FIFA World Cup 2026

"2026 World Cup" redirects here. For other international competitions of that name, see 2026 World Cup (disambiguation).

2026 FIFA World Cup

Copa Mundial de la FIFA 2026  (Spanish) Coupe du Monde de la FIFA 2026  (French)
Tournament details
Host countries	Canada Mexico United States
Dates	11 June – 19 July
Teams	48 (from 6 confederations)
Venue(s)	16 (in 16 host cities)
Tournament statistics
Matches played
Goals scored	( per match)
Attendance	( per match)
Top scorer(s)

FIFA World Cup 2026 represents the 23rd edition of this quadrennial international men's soccer championship, contested by national teams representing FIFA's member associations. The tournament commenced on 11 June 2026 and is scheduled to conclude on 19 July 2026. This historic tournament features joint hosting across 16 cities, distributed among 11 locations in the United States, 3 in Mexico, and 2 in Canada. The competition marks two significant firsts: it is the inaugural FIFA World Cup to be co-hosted by three nations, and it introduces an expanded format featuring 48 participating teams, representing an increase from the previous 32-team structure.

The United 2026 bid triumphed over Morocco's competing candidacy during the decisive vote at the 68th FIFA Congress held in Moscow. This multi-national hosting arrangement marks the first World Cup since 2002 to involve more than one country. Mexico, having previously hosted the tournaments in 1970 and 1986, achieves the distinction of becoming the first nation to serve as host or co-host for three separate World Cup events. The United States brings its hosting experience from the 1994 tournament, while Canada participates in its inaugural World Cup hosting experience. The tournament has reverted to its traditional Northern Hemisphere summer scheduling, following the unconventional November-December timeframe utilised for the World Cup 2022 in Qatar.

As host nations, Canada, Mexico, and the United States have earned automatic qualification for the tournament. The competition introduces four nations to World Cup participation for the first time: Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan. Argentina enters as the defending champion, having secured their third World Cup title in the 2022 tournament.

Format

Expansion

The concept of tournament expansion had been initially proposed as early as 2013 by then UEFA president Michel Platini, and subsequently revived in 2016 by current FIFA president Gianni Infantino. The proposal encountered significant opposition from various quarters, who contended that the existing match schedule had already reached unsustainable levels, that expansion would compromise competitive quality, and that the decision reflected political considerations rather than sporting merit. Critics specifically accused Infantino of leveraging the promise of increased global participation to secure his presidential election victory.

Beginning with this edition, the FIFA World Cup has expanded to accommodate 48 participating nations, representing an increase of 16 teams compared to the previous seven tournaments. As formally approved by the FIFA Council on 14 March 2023, the competition structure features 12 groups comprising 4 teams each, with the top two finishers from every group and the eight highest-ranking third-place finishers advancing to a newly established round of 32.

This represents the first substantial expansion and format modification since the 1998 tournament. The overall match count has increased from 64 to 104, while teams advancing to the semifinal stage will now participate in 8 matches rather than the previous 7. The tournament's duration extends to 39 days, an increase from the 32-day format utilised in both the 2014 and 2018 tournaments. Each participating team continues to compete in three group stage matches. The final club-level fixture day for players included in final squads is scheduled for 24 May 2026; clubs must release their players by 25 May, with exceptions permitted for those competing in continental club competition finals until 30 May. The combined period encompassing rest, release, and tournament phases remains consistent at 56 days, matching the duration of the 2010, 2014, and 2018 tournaments.

Other expansion formats proposed

The expansion to 48 teams had already received approval on 10 January 2017, when it was initially determined that the tournament would feature 16 groups comprising 3 teams each, with 80 matches in total, and the top two teams from every group progressing to a round of 32. Under this format that was subsequently superseded, the maximum number of matches per team would have remained at seven, though each team would have participated in one fewer group match than previously. The tournament would still have been completed within 32 days. This format was selected over three alternative proposals, which ranged from 40 to 48 teams, 76 to 88 matches, and one to four minimum matches per team.

Critics of this format contended that the implementation of three-team groups with two teams advancing substantially heightened the risk of collusion among teams. This situation prompted FIFA to propose that penalty shootouts could be employed to prevent draws in the group stage, although even with this measure, some risk of collusion would persist, and there emerged the possibility of teams deliberately losing shootouts to eliminate rivals. To address these concerns, FIFA continued evaluating alternative formats—a process that concluded with the 2023 announcement that the format would be restructured to 12 groups of 4 teams.

New Rules

The FIFA World Cup 2026 introduces several significant rule modifications designed primarily to minimise time-wasting, implemented in accordance with IFAB regulations. The new tournament regulations include:

• 10-second substitutions: Players being substituted are required to exit the pitch within 10 seconds; otherwise, the substitute must await one minute before entering the match.
• 5-second restarts: Referees may display a visual 5-second countdown for throw-ins and goal kicks when time-wasting is suspected. If the ball is not placed into play within the allotted time, possession is awarded to the opposing team.
• Medical treatment: Any outfield player receiving medical attention on the pitch must vacate the field and wait for one minute before returning to play.
• Expanded video assistant referee (VAR): VAR now possesses expanded authority to review and overturn clear errors regarding second yellow cards, incorrectly awarded corner kicks, mistaken identity situations, and certain attacking fouls.
• Mouth-covering red cards: To prevent confrontational or insulting behavior concealed from lip-reading, any player who covers their mouth with hand, arm, or shirt while confronting an opponent is subject to immediate red card dismissal.
• Player leaving the pitch in protest: Players or officials who exit the field in protest are to be shown a red card.

The tiebreaker procedures for tied teams finishing the group stage with equal points have been modified. The primary tiebreaker is now the number of points earned in head-to-head matches between the tied teams, rather than goal difference.

Breaks

Cooling and hydration breaks, initially introduced at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, have been expanded for the FIFA World Cup 2026. FIFA has implemented mandatory 3-minute hydration breaks during every half for all matches. These pauses in play permit broadcasters to run commercial advertisements during the designated intervals.