World football is already beginning to beat in North America. Exactly 50 days from the opening whistle, the 2026 World Cup enters its final countdown. For the first time in history, the World Cup will be held jointly in three countries: the United States, Mexico and Canada, in an unprecedented logistical deployment that includes 16 cities, 16 state-of-the-art stadiums and 39 days of competition that will begin on June 11 and close on July 19.
The great novelty of this edition is the historic jump from 32 to 48 teams, a change promoted by FIFA that expands the football map and opens the door to more dreams around the world. The tournament will have 12 groups of four teams each, and introduces the round of 32 for the first time, bringing the total to 104 matches, a 62.5 percent increase over the previous 64-match format. It is estimated that 5.5 million fans will attend the stadiums throughout the tournament.
Argentina arrives as the current world champion after its consecration in Qatar 2022, with Lionel Messi as a great reference in what could be its sixth and last World Cup. Spain appears as the public’s great favorite, followed by France, while Argentina and Brazil share fourth position. The tournament will also mark the debut of teams such as Uzbekistan, Jordan, Curacao and Cape Verde, and the return of Norway and Scotland after decades of absence.
The key data of the 2026 World Cup
- Start date: June 11, 2026 – Opening match: Mexico vs. South Africa at the Azteca Stadium, Mexico City
- Final date: July 19, 2026-End: New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium), capacity 82,500
- Host countries: United States, Mexico and Canada
- Participating selections: 48
- Total matches: 104
- Tournament duration: 39 days
- Number of locations: 16 stadiums in 16 cities
The 16 venues of the tournament are distributed among the three host countries as follows: The United States will contribute 11 cities, with the majority of the contest featuring matches in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Boston, Philadelphia, Kansas City, Seattle and San Francisco. Mexico will have three venues in Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara, while Canada will complete the World Cup map with Toronto and Vancouver.
Curious facts you should know
- The Azteca Stadium becomes the first venue to host three World Cup openings after the 1970 and 1986 editions.
- Mexico is the first country to host three World Cups in history.
- AT&T Stadium in Dallas is the stadium with the most games assigned with a total of 9 games.
- Hard Rock Stadium in Miami will host the third place game.
- SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles features a 6,500-square-meter double circular screen.
- Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field generates some of its power through 11,000 solar panels.
- Mexico City is the highest altitude venue for the tournament with 2,240 meters above sea level.
- FIFA projects revenues of more than $11 billion for the 2023-2026 cycle.
- More than 50,000 volunteers will be used in all operational areas of the tournament.
- Each team may call up to 26 players and must submit its final list 10 days before the opening match.
A final for history
The grand final of the 2026 World Cup will be held on July 19 at 3:00 PM local time at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the venue with the largest capacity in the tournament with space for 82,500 spectators. The road to that final will pass through Atlanta and Dallas, cities designated as venues for the semifinals, in a final that promises to be the most crowded in the history of world soccer.