Football's biggest event
How the World Cup 2026 works
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the biggest ever — 48 teams, three host countries, and a brand-new format. Here's how it all works, explained simply.
What is the World Cup?
The FIFA World Cup is the biggest tournament in football. It happens once every four years, and the best national teams on the planet all try to win it. In 2026 it's bigger than ever — and for the first time it's shared by three countries: the United States, Canada and Mexico, across 16 host cities.
How it works, step by step
- 48 teams qualify from all around the world — more than any World Cup before.
- They're split into 12 groups of four (Groups A to L). In your group you play all three other teams.
- Win = 3 points, draw = 1, lose = 0. The top two of every group — plus the eight best third-placed teams — go through. That's 32 teams into the knockouts.
- The knockouts: win or you're out. Round of 32 → Round of 16 → quarter-finals → semi-finals.
- The final on 19 July 2026 — one match, the whole world watching. Win it and you lift the World Cup. 🏆
Where are the games?
Across North America, in 16 cities. The opening match is at the famous Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, and the final is at MetLife Stadium near New York. Host cities include Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Atlanta, Miami, Boston, Philadelphia and New York/New Jersey (USA); Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey (Mexico); and Toronto and Vancouver (Canada).
Teams to watch
Some of the teams that always cause a stir at a World Cup:
Quick questions
How many teams are in the 2026 World Cup?
48 teams — the most ever. It's the first World Cup to grow from 32 to 48.
Why are there three host countries?
The USA, Canada and Mexico bid together, so the games are shared across all three. It's the first World Cup with three hosts.
What's new about the format?
With 48 teams there are now 12 groups instead of 8, and a new extra knockout round — the Round of 32 — before the Round of 16.