2026 World Cup, FIFA
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Discover the 48 teams taking part in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Canada, Mexico, USA™, including host cities, groups and game dates. Learn more with FIFA.
The group stage takes place from June 11-27. The top teams from each of the 12 groups along with eight third-place teams make up the 32-team knockout-round bracket. The World Cup final is scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The full World Cup match schedule can be found here on FIFA.com.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup finally gets underway this week, and you can follow all of the latest breaking news before Thursday’s opening group-stage game with The Athletic. We’d also love to hear from you before Mexico vs South Africa at the Estadio Azteca on Thursday. Get in touch by emailing live@theathletic.com.