The world’s premier international football competition returns in 2026, with a number of firsts as it is co-hosted across three countries and features 48 teams.
- The 2026 edition of the World Cup will be the first with 48 teams
- Hosting of the tournament will be shared between Canada, Mexico and the USA
- Final will be played on 19 July, 2026, in New York New Jersey
The FIFA World Cup 26™ is firmly in view for fans of the beautiful game around the globe with a number of firsts as three nations – Canada, Mexico and the USA – will co-host, and a record 48 teams will take part.
After the thrilling drama of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, Argentina are aiming to become just the third defending champion in history to retain the trophy.
Qualification tournaments among the six global confederations are already under way, with several teams having booked their tickets to the eagerly-anticipated global showpiece.
FIFA has prepared a summary of the key information around the next instalment of the tournament.
FIFA World Cup 26 dates and schedule
The next World Cup will return to being played in the traditional period, between the months of June and July. The World Cup final date has been set as Sunday, 19 July, with the opening match due to take place on Thursday, 11 June.
The full match schedule was announced on Sunday, 4 February 2024, with New York New Jersey picked to host the final, and Mexico City’s fabled Azteca chosen to stage the tournament’s opening match.
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