ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP

By Leo Hewitt-Provos

• DATES
• TEAMS
• VENUES
• TICKETS
• MARKETING
• RELEVANT INFORMATION

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here at Sports-Hop, we simply can’t believe we are only a year away from the biggest sporting event in the world, it feels like just yesterday when Kylian Mbappe gave his home nation hope to defeat Argentina in extra time only to get crushed on penalties during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar; and here we are only a year away from gathering millions of people to celebrate soccer once more- the world’s game.

In the World Cup’s bid book, FIFA addresses the following: “The FIFA World Cup is a singularly extraordinary event, and the greatest celebration of human togetherness in sport anywhere on the planet.”

We are truly underway to the road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with all major countries going through qualifying stages to claim one of the 48 spots available for what feels like the biggest footballing competition the world will ever see. In this article, we will explain in detail everything there is to know in regards to the qualification process and things to look out for one year before the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins.

 WHEN WILL THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP BEGIN?

 The tournament will begin on June 11th and end on July 19th 2026.

WHO WILL BE THE COUNTRY HOSTING THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP?

For the first time ever, the FIFA World Cup will be hosted by three different countries: the United States of America, Canada, and Mexico. The only other time the World Cup was hosted by more than one country was in 2002, when both Japan and South Korea held it.

DO WE/WILL WE KNOW WHO PARTICIPATES?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So far, seven countries have secured their spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. they are:

• United States of America (host nation)
• Canada (host nation)
• Mexico (host nation)
• Japan (Asian Football Confederation Group C winner)
• New Zealand (Oceania Football Confederation third round winners)
• Iran (Asian Football Confederation Group A winner/runner-up)
• Argentina (South American Football Confederation top six)

HOW MANY COUNTRIES WILL PLAY IN THE WORLD CUP?

 For the first time ever, 48 teams will compete in the World Cup, with a total of 104 games scheduled to take place throughout.

HOW WILL THE FORMAT WORK WITH 48 TEAMS?

 There will be 12 groups of 4 instead of 8 groups of 4, as previously seen. There will be a round of 32, and the top 8 ranking of third-placed teams in the original group stages will advance to the knockout stages, whilst the bottom 4 and every team finishing bottom of their respective groups will be automatically eliminated.

HOW MANY COUNTRIES FROM EACH CONTINENT WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE WORLD CUP? 

• 6 in the CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football)
• 6 in the CONMEBOL (The South American Football Confederation)
• 9 in the CAF (Confederation of African Football)
• 8 in the AFC (Asian Football Confederation)
• 1 in the OFC (Oceania Football Confederation)
• 16 in the UEFA (Union of European Football Associations)

WHAT ABOUT THE FINAL TWO SLOTS?

 The final two slots will be decided via inter-confederation play-off.

A tournament involving six teams will take place in March 2026: one team per confederation apart from UEFA – plus one additional team from the confederation of the host countries.

ARE QUALIFIERS TAKING PLACE RIGHT NOW?

Yes. Qualifying for the OFC concluded last month, whilst the CONMEBOL qualifiers will end in September 2025. Both the CAF AND CONCACAF qualifiers will end in November 2025, whilst the UEFA’s qualifiers will conclude in March 2026.

 

 

 

 

 

 

HOW DO THE QUALIFIERS WORK IN EACH CONFEDERATION? 

• In the Asian Football Confederation qualification stages, there are two games left to play.
• With 3 groups of 6 being played, the top 2 will automatically qualify.
• The 3rd and 4th teams of each group will advance to the 4th round.
• The 6 teams will then be divided into 2 groups of 3.
• The winners of both groups will qualify to the World Cup.
• The runners-up will compete in a two-legged playoff to determine the Asian representation in the inter-confederation playoff.

• In the Confederation of African Football qualification stages, there are four games left to play,
• With 9 groups of 6 other than one group (E) who only have 4 (Eritrea withdrew and Congo were disqualified after the government interference); whoever finishes top of the group will automatically qualify to the World Cup.
• The four best-ranked group runners-up will play a play-off game to determine which team will advance to the inter-confederation play-off. 

• In the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football, the qualification process is a little more complicated.
• There are 2 games left to play – with each team only playing their respective opponents
• There are 6 groups of 5 teams.
• The top 2 of each group will advance to the 3rd round
• The 3rd round involves being put into 3 groups of 4 teams
• The teams finishing top off will qualify to the World Cup
• The 2 best-ranked runners-up will advance to the inter-confederation play-off. 

• In the South American Football Confederation qualification stages, we have a much simpler format – as opposed to the CONCACAF -.
• There are 4 games left to be played.
• Argentina have already qualified
• There is only 1 group, consisting of 10 teams; the top 6 will automatically qualify, whilst the team finishing 7th will advance to the inter-confederation play-off. 

• In the Union of European Football Associations qualification stages, not a single game has yet to be played.
• There are 6 groups of 4 teams and 6 groups of 5 teams.
• The group winners will automatically qualify to the World Cup.
• The group runners-up and the four best Nations League group winners, based on the Nations League overall ranking, that finished outside the top two of their qualifying group) will be drawn into four play-offs, playing two rounds of single-match playoffs.
• The four path winners will qualify for the World Cup. 

ANY COUNTRIES LOOKING TO GAIN THE EDGE WHO HAVEN’T YET QUALIFIED? 

It’s too early to tell, but there a few teams who look in pole position to qualify; they are:

• South Korea are currently top of their respective groups but are only separated from 3rd placed Iraq, who have 4 less points with 2 crucial games left to be played.
• Australia too, who are currently second in their group (including Japan who have already qualified, impressing everybody) but only 3 points above 3rd place Saudi Arabia and 4 points above 4th place Indonesia.
• Egypt are top of their group, with a 5-point lead from Burkina Faso, but there are still games to be played. Same with South Africa. Morocco are only inches away from qualifying, having won 5 from 5. Nigeria is currently ranked 4th, but 2nd place Rwanda are only 1 point above them.
• Tunisia, Ghana, Algeria all look comfortable but there’s still a while to go.
• With only 2 games having been played in the CONCACAF, it’s too early to call it, although Curacao, Haiti, Nicaragua, Panama and Jamaica have all won their opening two games.
• With 4 games left to be played in the CONMEBOL, five-time winners Brazil still aren’t guaranteed a spot, whilst the bottom three in Chile, Peru and Bolivia will try to compete with Venezuela for the inter-confederation play-offs spot. BUT if Venezuela start racking up some wins, they could themselves hope to finish amongst the top 6.
• The UEFA qualification stages will be fascinating to follow, with the majority of the other confederations being done when the UEFA qualifiers begin.

ANY POTENTIAL SURPRISES, OR IS IT TOO EARLY TO TELL? 

France could actually have one of their own in the World Cup in 2026.

New Zealand defeated New Caledonia in the OFC final, but New Caledonia will play in the inter-confederation play-off for a historic spot in the grandest of stages. 

They are the team to look out for.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HOW MANY MATCHES WILL BE PLAYED IN EACH COUNTRY? 

Both Mexico and Canada are set to host 13 games each, whilst the USA will host the other 78.

HOW MANY CITIES WILL BE HOSTING THE WORLD CUP? 

Three in Mexico (Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey), Two in Canada (Vancouver and Toronto), 11 in the USA (Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, Kansas City, Atlanta, Miami, Boston, Philadelphia, and New York/New Jersey)

WHAT STADIUMS WILL BE USED?

 

 

 

 

 

 

USA:

Dallas Stadium – Arlington, Texas (capacity 94,000)

New York New Jersey Stadium – East Rutherford, New Jersey (capacity 82,500)

Atlanta Stadium – Atlanta, Georgia (capacity 75,000)

Kansas City Stadium – Kansas City, Missouri (73,000)

Houston Stadium – Houston, Texas (capacity 72,000)

San Francisco Bay Area Stadium – Santa Clara, California (71,000)

Los Angeles Stadium – Inglewood, California (70,000)

Philadelphia Stadium – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (69,000)

Seattle Stadium – Seattle, Washington (capacity 69,000)

Boston Stadium – Foxborough, Massachusetts (65,000)

Miami Stadium – Miami Gardens, Florida (capacity 65,000)

Canada:

 Toronto Stadium – Toronto (capacity: 45,000)

BC Place Vancouver – Vancouver (capacity 54,000)

Mexico:

 Estadio Azteca Mexico City – Mexico City (capacity 83,000)

Estadio Monterrey – Guadalupe (capacity 53,500)

Estadio Guadalajara – Zapopan (capacity 48,000)

WHERE WILL THE FINAL BE PLAYED?

 At the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

 I WANT TO KNOW WHAT GAME WILL BE PLAYED IN MY CITY. WOULD I BE ABLE TO KNOW THIS RIGHT NOW?

 Absolutely, yes. The only thing you won’t be able to know is which fixture you are going to attend, as the tournament’s draw will take place in December 2025.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CAN I BUY TICKETS RIGHT NOW?

Tickets aren’t being sold yet, with FIFA seemingly indicating that tickets will be sold later this year.

WHEN WAS THE LAST WORLD CUP HELD AND WHO HOSTED IT?

The last World Cup was held in Qatar in 2022, the only World Cup that was hosted by a Middle Eastern country and remains, to date, the only World Cup to have been played in the winter due to severe heat conditions that would have affected everybody had it been played in the summer.

WHO ARE THE REIGNING CHAMPIONS?

 Argentina defeated France on penalties.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ANY FAVORITES TO WIN IT? 

   → Argentina is looking to add a fourth World Cup win and the first back-to-back World Cup win since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
   → France – With seemingly yet another golden generation coming through, France will be a force to be reckoned with.
   → England – with Thomas Tuchel in charge, do England have what it takes?
   → Brazil – with arguably the best players in the world in every position on the field, can they do it? Brazil hasn’t won the World Cup in 23 years. The only issue being the chemistry between the players within the squad. 

   → The United States of America:

 With a new format being played for the first time ever, the United States could qualify for the round of 32 if they have a favorable draw, and in the knockout stages, it is everybody’s game. With the crowd being behind their home nation, anything could happen. There is enough talent in the US men’s team to progress to the quarterfinals and then push to win a historic World Cup. Not to rule out, you’ve heard it here first, folks.