FIFA World Cup 2026: everything you need to know about soccer’s biggest tournament
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The countdown is on for the FIFA World Cup 2026™, and with the world's biggest sporting event just days away, many fans are asking the same questions: When are the games? When is your favorite team playing? And where can you watch?
Here's everything you need to know about the historic tournament coming to North America this summer.
It is the biggest World Cup ever; the 2026 FIFA World Cup will make history as the largest. For the first time, 48 national teams will compete for soccer's biggest prize, up from the previous format, which featured 32 teams.
The expanded tournament means more matches, more countries represented, and more opportunities for fans around the globe to see their teams compete on the world's biggest stage, as it will have three host nations for one single tournament.
Another first for FIFA: the World Cup will be jointly hosted by three countries.
The United States, Mexico and Canada will welcome teams and fans across 16 host cities throughout North America. Stadiums in all three countries will host group-stage and knockout-round matches during the month-long tournament:
- Toronto – Toronto Stadium
- Vancouver – Vancouver Stadium
- Guadalajara – Guadalajara Stadium
- Mexico City – Mexico City Stadium
- Monterrey – Monterrey Stadium
- Atlanta – Atlanta Stadium
- Boston – Boston Stadium
- Dallas – Dallas Stadium
- Houston – Houston Stadium
- Kansas City – Kansas City Stadium
- Los Angeles – Los Angeles Stadium
- Miami – Miami Stadium
- New York/New Jersey – New York/New Jersey Stadium
- Philadelphia – Philadelphia Stadium
- San Francisco Bay Area – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium
- Seattle – Seattle Stadium
The tournament begins Thursday, June 11, and will feature a record 104 matches before a champion is crowned on July 19.
Now, how will this year's edition work?
The competition begins with the group stage, where all 48 teams will be divided into 12 groups of four teams each.
Every team will play three group-stage matches.
The top two teams from each group will automatically advance to the knockout stage. In addition, the eight best third-place teams across all groups will also qualify.
That means 32 teams will move on to the knockout rounds, which now begin with a new Round of 32.
From there, teams will advance through the traditional Round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and ultimately the World Cup Final.
The World Cup's opening match will feature Mexico, as it will kick off the tournament on June 11 when it faces South Africa at Mexico City Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. El Paso time.
Meanwhile, the United States Men's National Team will begin its World Cup campaign Friday, June 12, against Paraguay at Los Angeles Stadium. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. local time.
Canada will also be looking to make a deep run on home soil as one of the tournament's host nations.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final is scheduled for Sunday, July 19, at New York/New Jersey Stadium, where one nation will lift the sport's most coveted trophy.
Defending champion Argentina enters the tournament among the favorites, while traditional powers such as Brazil, France, England, Germany, Spain, and host nation Mexico are expected to contend for the title.
With more teams, more matches, and three host countries, FIFA expects the 2026 World Cup to be the largest and most-watched tournament in the competition's history.
Fans can find the complete match schedule, scores, fixtures, standings, and broadcast information on FIFA's official World Cup website throughout the tournament.
Whether you're following the United States, Mexico, Canada, or another national team, FIFA's online platforms provide up-to-date information on every match from the opening kickoff through the championship final.
For more information about this year's World Cup and coverage throughout the tournament, visit KVIA.com.
