New Jersey: MetLife Stadium (82,500 capacity) - Host of the Final
• Los Angeles: SoFi Stadium (70,240 capacity) - Host of USA's opening game
• Dallas: AT&T Stadium (92,967 capacity) - Hosting 9 matches (most in the tournament)
• Miami: Hard Rock Stadium (64,767 capacity) - Host of 3rd place match
• Atlanta: Mercedes-Benz Stadium (71,000 capacity)
• Boston: Gillette Stadium (65,878 capacity)
• Philadelphia: Lincoln Financial Field (69,796 capacity)
• Houston: NRG Stadium (72,220 capacity)
• Seattle: Lumen Field (69,000 capacity)
• San Francisco Bay Area: Levi's Stadium (68,500 capacity)
• Kansas City: Arrowhead Stadium (76,416 capacity)

Mexico (3 Stadiums)

• Mexico City: Estadio Azteca (87,523 capacity) - Host of the tournament opening match
• Guadalajara: Estadio Akron (48,071 capacity)
• Monterrey: Estadio BBVA (53,500 capacity)

Canada (2 Stadiums)

• Vancouver: BC Place (54,500 capacity)
• Toronto: BMO Field (45,000 capacity)

Tournament Schedule and Milestones

With 104 matches, the tournament schedule has been carefully structured:

1. Group Stage (June 11 – June 27): Daily fixtures across all 16 host cities.
2. Round of 32 (June 28 – July 3): The knockout stages begin. Any draw leads directly to extra-time and penalties.
3. Round of 16 (July 4 – July 7): The battle intensifies.
4. Quarter-Finals (July 9 – July 11): Played in Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, and Kansas City.
5. Semi-Finals (July 14 – July 15): Hosted in Atlanta and Dallas.
6. Third Place Play-off (July 18): Hosted in Miami.
7. The Final (July 19, 2026): Hosted at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

For live scoreboard updates, team stats, and ticket inquiries, visit our interactive FIFA 2026 Live Hub!