The 2026 FIFA World Cup is just around the corner. Next June 11 will begin the largest competition in football, where 48 teams will compete to determine which is the best.
As the competition approaches, there are a number of questions among fans regarding the matches, the schedule, the important games and what the new World Cup format will be like.
Therefore, these are the 10 key questions to understand the 2026 World Cup before its start:
When does the World Cup start and when does it end?
The 2026 World Cup will begin on June 11 and end on July 19. It will last approximately 39 days, compared to other World Cups, such as Qatar, where 29 days of competition were recorded.
What will be the first match and at what time will it be in Guatemala?
The 2026 World Cup will have three opening matches, given that there are three host countries of the competition: Mexico, the United States and Canada.
The first match will be on June 11 and will pit the Mexican team against South Africa. In Guatemala, the match will begin at 11:30 am.
The next day, Friday, June 12, it will be Canada’s turn, which will face Bosnia and Herzegovina at 2:30 p.m.
Finally, that same June 12, at 5:30 p.m., the United States and Paraguay will face each other.
When will the World Cup final be?
On July 19, the two teams that manage to advance through all the qualifying phases will face each other.
The game will begin at 1:00 p.m. in Guatemala and will be played at MetLife Stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
What new changes will there be?
According to Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, this World Cup will have more participating teams: a total of 48. Therefore, around 104 matches will be played.
As there are a greater number of teams, the round of 32 phase will be implemented, before the round of 16, thus expanding the knockout rounds.
What must the teams do to advance to the knockout phase?
Twelve groups will make up the group stage, and each will have four teams.
The first two places in each group and the eight best third places will advance to the round of 32.
How many stadiums will host the World Cup matches?
The 2026 World Cup will be held in 16 different cities, distributed among the three host countries.
The games will be played in 11 cities in the United States, three in Mexico and two in Canada.
Will there be extra time and penalties in the group stage?
No. Group stage matches that end in a tie will be recorded that way, so both teams will get a point.
Overtime and penalty shootouts will take place only in the knockout rounds.
What are the favorite teams to win the World Cup?
According to aspects such as the FIFA ranking, the roster of players and their previous performance in their respective clubs, several teams are among the favorites to win the competition.
The most mentioned are:
- Spain
- France
- Argentina
- Brazil
- England
Other teams can surprise, such as Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Morocco and Uruguay.
Will there be VAR technology during the World Cup?
Since its implementation in the 2018 World Cup in Russia, this tool will also be present in this competition to support the referees in different plays. In addition, the semi-automatic system will be implemented to detect offsides.
How many substitutions will each team have per game?
Each selection will count with five substitutions during the match.
Read also: World Cup 2026: the figures that explain why it will be the largest tournament in history