2026 FIFA World Cup

2026 FIFA World Cup is an international football tournament scheduled to take place from 11 June to 19 July 2026, hosted jointly by the United States, Canada, and México. As of March 2026, the qualification and intercontinental playoff stages have been completed, and the participating nations have been confirmed. This tournament will be the first in history to feature 48 national teams and will also be the first World Cup organized by three countries together. A total of 104 matches have been scheduled for the tournament.

Historical Development and Expansion Decision

The decision to expand the number of participants in the World Cup from 32 to 48 was officially approved by FIFA in 2023. This expansion policy was developed in line with a strategy to extend football’s economic reach to Asia and Africa, as well as new global markets such as China and India. Although the group stage was initially planned to consist of 16 groups of three teams each, a decision made at the FIFA Council meeting in Rwanda changed the format to 12 groups of four teams.

Tournament Format and Progression

Under the new format, the 48 participating teams have been divided into 12 groups of four. Each team is scheduled to play three matches within its group. The top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will advance to the knockout stage, known as the Round of 32. In the event of a tie in group standings, the following criteria will be applied in order: head-to-head points, head-to-head goal difference, head-to-head goals scored, overall goal difference, overall goals scored, team fair-play points, and a draw of lots.

All knockout stage matches will be played as single-leg fixtures. With the format change, the number of matches a team must play to reach the final or third-place match has increased from seven to eight. Additionally, to preserve competitive integrity, a special draw system has been established to ensure that the highest-ranked teams, if they finish first in their group, will not face each other until the final.

Confederation Quotas and Qualification Processes

The expansion of the tournament to 48 teams has led to increased direct qualification slots for each confederation. Europe (UEFA) has 16 spots, Africa (CAF) has 9, Asia (AFC) has 8, South America (CONMEBOL) has 6, North and Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF) has 6 including the hosts, and Oceania (OFC) has 1.

The continental qualifiers and intercontinental playoffs concluded in March 2026. In the UEFA qualifiers, Türkiye finished second in its group, then advanced through the playoff stage by defeating Romania and Kosovo, securing its place in the World Cup for the first time in 24 years and being placed in Group D. Sweden, Czechia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina also successfully passed the UEFA playoff stage to qualify for the tournament.

The two final teams to qualify were determined through the intercontinental playoff tournament. The Democratic Republic of the Congo eliminated Jamaica, and Iraq defeated Bolivia 2–1 in the final match held at Estadio Monterrey to earn its place in the tournament. With this result, Iraq ended a 40-year absence from the World Cup, its last participation having been in 1986. As a result of these qualifiers, Uzbekistan, Jordan, Cape Verde, and Curaçao have qualified for the World Cup for the first time in their histories.

New Rules and Refereeing Practices

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) and FIFA have introduced a series of new rules effective for the 2026 World Cup to reduce stoppages and increase match tempo. The following rules have been adopted:

• Time Limits: Throw-ins and goal kicks must be taken within five seconds. Failure to do so will result in the throw-in being awarded to the opposing team, and a goal kick violation will result in a corner kick being awarded to the opponents.
• Player Substitution Time: Players leaving the field must exit within 10 seconds. If exceeded, the incoming substitute must wait at least one minute before entering, and the team must play with one fewer player during that period.
• Injury Intervention: In cases requiring medical attention on the field, the injured player must be taken to the sideline and remain there for at least one minute before returning to play. This rule does not apply to fouls that result in a card being shown to an opponent.
• Communication with Referees: Only team captains are authorized to communicate with or challenge the referee’s decisions. Any other player approaching the referee will be shown a yellow card.
• Expanded VAR Authority: The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system’s scope has been expanded to include incorrect corner kick awards and incorrect second yellow card decisions leading to a player’s dismissal.
• Denial of an Obvious Goal-Scoring Opportunity (DOGSO): The rule’s scope has been broadened to consider not only the player directly attacking the goal but also potential passing options available to attackers based on their positioning.

Groups and Schedule

The tournament will open on 11 June 2026 with a Group A match between México and South Africa at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, México. The final match, which will determine the champion, will be held on Sunday, 19 July 2026, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, United States. The groups, as drawn, are as follows:

• Group A: México, South Africa, South Korea, Czechia
• Group B: Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland
• Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
• Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, Türkiye
• Group E: Germany, Curaçao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
• Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia
• Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
• Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
• Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway
• Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
• Group K: Portugal, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia
• Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama