T
he FIFA World Cup 2026, eagerly awaited by football fans around the world, has officially begun. The tournament will run from June 11 to July 19, 2026. This edition features a record 48 teams competing, marking a significant expansion from the previous 32-team format.
This edition features 16 new and returning teams participating in the FIFA World Cup 2026. Here is the list of teams that are making their debut in this year's tournament.
Uzbekistan, Jordan, Curaçao, and Cabo Verde are the four teams set to make their FIFA World Cup debut in the 2026 tournament.
Six teams are making their return to the FIFA World Cup after long absences, having last participated in 1998. After 26 to 28 years, Norway, Scotland, Austria, Iraq, Haiti, and DR Congo are back on football's biggest stage in the 2026 tournament.
This year's FIFA World Cup is being hosted by three countries—the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Matches will be played across venues in all three nations throughout the tournament.
The United States will host the majority of matches at the FIFA World Cup 2026, with 78 games scheduled. Mexico will host 13 matches, while Canada will also stage 13 matches during the tournament.
In the United States, matches will be played across 11 host cities, which will collectively stage all 78 games scheduled to be held in the country during the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The 11 U.S. host cities and stadiums for the FIFA World Cup 2026 are: Atlanta (Mercedes-Benz Stadium), Boston (Gillette Stadium), Dallas (AT&T Stadium), Houston (NRG Stadium), Kansas City (Arrowhead Stadium), Los Angeles (SoFi Stadium), Miami (Hard Rock Stadium), New York/New Jersey (MetLife Stadium), Philadelphia (Lincoln Financial Field), San Francisco Bay Area (Levi's Stadium), and Seattle (Lumen Field).
Mexico will host 13 FIFA World Cup 2026 matches across three cities: Guadalajara (Estadio Akron), Mexico City (Estadio Azteca), and Monterrey (Estadio BBVA).
Canada will host 13 FIFA World Cup 2026 matches across two cities: Toronto (BMO Field) and Vancouver (BC Place).
The FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage will feature a total of 72 matches, which will be played between June 11 and June 27, 2026.
June 12, Friday:
12:30 AM: Mexico 2–0 South Africa (Group A - Mexico City)
South Korea 1–1 Czech Republic (Group —Guadalajara))
June 13, Saturday:
12:30 AM: Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina (Group B - Toronto)
06:30 AM: USA vs Paraguay (Group D - Los Angeles)
June 14, Sunday:
12:30 AM: Qatar vs Switzerland (Group B - San Francisco)
03:30 AM: Brazil vs Morocco (Group C - New York/New Jersey)
06:30 AM: Haiti vs Scotland (Group C - Boston)
09:30 AM: Australia vs Türkiye (Group D - Vancouver)
June 14 (Evening) and June 15, Monday:
10:30 PM (June 14): Germany vs Curaçao (Group E - Houston)
01:30 AM: Netherlands vs Japan (Group F - Dallas)
04:30 AM: Ivory Coast vs Ecuador (Group E - Philadelphia)
07:30 AM: Sweden vs Tunisia (Group F - Monterrey)
June 15 (Evening) and June 16, Tuesday:
09:30 PM (June 15): Spain vs Cabo Verde (Group H - Atlanta)
12:30 AM: Belgium vs Egypt (Group G - Seattle)
03:30 AM: Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay (Group H - Miami)
06:30 AM: Iran vs New Zealand (Group G - Los Angeles)
June 17, Wednesday:
12:30 AM: France vs Senegal (Group I - New York/New Jersey)
03:30 AM: Iraq vs Norway (Group I - Boston)
06:30 AM: Argentina vs Algeria (Group J - Kansas City)
09:30 AM: Austria vs Jordan (Group J - San Francisco)
June 17 (Evening) and June 18, Thursday:
10:30 PM (June 17): Portugal vs DR Congo (Group K - Houston)
01:30 AM: England vs Croatia (Group L - Dallas)
04:30 AM: Ghana vs Panama (Group L - Toronto)
07:30 AM: Uzbekistan vs Colombia (Group K - Mexico City)
June 18 (Evening) and June 19, Friday:
09:30 PM (June 18): Czech Republic vs South Africa (Group A - Atlanta)
12:30 AM: Switzerland vs Bosnia and Herzegovina (Group B - Los Angeles)
03:30 AM: Canada vs Qatar (Group B - Vancouver)
06:30 AM: Mexico vs South Korea (Group A - Guadalajara)
June 20, Saturday:
12:30 AM: USA vs Australia (Group D - Seattle)
03:30 AM: Scotland vs Morocco (Group C - Boston)
06:00 AM: Brazil vs Haiti (Group C - Philadelphia)
08:30 AM: Türkiye vs Paraguay (Group D - San Francisco)
June 20 (Evening) and June 21, Sunday:
10:30 PM (June 20): Netherlands vs Sweden (Group F - Houston)
01:30 AM: Germany vs Ivory Coast (Group E - Toronto)
05:30 AM: Ecuador vs Curaçao (Group E - Kansas City)
09:30 AM: Tunisia vs Japan (Group F - Monterrey)
June 21 (Evening) and June 22, Monday:
09:30 PM (June 21): Spain vs Saudi Arabia (Group H - Atlanta)
12:30 AM: Belgium vs Iran (Group G - Los Angeles)
03:30 AM: Uruguay vs Cabo Verde (Group H - Miami)
06:30 AM: New Zealand vs Egypt (Group G - Vancouver)
June 22 (Evening) to June 24, Wednesday:
Argentina vs Austria (Group J - Dallas)
France vs Iraq (Group I - Philadelphia)
Norway vs Senegal (Group I - New York/New Jersey)
Jordan vs Algeria (Group J - San Francisco)
Portugal vs Uzbekistan (Group K - Houston)
England vs Ghana (Group L - Boston)
Panama vs Croatia (Group L - Toronto)
Colombia vs DR Congo (Group K - Guadalajara)
In this final phase, all teams in each group will play their matches simultaneously for fairness.
June 24 and June 25 (Final matches of Groups A, B, C, D):
Switzerland vs Canada / Bosnia vs Qatar (Group B)
Scotland vs Brazil / Morocco vs Haiti (Group C)
Czech Republic vs Mexico / South Korea vs South Africa (Group A)
Türkiye vs USA / Paraguay vs Australia (Group D)
June 25 and June 26 (Final matches of Groups E, F, G, H):
Japan vs Sweden / Tunisia vs Netherlands (Group F)
Curaçao vs Ivory Coast / Ecuador vs Germany (Group E)
Egypt vs Iran / New Zealand vs Belgium (Group G)
Cabo Verde vs Saudi Arabia / Uruguay vs Spain (Group H)
June 26 and June 27 (Final matches of Groups I, J, K, L):
Norway vs France / Senegal vs Iraq (Group I)
Algeria vs Austria / Jordan vs Argentina (Group J)
Remaining matches between Group K and Group L teams.
