The biggest tournament of Football FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to start from June and for the first ever, the tournament will be hosted by three countries: United States, Canada and Mexico. The matches will played across 16 cities with an expanded 48-team format, making it the largest World Cup ever staged.
Here is everything you need to know about the dates, host cities, venues, and tournament format.
When is the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
The tournament will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026, returning to the traditional summer schedule after the winter World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
Opening match: June 11, 2026
Final: July 19, 2026
Total duration: 39 days
Total matches: 104
Teams participating: 48
The 2026
FIFA World Cup opening match is scheduled for Thursday, June 11, 2026, featuring host nation Mexico against South Africa at the Estadio Azteca (Mexico City Stadium) in Mexico City.
Host Cities & Stadiums
A total of 16 cities across North America will host matches during the tournament. These cities will stage all 104 matches of the expanded World Cup.
United States (11 cities)▪︎ AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas
▪︎ GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri
▪︎ Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts
▪︎ Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida
▪︎ Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California
▪︎ Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia
▪︎ Lumen Field in Seattle
▪︎ Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta
▪︎ MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey
▪︎ NRG Stadium in Houston
▪︎ SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California
Mexico (3 Cities)▪︎ Estadio Akron in Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico
▪︎ Estadio Banorte in Mexico City
▪︎ Estadio BBVA in Guadalupe, Nuevo León, Mexico
Canada (2 Cities)▪︎ BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia
▪︎ BMO Field in Toronto
New Tournament Format (48 Teams)
The 2026 edition will introduce a new expanded format of 48 teams instead of 32. 12 groups of 4 teams each in which top two teams from each group and eight best third-placed teams will advance to knockout stage. Teams will compete with round of 32, round of 16, quarterfinals and semifinals - before reaching the World Cup final.
Prize Money Distribution of the 2026 FIFA World Cup
The total prize pool for the tournament stands at 727 million Dollar (approximately Rs 6,68,840,000,000 or Rs 66,884 crore), making it the most lucrative FIFA World Cup in history.
The prize money is divided into three main sections:
1. Performance-based distribution: $655 million will be distributed among the participating teams based on their performance in the tournament. In Indian currency, this amounts to roughly Rs 60,260 crore.
2. Winner’s Prize: The national association of the champion team will receive $50 million. This equals approximately Rs 460 crore, the highest winner’s prize in FIFA World Cup history.
3. Runner-up Prize: The second-place team will earn $33 million, which is around Rs 304 crore.
A Historic Tournament Ahead
With an increased number of teams, matches, and host cities, the 2026 FIFA World Cup promises to be one of the most ambitious sporting events ever organized. The joint hosting by USA, Canada, and Mexico is expected to bring football fans from around the world to North America for a month-long celebration of the sport.
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