The guide to the 2026 World Cup: where it will be played, which stadiums will be used, the dates, the prize money, the format, and the scheduled matches.
The 2026 World Cup is approaching, and while qualifying continues across every continent (for the final stage, with play-offs), an edition destined to mark a historic turning point for international football is taking shape. For the first time, the competition will be hosted by three countries simultaneously—United States, Mexico, and Canada—and will bring with it a profound revolution in its format.
It’s not just a matter of geography: the tournament will introduce the new 48-team format, expanding the final stage and increasing the number of matches. This change was desired by FIFA to make the World Cup even more global and inclusive.
Here is a complete and updated guide to the 2026 World Cup: from the dates to the schedule, including the groups, stadiums, prize money, and all the useful information to follow the competition.
2026 World Cup: the new format
The real revolution of the 2026 World Cup is the new format, which will take the competition to a level never seen before. For the first time in history, the final phase will feature 48 national teams, compared to 32 in previous editions.
The tournament structure was officially finalized in 2023: teams will be divided into twelve groups of four, definitively abandoning the initial hypothesis of groups of three. This decision ensures greater balance and competitiveness, avoiding the risk of meaningless matches.
At the end of the group stage, the top two teams from each group will advance to the round of 32, along with the eight best third-placed teams. From that point, a longer knockout stage will begin than in the past, with a total of 104 matches overall—an all-time record.
The redistribution of spots among the confederations favors Africa, Asia, and also Europe, with the latter increasing from 13 to 16 qualified teams.
A longer, richer, and more global World Cup: a transformation that will forever change the face of the competition.
Where will the 2026 World Cup be held?
The 2026 World Cup will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, marking the first edition organized by three countries and the second overall with joint management after the 2002 edition between South Korea and Japan.
The award was made in 2018 during the FIFA Congress in Moscow, where the joint bid "United 2026" clearly beat out Morocco’s with 134 votes to 65. It is a solid project, based on existing infrastructure and a rapidly expanding football market.
Mexico will make history by becoming the first country to host the World Cup three times (after 1970 and 1986), while the United States will host it again after 1994. For Canada, however, it will be a first.
Sixteen cities will be involved: eleven in the United States, three in Mexico, and two in Canada. This distribution reflects the logistical and organizational weight of the bid, with the USA taking the lion’s share.
The opening match will be played on June 11, 2026 at the historic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, while the final is scheduled for July 19 at the MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey.
A choice that combines tradition and modernity, bringing the World Cup to iconic cities and state-of-the-art stadiums. Will it work in terms of spectacle and audience response?
All the teams qualified for the 2026 World Cup
The list of qualified teams for the 2026 World Cup is still evolving, but most are already confirmed. The three host nations—United States, Mexico, and Canada—have automatically qualified.
AFC (Asia)
- Japan, Iran, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Jordan, Australia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia
CAF (Africa)
- Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Ghana, Cape Verde, South Africa, Ivory Coast, Senegal
CONMEBOL (South America)
- Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, Paraguay, Uruguay
CONCACAF (North and Central America)
- United States, Mexico, Canada, Panama, Curaçao, Haiti
UEFA (Europe)
- England, France, Croatia, Portugal, Norway, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Scotland, Spain, Austria, Belgium (plus four more teams still to be determined via play-offs)
OFC (Oceania)
- New Zealand
Among the most interesting new entries are the debuts of Uzbekistan, Jordan, Cape Verde, and Curaçao, a sign of a A tournament increasingly open to new footballing realities, sometimes even at the expense of competitiveness.
There are still six spots to be filled, between European and intercontinental play-offs, which will complete the final list of 48 participants.
2026 World Cup Group Draw
The 2026 World Cup Group Draw took place on December 5, 2025 in Washington. The 48 teams were divided into twelve groups.
Here are some of the main groups:
Group A
- Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, playoff winner
Group B
- Canada, playoff winner, Qatar, Switzerland (Italy could qualify here)
Group C
- Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
Group D
- United States, Paraguay, Australia, playoff winner
Group E
- Germany, Curaçao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
Group F
- Netherlands, Japan, playoff winner, Tunisia
Group G
- Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Group H
- Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
Group I
- France, Senegal, playoff winner, Norway
Group J
- Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
Group K
- Portugal, playoff winner, Uzbekistan, Colombia
Group L
- England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
A balanced draw with several open groups, where emerging teams could surprise.
World Cup 2026: Schedule and Match Dates
The World Cup 2026 schedule has been precisely defined and will cover just over a month, from June 11 to July 19.
The group stage will consist of three matchdays:
- Matchday One: June 11-18
- Matchday Two: June 18-24
- Matchday Three: June 24-28
The knockout stage will then begin:
- Round of 32: June 28 – July 3
- Round of 16: July 4-7
- Quarterfinals: July 9-11
- Semifinals: July 14-15
- Third-place match: July 18
- Final: July 19
A packed schedule, designed to ensure non-stop action and global coverage of the event.
Where is the World Cup being played? All stadiums involved
16 stadiums will be involved in the 2026 World Cup, spread across three countries.
United States (11 stadiums)
- Atlanta – Mercedes-Benz Stadium (71,000+)
- Boston – Gillette Stadium (65,000+)
- Dallas – AT&T Stadium (80,000+)
- Houston – NRG Stadium (72,000)
- Kansas City – Arrowhead Stadium (76,000)
- Los Angeles – SoFi Stadium (87,000)
- Miami – Hard Rock Stadium (67,000)
- New York/New Jersey – MetLife Stadium (82,000)
- Philadelphia – Lincoln Financial Field (69,000)
- San Francisco – Levi’s Stadium (70,000)
- Seattle – Lumen Field (72,000)
Canada (2 stadiums)
- Toronto – BMO Field (45,000)
- Vancouver – BC Place (54,500)
Mexico (3 stadiums)
- Mexico City – Estadio Azteca (87,523)
- Guadalajara – Estadio Akron (48,000)
- Monterrey – Estadio BBVA (53,000)
The largest stadium will be the Azteca, a historic symbol of world football, while the smallest will be BMO Field in Toronto.
The United States will host most of the matches, including all major final tournaments.
2026 World Cup prize money: here’s how much the winners earn
The 2026 World Cup prize money sets a new record in the competition’s history.
The FIFA Council has approved a total contribution of $727 million, of which $655 million will be distributed directly to the 48 participating national teams in sporting prizes.
For comparison, the total prize money for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar was $440 million, significantly less than the prize money up for grabs in 2026.
The distribution has been structured to reward all teams, even those eliminated in the early stages. The teams ranked 33rd to 48th will receive $9 million, while those eliminated in the round of 32 (17th to 32nd) will receive $11 million. As you move up the bracket, the prize money increases progressively: 15 million for the teams eliminated in the round of 16, 19 million for the teams eliminated in the quarterfinals.
For the top spots, the figures become even more significant: 27 million for the fourth-place team, 29 million for the third-place team, and 33 million for the losing finalist. The world champion team will take home 50 million dollars, the highest prize ever awarded in the tournament’s history.
A further bonus is added to these figures: each team will receive 1.5 million dollars to cover preparation costs, thus guaranteeing a minimum revenue of 10.5 million for all participants.
A system that makes the 2026 World Cup not only the biggest ever, but also the richest.
Original article published on Money.it Italy. Original title: Mondiali 2026, dove si giocano? Gironi, calendario e sedi di gioco
