Key facts at a glance
The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs from Thursday, 11 June 2026 to Sunday, 19 July 2026 across 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The opening match is at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, while the final is in the New York/New Jersey area at MetLife Stadium. Semi-finals are scheduled for Dallas and Atlanta, with the bronze final in Miami. The tournament uses a regionalized schedule to reduce travel, and Dallas will host nine matches, the most of any host city.
The event features a 48-team format with 104 matches and a group stage of 12 groups of four teams, followed by a knockout phase that begins with a round of 32.
Tournament dates, opening match, and final venue
FIFA’s official schedule announcement confirms the opening fixture at Estadio Azteca on Thursday, 11 June 2026, and the final at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, 19 July 2026. The announcement also notes that Canada and the United States will play their opening matches on Friday, 12 June in Toronto and Los Angeles, respectively, and that the schedule is deliberately regionalized to minimize travel.
For a visual overview, FIFA’s one-page match schedule PDF lays out the competition calendar, regional zones, and the placement of the knockout rounds, including the bronze final and semi-finals.
The new 48-team format, explained
The 2026 World Cup expands from 32 to 48 teams. Instead of 8 groups of 4, the tournament uses 12 groups of 4. The top two teams in each group advance, joined by the eight best third-placed teams, forming a round-of-32 bracket. The total match count rises to 104, maintaining competitive balance and ensuring each team plays at least three group matches.
FIFA’s planning for the regionalized schedule increases rest days and aims to deliver favorable conditions and shorter fan travel when following a specific team.
Final Draw timing: when groups are revealed
FIFA states that the Final Draw for the 2026 World Cup will take place in Washington, D.C., at the Kennedy Center on Friday, 5 December 2025. This draw will finalize the group configurations, initial matchups, and the cascade of fixtures that follow.
Qualification paths and slot allocation by confederation
With 48 finalists, FIFA’s slot allocation provides more direct berths and a new inter-confederation play-off tournament to decide the last two places. The Council’s 2017 decision established the following direct allocations: AFC 8, CAF 9, Concacaf 6, CONMEBOL 6, OFC 1, UEFA 16, with a six-team play-off to determine two additional qualifiers. In co-hosting scenarios, hosts receive automatic berths, drawn from their confederation’s quota.
FIFA’s explainer on qualifying clarifies that Canada, Mexico, and the USA have automatic places as hosts, and it outlines how the remaining Concacaf places are decided via qualifying and the March 2026 play-off tournament that includes two Concacaf teams and one each from AFC, CAF, CONMEBOL, and OFC.
Host cities and stadiums
FIFA lists 16 host cities across North America. These are Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Guadalajara, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Miami, Monterrey, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Toronto, and Vancouver. The FIFA venues page provides the authoritative list and is updated as host-city content is published.
The schedule announcement further reveals key match assignments: Estadio Azteca hosts the opener, Los Angeles and Toronto host the first matches for the USA and Canada, Miami hosts the bronze final, and Dallas and Atlanta host the semi-finals. Dallas is set to stage nine matches, the highest number for any city.
For fans planning itineraries around the official master calendar, FIFA’s downloadable schedule provides the regionalized East, Central, and West blocks to help cluster travel.
Tickets and hospitality: how the sales phases work
FIFA’s ticketing portal covers the 11 June–19 July 2026 event window and is the official place to register and apply. Sales are organized in multiple phases, beginning with a Visa Presale Draw application period that opened on 10 September 2025, followed by additional phases running through to the final. Hospitality packages are available via FIFA’s appointed provider, On Location. For the most accurate information, monitor FIFA’s ticketing pages and official updates.
Practical tips for long-tail ticket queries and SEO:
- Create alerts for “Visa Presale Draw,” “Early Ticket Draw,” and “Team-Specific Series” phases, and consult the FAQs for details on payment methods and ID requirements.
- Consider hospitality if you need bundled certainty, premium seating, or corporate hosting, as these often have different inventories and timelines.
- For the opening match at Azteca and the final at MetLife, demand is highest; plan bid strategies early during randomized draw windows.
Mascots, brand, and host-city identities
FIFA unveiled a trio of official mascots in September 2025: Maple the Moose for Canada, Zayu the Jaguar for Mexico, and Clutch the Bald Eagle for the United States. Their design celebrates the culture and biodiversity of each host nation in a unified creative system.
The tournament’s brand platform “WE ARE 26” debuted in Los Angeles in 2023, featuring a first-ever emblem concept that pairs the actual World Cup Trophy image with the tournament year. Host cities also have unique brand marks that localize the identity for each destination.
Fan Festival and city-level experiences
FIFA’s official Fan Festival will take place across the 16 host cities, a first for a tournament co-hosted by three nations. These sites serve as central destinations with live match broadcasts, music, and cultural programming, allowing visitors without match tickets to join the spectacle safely and officially.
FIFA and local organizers are also coordinating legacy and cultural initiatives around venues, parks, and public spaces, including city-specific projects like Philadelphia’s Lemon Hill site.
Playing surfaces, technology, and operations
FIFA requires natural-grass fields for its premier tournaments, which means several North American stadiums traditionally using artificial turf are undertaking temporary natural-grass installations and related turf innovation programs in advance of 2026. This work has been trialed and refined through major 2024–2025 events and turf research efforts in North America.
On the technology side, FIFA continues to advance officiating tools such as VAR and semi-automated offside, with recent innovations trialed at the 2025 Club World Cup to speed decisions and enhance transparency for in-stadium audiences. These experiments inform 2026 operations and fan experience.
Travel planning across three countries and time zones
With matches spread across East, Central, and West regions, the official match schedule is intentionally clustered. Fans following a single team should plan city hops within the same region whenever possible to reduce cost and fatigue. Consider booking flexible fares around the Final Draw window in December 2025, when fixtures and specific venues per team are set.
Practical long-tail tips that searchers ask for:
- Anchor travel around the opening match in Mexico City or the final in the New York/New Jersey area, then add secondary experiences such as museum days, stadium tours, and Fan Festival outings.
- For semi-final chasers, Dallas and Atlanta will be the places to be; Miami hosts the bronze final. These cities will likely see peak accommodation demand near those dates.
- If you want the “most matches per trip” approach, track Dallas, which is slated to host nine matches.
- If you’re mixing fan zones with stadium days, check each host city’s official channels for Fan Festival hours, capacity policies, and accessibility details.
Understanding the official schedule map
The downloadable one-page schedule is powerful for itinerary design. It shows the 39-day progression, the three regional clusters, and how rest days are baked in across 103 of the 104 matches. Use it to pair your flight and rail searches with specific matchdays and keep buffers between knockout rounds.
How many games in each country?
The United States is the primary host, with additional matches staged in Canada and Mexico. Reporting indicates the U.S. will stage the majority of games, with Canada and Mexico hosting significant slates including host-nation openers and group matches. As of mid-2025 coverage, estimates cited 78 U.S. fixtures and 13 each for Canada and Mexico; always verify counts against FIFA’s evolving schedule and city-level announcements as assignments and kickoff times are finalized.
What will change after the Final Draw?
Once the Final Draw is held in Washington, D.C. on 5 December 2025, the headline changes for fans are precise group placements, the first wave of team-specific travel paths, and the opening of new ticket phases tailored to the defined fixtures. If you are optimizing for price and convenience, target mid-week group games and stadiums with larger capacities.
The inter-confederation play-off in March 2026
The last two places for the 48-team field will be decided in March 2026 in North America. This six-team mini-tournament features two teams from Concacaf and one each from the AFC, CAF, CONMEBOL, and OFC regions, with two seeded entrants based on the FIFA ranking. The event doubles as an operational test ahead of the World Cup.
Sustainability, human rights, and host-city plans
FIFA’s Sustainability & Human Rights Strategy for 2026 outlines environmental, social, economic, and governance pillars. These frameworks guide host-city environmental plans, transport initiatives, and community engagement, including Indigenous collaboration and legacy programs. Fans should look for public transport boosts, venue accessibility enhancements, and city-specific environmental commitments.
City-by-city snapshots for itinerary keywords
Below is a compact overview to help match common long-tail searches such as “World Cup 2026 [city] matches,” “stadium name,” and “what’s special there.” Always cross-check the official schedule and local pages as kickoff times and pairings are finalized after the Draw.
Mexico City (Estadio Azteca)
Opener, iconic venue with World Cup history. A magnet for early-round itineraries and neutral-fan bucket lists.
Guadalajara
Part of Mexico’s early tournament rhythm, often paired with Mexico City for opening-week combo trips.
Monterrey
Modern venue, strong group-stage presence, useful for fans combining northern Mexico with Texas.
Toronto
Hosts Canada’s first match on 12 June; excellent rail and flight links for multi-city Canada itineraries.
Vancouver
Pacific Northwest hub with Fan Festival programming and links to Seattle for two-city match runs.
Los Angeles
Hosts the USA’s first match on 12 June; a major junction for West-region travel and hospitality options.
San Francisco Bay Area
West-region match cluster, often combined with LA or Seattle in travel plans.
Seattle
Significant upgrades ahead of 2026 and a strong soccer culture; easy pairing with Vancouver for a two-country trip.
Kansas City
Central-region anchor with fan-friendly downtown scene and overland links to Dallas.
Dallas
Hosts nine matches, the most of any city, and one of the semi-finals. Expect peak demand and premium hospitality interest.
Houston
Stadium modifications and natural grass installation planned; a practical base for Central-region fixtures.
Atlanta
Semi-final site with extensive stadium enhancements; a prime target city for late-tournament travel.
Miami
Hosts the bronze final; strong international flight network and beach-season crowding to factor into bookings.
New York/New Jersey
Final venue; schedule and security will drive peak hotel pricing around the final weekend.
Boston and Philadelphia
East-region hubs with distinctive city branding and Fan Festival planning, suitable for multi-city day trips by rail.
Frequently asked questions for searchers
What are the exact dates for the 2026 World Cup?
The tournament runs from 11 June to 19 July 2026.
Where are the opening match and final?
The opener is at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on 11 June; the final is at MetLife Stadium (New York/New Jersey) on 19 July.
How does the 48-team format work?
There are 12 groups of four; the top two in each group plus the eight best third-placed teams advance to a round of 32, for a total of 104 matches.
When is the Final Draw?
The Final Draw is scheduled for 5 December 2025 in Washington, D.C., at the Kennedy Center.
How do I get tickets?
Use FIFA’s ticketing portal and follow the listed sales phases, which began with a Visa Presale Draw on 10 September 2025, with additional phases through the tournament. Hospitality is available via On Location.
Where can I watch without a match ticket?
Head to the official Fan Festival sites in each host city; they are designed as safe, curated destinations for live broadcasts and entertainment.
Are there official mascots?
Yes. Maple the Moose (Canada), Zayu the Jaguar (Mexico), and Clutch the Bald Eagle (USA) were unveiled in September 2025.
Will stadiums use natural grass?
Yes. FIFA requires natural-grass surfaces for its premier events; North American venues with artificial turf are installing temporary natural grass and related systems, drawing on recent research and test events.
Conclusion
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the largest edition in history, spanning 39 days, three countries, and 16 cities, with a new 48-team format and a regionalized schedule designed for players and fans alike. From the opening whistle at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca on 11 June to the final at MetLife Stadium on 19 July, key milestones include the Final Draw in Washington, D.C. and multi-phase ticket windows. Anchoring plans around official resources ensures your itinerary, content strategy, or ticket approach stays accurate as match assignments, timings, and city-level details are finalized.
