FIFA World Cup 2026

The FIFA World Cup was first contested in Uruguay in 1930, when hosts Uruguay beat Argentina in the Final in Montevideo. It has been held every four years since, apart from 1942 and 1946 during the Second World War. Brazil are the record holders with five titles (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002); Germany and Italy have each won it four times; Argentina three; Uruguay and France twice; and England and Spain one apiece. The 2026 tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico is the 23rd edition and marks the first ever staged jointly by three federations, and the first with 48 teams.

48 nations are drawn into 12 groups of four. Each team plays three group-stage matches. The top two from each group plus the eight best third-placed teams progress to a 32-team knockout round, followed by a Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, third-place play-off and Final — 104 matches in total. Knockout ties are decided by 90 minutes, 30 minutes of extra time, and penalty shoot-outs if scores remain level.

Confederation allocations for 2026 are: AFC 8, CAF 9, CONCACAF 6 (plus three automatic host spots for the US, Canada and Mexico), CONMEBOL 6, OFC 1, UEFA 16. Two additional places are decided through an intercontinental play-off tournament played in the host countries in the days before the group stage begins. Each confederation runs its own qualifying pathway, but the play-off format is common: six nations from five confederations compete in a mini-tournament for the last two spots.

• Mexico City (Mexico) — Estadio Azteca. The only stadium to host World Cup Finals in 1970 and 1986, and now the opening match of 2026.
• New York/New Jersey (United States) — MetLife Stadium. Host of the Final on 19 July 2026.
• Toronto (Canada) — BMO Field. Canada's first World Cup match will be played here.
• Vancouver (Canada) — BC Place. West coast host with a retractable roof stadium.
• Los Angeles (United States) — SoFi Stadium. The Rams and Chargers' NFL home, hosting group and knockout matches.
• Dallas (United States) — AT&T Stadium. Home of the Dallas Cowboys, hosting nine World Cup matches.
• Houston (United States) — NRG Stadium. Retractable-roof stadium hosting group-stage fixtures.
• Miami (United States) — Hard Rock Stadium. Also home of Inter Miami CF and the Miami Dolphins.
• Atlanta (United States) — Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Retractable-roof venue hosting eight matches, including a semi-final.
• Boston (United States) — Gillette Stadium. Foxborough venue with capacity for 65,000.
• Philadelphia (United States) — Lincoln Financial Field. Home of the Philadelphia Eagles NFL side.
• Seattle (United States) — Lumen Field. One of the loudest stadiums in North American sport.
• San Francisco Bay Area (United States) — Levi's Stadium. Santa Clara venue hosting group and knockout matches.
• Kansas City (United States) — Arrowhead Stadium. Iconic NFL venue hosting six World Cup fixtures.
• Guadalajara (Mexico) — Estadio Akron. Home of Chivas and Mexico's principal secondary venue.
• Monterrey (Mexico) — Estadio BBVA. Modern 53,000-seat venue completing Mexico's three host cities.

• Most World Cup titles: Brazil — five titles (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002).
• Most goals in a single tournament: Just Fontaine, 13 goals for France at Sweden 1958 — a record that has stood for nearly 70 years.
• All-time top scorer: Miroslav Klose, 16 goals across four World Cups for Germany (2002-2014).
• Most World Cup appearances by a player: Lionel Messi, 26 matches across five tournaments (2006-2022).
• Youngest World Cup winner: Pelé, aged 17 years 249 days at Sweden 1958 when Brazil beat the hosts 5-2.
• Biggest Final win: Brazil 5-2 Sweden (1958). Also matched by margin in Germany 3-0 Yugoslavia is not a Final — the record stands with Brazil.
• First 48-team World Cup: 2026 — the first tournament with the expanded format, 12 groups of four and a 32-team knockout.