Forty-eight nations, sixteen cities, one hundred and four matches across the United States, Canada, and Mexico — the largest football tournament in history begins on June 11.
The 2026 World Cup expands the field to 48 teams for the first time in tournament history, replacing the 32-team format used since 1998. Teams divide into 12 groups of four, playing a round-robin; the top two from each group plus the eight best third-placed sides advance to a new Round of 32.
From there it is single-elimination knockout, all the way to the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19. One hundred and four matches across thirty-nine days — by every measure, the largest tournament football has ever staged.