2026 World Cup: everything you need to know about the tournament

The 2026 World Cup marks the start of a new era in football. For the first time, the tournament will be hosted by three countries — the United States, Canada and Mexico — and will feature 48 national teams, twelve more than in the 2022 edition. That means 104 matches across 16 cities and around 39 days of competition.

The 16 host cities

The United States will host 11 of the 16 venues, including New York/New Jersey, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, Atlanta, Houston, Seattle, Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Kansas City. Mexico contributes Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey, while Canada will be represented by Toronto and Vancouver.

• Final: MetLife Stadium, New Jersey (USA)
• Opening match: Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
• Combined capacity across host venues: more than 1.1 million seats

How the new format works

With 48 teams, FIFA adopted 12 groups of 4 teams. The top two from each group advance to the round of 16, plus the eight best third-placed sides — totaling 32 teams in the knockout stage. From the round of 16, the tournament follows a traditional elimination format through the final.

"This will be the biggest and most diverse World Cup ever held. We're bringing football to people who have never been so close to it."

— Gianni Infantino, FIFA president

Favorites and key names

Brazil, Argentina, France, England, Spain and Germany lead the list of favorites. Brazil arrive with a new generation led by Vinicius Júnior, Endrick and Rodrygo, chasing a sixth title 24 years after winning it in 2002.

Where to watch

Broadcast rights are split across major networks and streaming platforms in each market, guaranteeing global coverage of all 104 World Cup matches.

Right here on Guriball, you'll get everything: pre-match analysis, lineups, live commentary, behind-the-scenes coverage and the best moments from every round.