2026 FIFA World Cup
International men's soccer tournament in North America
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The 2026 FIFA World Cup[A] will be the 23rd FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international men's soccer championship contested by the national teams of the member associations of FIFA. The tournament will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026.[2] It will be jointly hosted by sixteen cities—eleven in the United States, three in Mexico, and two in Canada. The tournament will be the first FIFA World Cup to be hosted by three nations, and the first to include 48 teams, an expansion from 32.
Mexico
United States
The United 2026 bid beat a rival bid by Morocco during a final vote at the 68th FIFA Congress in Moscow. It will be the first men's World Cup since 2002 to be co-hosted by multiple nations. With its past hosting of the 1970 and 1986 tournaments, Mexico will become the first country to host or co-host the men's World Cup three times. The United States previously hosted the men's World Cup in 1994. By contrast, it will be Canada's first time hosting or co-hosting the men's tournament. The event will return to its traditional Northern Hemisphere summer schedule after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar was held in November and December.
As the host nations, Canada, Mexico, and the United States all automatically qualified. Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan will all make their World Cup debuts. Argentina is the defending champion, having won its third World Cup title in 2022.
Format and expansion
The idea of expanding the tournament had been suggested as early as 2013 by then UEFA president Michel Platini,[3][4] and also in 2016 by FIFA president Gianni Infantino.[5] Opponents of the proposal argued that the number of matches played was already at an unacceptable level,[6] that the expansion would dilute the quality of the matches,[7][8] and that the decision was driven by political rather than sporting concerns, accusing Infantino of using the promise of bringing more countries to the World Cup to win his election.[9]
Starting with this edition, the FIFA World Cup expanded to 48 teams, an increase of 16 teams compared to the previous seven tournaments.[10] The teams will be split into twelve groups of four teams, with the top two teams in each group and the eight best third-placed teams progressing to a new round of 32, as approved by the FIFA Council on March 14, 2023.[11] This is set to be the first expansion and format change since 1998.[citation needed]
The total number of matches played will increase from 64 to 104, and the number of matches played by teams reaching the final four will increase from seven to eight. The tournament will last 39 days, an increase from 32 days of the 2014 and 2018 tournaments.[12][13] Each team will still play three group matches.[14][15] The final matchday at club level for players named in the final squads is May 24, 2026; clubs have to release their players by May 25, with exceptions granted to players participating in continental club competition finals up until May 30. The 56 days of the combined rest, release, and tournament periods remain identical to the 2010, 2014 and 2018 tournaments.[11]
Other expansion formats explored
The expansion to 48 teams had already been approved on January 10, 2017, when it was initially decided that the tournament would include 16 groups of 3 teams, and 80 matches in total, with the top two teams of each group progressing to a round of 32.[10][16] Under this later-superseded format, the maximum number of matches per team would have remained at seven, but each team would have played one fewer group match than before. The tournament would still have been completed within 32 days.[17] This format was initially chosen over three other proposals, ranging from 40 to 48 teams, from 76 to 88 matches, and from one to four minimum matches per team.[18][19][20]
Critics of this format argued that the use of three-team groups with two teams progressing significantly increased the risk of collusion between teams.[21] This prompted FIFA to suggest that penalty shootouts may be used to prevent draws in the group stage,[22] although even then some risk of collusion would remain, and a possibility would emerge of teams deliberately losing shootouts to eliminate a rival.[21] To address these concerns, FIFA continued considering alternative formats[23] – a process that ended with the 2023 announcement that the format would be 12 groups of 4 teams.
Host selection
The FIFA Council went back and forth between 2013 and 2017 on limitations within hosting rotation based on the continental confederations. Originally, it was set that bids to be host would not be allowed from countries belonging to confederations that hosted the two preceding tournaments. It was temporarily changed to only prohibit countries belonging to the confederation that hosted the previous World Cup from bidding to host the following tournament,[24] before the rule was changed back to its prior state of two World Cups.[citation needed]
The FIFA Council made an exception to potentially grant eligibility to member associations of the confederation of the second-to-last host of the FIFA World Cup in the event that none of the received bids fulfill the strict technical and financial requirements.[25][26] In March 2017, FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed that "Europe (UEFA) and Asia (AFC) are excluded from the bidding following the selection of Russia and Qatar in 2018 and 2022 respectively."[27] Therefore, the 2026 World Cup could be hosted by one of the remaining four confederations: CONCACAF (North America; last hosted in 1994), CAF (Africa; last hosted in 2010), CONMEBOL (South America; last hosted in 2014), or OFC (Oceania, never hosted before), or potentially by UEFA in case no bid from those four met the requirements.[citation needed]
Co-hosting the FIFA World Cup—which had been banned by FIFA after the 2002 World Cup—was approved for the 2026 World Cup, though not limited to a specific number but instead evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Also for 2026, the FIFA general secretariat, after consultation with the Competitions Committee, had the power to exclude bidders who did not meet the minimum technical requirements to host the competition.[25]
Canada, Mexico, and the United States had each publicly considered bidding for the tournament separately, but the United joint bid was announced on April 10, 2017.[28][29] In March 2022, Liga MX president Mikel Arriola claimed Mexico's involvement as cohost could have been at risk if the league and the federation had not responded quickly to the Querétaro–Atlas riot between rival fans that left 26 spectators injured and resulted in 14 arrests. Arriola said FIFA was "shocked" by the incident but Infantino was satisfied with the sanctions handed down against Querétaro.[30]
Voting
| Allowed to vote | Ineligible to vote |
|---|---|
Voted for United bid | Canada–Mexico–United States |
Voted for Moroccan bid | Morocco |
Voted for neither | Sanctioned by FIFA |
Abstained from voting | Not a FIFA member |
The voting took place on June 13, 2018, during the 68th FIFA Congress in Moscow, and it was opened to all 203 eligible members.[31] The United bid won with 134 valid ballots, while the Morocco bid received 65 valid ballots.[32][29] Iran voted for neither of the two bids, while Cuba, Slovenia, and Spain abstained from voting. Ghana was suspended by FIFA due to a corruption scandal and was therefore ineligible to vote.[33][34][35][36][37]
| Nation | Vote |
|---|---|
| Round 1 | |
| Canada, Mexico, United States | 134 |
| Morocco | 65 |
| None of the bids | 1 |
| Abstentions | 3 |
| Total votes | 200 |
| Required for majority | 101 |
Venues
621miles
During the bidding process, 41 cities with 42 existing, fully functional venues with regular tenants (except Montreal) and two venues under construction (Las Vegas and Los Angeles) submitted to be part of the bid (three venues in three cities in Mexico; six venues in six cities in Canada; 35 venues in 32 cities in the United States).[38] A first-round elimination cut nine venues and nine cities. A second-round elimination cut an additional nine venues in six cities, while three venues in three cities (Chicago, Minneapolis, and Vancouver) dropped out due to FIFA's unwillingness to discuss financial details.[39] After Montreal dropped out in July 2021 due to lack of provincial funding and support to renovate Olympic Stadium,[40] Vancouver rejoined the bid as a candidate city in April 2022,[41] bringing the total number to 24 venues, each in its own city or metropolitan area.[citation needed]
On June 16, 2022, the sixteen host cities (two in Canada, three in Mexico, eleven in the United States) were announced by FIFA: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Guadalajara, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Miami, Monterrey, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Toronto, and Vancouver.[42] Eight of the sixteen chosen stadiums have permanent artificial turf surfaces that are planned to be replaced with grass under the direction of FIFA and a University of Tennessee–Michigan State University research team. Depending on the venue's climate, the turf used is either a hybrid of 84% Kentucky bluegrass and 16% perennial ryegrass (for cooler temperatures), or Bermuda grass (for warmer temperatures).[43][44][45]
Four venues (Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, and Vancouver) are indoor stadiums that use retractable roof systems, all equipped with climate control while a fifth, Los Angeles, is open-air but has a translucent roof and no climate control.[46] The host of the final match—MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey—was announced by FIFA on February 4, 2024.[47]
Although there are soccer-specific stadiums in Canada and the United States, the largest dedicated soccer-specific stadium in the United States, Geodis Park in Nashville, Tennessee, seats 30,000, which falls short of FIFA's minimum of 40,000 (Toronto's BMO Field is being expanded from 30,000 to 45,500 for this tournament).[48] Stadiums including Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, and Lumen Field in Seattle are used by National Football League (NFL) and Major League Soccer (MLS) teams.[49] Although primarily used for gridiron football, with the American stadiums hosting NFL teams and Canada's hosting the Canadian Football League (CFL), all of the Canadian and American stadiums have been used on numerous occasions for soccer and are also designed to host that sport.[50]
Mexico City is the only capital of the three host nations chosen as a venue site, with Ottawa and Washington, D.C., joining Bonn (West Germany, 1974) and Tokyo (Japan, 2002) as the only capital cities not selected to host World Cup matches. Washington was a host city candidate, but due to the poor state of FedExField, it combined its bid with nearby Baltimore's, which was unsuccessful. Other cities eliminated from the final hosting list were Cincinnati, Denver, Nashville, Orlando, and Edmonton. Ottawa's candidate venue, TD Place Stadium, was eliminated early on due to insufficient capacity.[51] Though eight of the metropolitan areas hosting games had previously hosted World Cup games (Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York/New Jersey, and Boston in 1994; Guadalajara and Mexico City in both 1970 and 1986; Monterrey in 1986), Estadio Azteca is the only stadium in this tournament that previously hosted World Cup games, having done so in both 1970 and 1986; none of the stadiums used in the 1994 FIFA World Cup will be used in this tournament.[52]
Due to FIFA's rules on stadium sponsorships, the venues will use alternative names for the duration of the tournament, shown below in parentheses.[53][54] The capacity is based on information published by FIFA.[54]
- Key
- † denotes a stadium used for previous men's World Cup tournaments.
- ‡ denotes an indoor stadium with a fixed or retractable roof with interior climate control.
| City | Stadium | Capacity | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
 Dallas(Arlington, Texas) |
AT&T Stadium‡ (Dallas Stadium) |
94,000 |  |
 Mexico City |
Estadio Azteca† (Mexico City Stadium) |
83,000 |  |
| New York/New Jersey (East Rutherford, New Jersey) |
MetLife Stadium (New York New Jersey Stadium) |
82,500 |  |
| Atlanta |
Mercedes-Benz Stadium‡ (Atlanta Stadium) |
75,000 |  |
| Kansas City |
Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City Stadium) |
73,000 |  |
| Houston |
NRG Stadium‡ (Houston Stadium) |
72,000 |  |
| San Francisco Bay Area (Santa Clara, California) |
Levi's Stadium (San Francisco Bay Area Stadium) |
71,000 |  |
| Los Angeles (Inglewood, California) |
SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles Stadium) |
70,000 |  |
| Philadelphia |
Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia Stadium) |
69,000 | .jpg) |
| Seattle |
Lumen Field (Seattle Stadium) |
69,000 |  |
| Boston (Foxborough, Massachusetts) |
Gillette Stadium (Boston Stadium) |
65,000 |  |
| Miami (Miami Gardens, Florida) |
Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Stadium) |
65,000 |  |
 Vancouver |
BC Place‡ (BC Place Vancouver) |
54,000 |  |
| Monterrey (Guadalupe) |
Estadio BBVA (Estadio Monterrey) |
53,500 |  |
| Guadalajara (Zapopan) |
Estadio Akron (Estadio Guadalajara) |
48,000 | .jpg) |
| Toronto |
BMO Field (Toronto Stadium) |
45,000 |  |
Teams
Qualification
The United Bid personnel anticipated that all three host countries would be awarded automatic berths.[55] On August 31, 2022, FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed that six CONCACAF teams would qualify for the World Cup, with Canada, Mexico, and the United States automatically qualifying as hosts.[56][57] This was confirmed by the FIFA Council on February 14, 2023.[58][59]
Immediately prior to the 67th FIFA Congress, the FIFA Council approved the slot allocation in a meeting in Manama, Bahrain.[60][61] This included an intercontinental playoff tournament involving six teams to decide the last two FIFA World Cup spots.[62]
The six teams in the playoffs comprised one team from each confederation excluding UEFA, and one additional team from the confederation of the host countries (CONCACAF). Two of the teams were seeded based on the World Rankings, and they played the winners of two knockout matches between the four unseeded teams for the two FIFA World Cup berths. The four-match tournament was played in Mexico, one of the host countries, and was also used as a test event for the FIFA World Cup.[60] The ratification of slot allocation also gave the OFC a guaranteed berth in the final tournament for the first time: the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first tournament in which all six confederations have at least one guaranteed berth and also the first time since the 2010 edition in which all confederations have a team qualified for the World Cup finals.[60]
Of the 48 qualified teams, 26 also appeared in the 2022 edition. Highlights include:
- Cape Verde,[63] Curaçao,[B][64] Jordan, and Uzbekistan[C][65] will all make their World Cup debuts.
- Qatar advanced to the tournament through qualification for the first time, as its only previous appearance was as host in 2022.[66]
- DR Congo[D] and Haiti return to the tournament after appearing in their only previous tournament in 1974.[64][67]
- Iraq returns to the tournament after appearing in its only previous tournament in 1986.[68]
- Austria, Norway,[69] and Scotland return to the tournament after last appearing in 1998.[70]
- Turkey qualified for the first time since finishing third in 2002.[71]
- Czech Republic[E] qualified for the first time since 2006.[72]
- New Zealand, Paraguay, and South Africa (2010 World Cup host) return after last taking part in 2010.[73] South Africa achieved its first successful qualifying campaign since 2002 while New Zealand is the lowest ranked team to qualify, ranked 85th.[74]
- Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Ivory Coast qualified for the first time since 2014. Bosnia achieved its first successful qualification process for a major tournament since the 2014 World Cup.
- Colombia, Egypt, Panama, and Sweden return after missing out in 2022.
Additionally, four-time champion Italy missed out after being defeated in the European playoff final by Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties, becoming the first former champion to miss out on three consecutive World Cups.[75] Similar to 2018 and 2022, Italy was the only former champion that did not qualify. Cameroon, Costa Rica, Denmark, Poland, Serbia, and Wales, all of whom qualified in 2022, also did not qualify for the 2026 tournament.
The teams that qualified, sorted by region:
|
AFC (9)
CAF (10) |
CONCACAF (6) CONMEBOL (6) OFC (1) |
UEFA (16)
|
Draw
The draw took place on December 5, 2025, at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.[76] The 48 teams were divided into four pots of 12. Pot 1 consisted of the three hosts and the top nine teams from the November 2025 FIFA Men's World Ranking. Pots 2, 3, and 4 consisted of the remaining teams according to the ranking. The four winners of the UEFA playoffs and the two winners of the inter-confederation playoffs were not known at the time of the draw and thus were automatically allocated to Pot 4. The 12 groups were randomly formed by selecting one team from each of the four pots. FIFA's "general principle, whenever possible", was that no group had more than one team from the same confederation drawn into it.[77][78] This principle was applicable to all confederations except UEFA; each group was required to have either one or two UEFA teams drawn into it.
The three host nations were pre-allocated to three groups for scheduling purposes. Mexico was placed in Group A and will play the opening match of the tournament at Estadio Azteca on June 11. Canada and the United States were placed in Groups B and D, respectively. They will play the third and fourth matches of the tournament, respectively, both on June 12.[2][79]
The confederation restriction applied to all three potential winners of the inter-confederation playoffs. FIFA also announced that, "in the interest of ensuring competitive balance", two separate pathways to the semifinals (sides of the knockout bracket) were established. Based on this, the teams ranked first (Spain) and second (Argentina) in the ranking were randomly drawn into groups in opposite pathways, as were the teams ranked third (France) and fourth (England). Therefore, should these pairs of teams win their groups, they will be unable to meet until the final, while all four will be unable to meet until the semifinals.[80] The draw started with Pot 1 and ended with Pot 4, with each team selected then allocated into the first available group alphabetically. For the purpose of the match schedule, the Pot 1 teams were automatically drawn into position 1 of each group. For the remaining pots, FIFA established a predetermined pattern to define the position of teams based on their pot and the group they were drawn into.
| Pot 1 | Pot 2 | Pot 3 | Pot 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Team base camps
Base camps will be used by the 48 national squads to stay and train before and during the World Cup tournament.[82][83][84][85]
Similar to the prohibition of naming-rights sponsors that apply to the competition venues, the names of some training facilities were also altered by FIFA.
Squads
Before submitting their final squad for the tournament, teams will name a provisional squad of between 35 and 55 players one month prior to the tournament. Teams are required to name their final squads by June 2. If a player becomes injured or severely ill to prevent his participation in the tournament, he can be replaced by another player from the provisional squad until 24 hours before the team's first match. However, an injured or ill goalkeeper may be replaced by another goalkeeper from the provisional squad at any time during the tournament.[130]
Officiating
On April 9, 2026, FIFA announced the list of 52 referees, 88 assistant referees, and 30 video assistant referees for the tournament.[131][132]
Opening ceremonies
The tournament is set to feature three opening ceremonies, one for each of the hosts. The opening ceremony in Mexico will take place on June 11, 2026, at Estadio Banorte and feature Mexican rock band Maná, Mexican singers Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, and Lila Downs, Mexican cumbia band Los Ángeles Azules, South African singer Tyla, Colombian singer J Balvin, and Venezuelan singer Danny Ocean. The opening ceremony in Canada will take place on June 12, 2026, at BMO Field in Toronto and feature performances by Canadian singers Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Jessie Reyez, Michael Bublé, Nora Fatehi, and William Prince, Palestinian singer Elyanna, Bangladeshi-American DJ Sanjoy, and French singer Vegedream. On the same day, the opening ceremony for the United States will take place at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and feature performances by American singer Katy Perry, American rapper Future, Thai rapper and Blackpink member Lisa, Brazilian singer Anitta, Nigerian singer Rema, and South African singer Tyla.[133][134][135]
In addition, two special ceremonies will take place on July 4, 2026, to honor the United States Semiquincentennial at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia and NRG Stadium in Houston.[136]
Match schedule
The match schedule, without group assignments, was announced on February 4, 2024.[2][137][138] On June 13, 2024, FIFA released an updated schedule, with specific pairings assigned to venues for the knockout stage.[139] In addition, group stage matches were assigned to specific groups (though pairings for non-host groups were not assigned to specific matches until after the final draw; thus the group venues were known, but not for which specific pairing each matchday). The full schedule was unveiled in a live broadcast on December 6, 2025, the day after the draw. Group stage pairings were allocated to specific matches, and the kickoff times were confirmed for all fixtures.[140]
The opening match was announced to include Mexico, taking place on June 11, 2026, at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. This match will include South Africa.[141] The opening match involving Canada will take place on June 12 at BMO Field in Toronto, while the opening match for the United States will take place on the same day at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. Each host nation is scheduled to play its three matches in the group stage within its own country.[137]
AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, will host the most matches of any venue at the tournament with nine. MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, will host the final on July 19. The United States will host 78 matches, including from the quarterfinal stage onward, while Canada and Mexico will each host 13. Each tournament venue, except for the Estadio Akron, will host at least one knockout stage fixture.[142] The match schedule will overlap with the 2026 CFL season, resulting in scheduling conflicts and loss of home games for the Toronto Argonauts and BC Lions.[143][144] The match schedule will also affect the schedules of the Kansas City Royals, Philadelphia Phillies, Seattle Mariners, and Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball, whose home stadiums are located near World Cup venues.[145]
Host cities were geographically grouped into three regions:[2]
- Western Region (Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles)
- Central Region (Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey, Houston, Dallas, Kansas City)
- Eastern Region (Atlanta, Miami, Toronto, Boston, Philadelphia, New York/New Jersey)
| Round | Matchday | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Group stage | Matchday 1 | June 11–17, 2026 |
| Matchday 2 | June 18–23, 2026 | |
| Matchday 3 | June 24–27, 2026 | |
| Knockout stage | Round of 32 | June 28 – July 3, 2026 |
| Round of 16 | July 4–7, 2026 | |
| Quarterfinals | July 9–11, 2026 | |
| Semifinals | July 14–15, 2026 | |
| Match for third place | July 18, 2026 | |
| Final | July 19, 2026 |
| Matchday | Pairings | Groups | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matchday 1 | 1 vs 2 3 vs 4 |
A | June 11, 2026 |
| B & D | June 12, 2026 | ||
| B, C & D | June 13, 2026 | ||
| E & F | June 14, 2026 | ||
| G & H | June 15, 2026 | ||
| I & J | June 16, 2026 | ||
| K & L | June 17, 2026 | ||
| Matchday 2 | 1 vs 3 4 vs 2 |
A & B | June 18, 2026 |
| C & D | June 19, 2026 | ||
| E & F | June 20, 2026 | ||
| G & H | June 21, 2026 | ||
| I & J | June 22, 2026 | ||
| K & L | June 23, 2026 | ||
| Matchday 3 | 4 vs 1 2 vs 3 |
A, B & C | June 24, 2026 |
| D, E & F | June 25, 2026 | ||
| G, H & I | June 26, 2026 | ||
| J, K & L | June 27, 2026 |
Group stage
The group stage will be played from June 11 to 27.[146] Competing countries were divided into twelve groups of four teams (groups A to L), with teams in each group playing one another in a round-robin. In the group standings, three points are awarded for a win, one for a draw, and none for a loss. Following the conclusion of group play, the top two teams of each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams across all groups, will advance to the knockout stage.
All times are local.
The ranking of teams in each group is determined by the points obtained in all group matches. If two or more teams are equal on points, the following criteria are used to determine the ranking:[147]
If, after having applied criteria a to c, teams still had an equal ranking, criteria a to c are reapplied exclusively to the matches between the teams who are still level to determine their final rankings. If this procedure does not lead to a decision, criteria d to h apply.
|
Group A
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico (H) |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 |  South Africa |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 |  South Korea |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible knockout stage based on ranking |
| 4 |  Czech Republic |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Group B
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canada (H) |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 |  Qatar |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible knockout stage based on ranking |
| 4 |  Switzerland |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Group C
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Brazil |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 |  Morocco |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 |  Haiti |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible knockout stage based on ranking |
| 4 |  Scotland |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Group D
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States (H) |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 |  Paraguay |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 |  Australia |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible knockout stage based on ranking |
| 4 |  Turkey |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Group E
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Germany |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 |  Curaçao |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 |  Ivory Coast |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible knockout stage based on ranking |
| 4 |  Ecuador |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Group F
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Netherlands |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 |  Japan |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 |  Sweden |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible knockout stage based on ranking |
| 4 |  Tunisia |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Group G
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Belgium |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 |  Egypt |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 |  Iran |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible knockout stage based on ranking |
| 4 |  New Zealand |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Group H
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Spain |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 |  Cape Verde |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 |  Saudi Arabia |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible knockout stage based on ranking |
| 4 |  Uruguay |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Group I
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  France |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 |  Senegal |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 |  Iraq |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible knockout stage based on ranking |
| 4 |  Norway |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Group J
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Argentina |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 |  Algeria |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 |  Austria |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible knockout stage based on ranking |
| 4 |  Jordan |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Group K
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Portugal |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 |  DR Congo |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 |  Uzbekistan |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible knockout stage based on ranking |
| 4 |  Colombia |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Group L
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  England |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 |  Croatia |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 |  Ghana |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Possible knockout stage based on ranking |
| 4 |  Panama |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Ranking of third-placed teams
| Pos | Grp | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | Third place Group A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | B | Third place Group B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | C | Third place Group C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 4 | D | Third place Group D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | E | Third place Group E | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | F | Third place Group F | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | G | Third place Group G | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 8 | H | Third place Group H | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 9 | I | Third place Group I | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 10 | J | Third place Group J | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 11 | K | Third place Group K | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 12 | L | Third place Group L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Team conduct score; 5) Latest FIFA ranking; 6) Previous FIFA ranking(s).
The specific match-ups involving the third-placed teams depend on which eight third-placed teams qualify for the round of 32. The 495 possible combinations were published in Annex C of the tournament regulations.[147]
For the list of all 495 possible combinations, see 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stage § Combinations of matches in the round of 32.
Knockout stage
The knockout stage will be played in a single-elimination format, starting with the round of 32 on June 28 and culminating with the final on July 19. On the day prior, a match for third place will also be played between the two losing teams of the semi-finals to determine the bronze medalists. In the knockout stage, if the scores are level when normal playing time expires, 30 minutes of extra time will be played. If still tied at the end of extra time, a penalty shootout will be used to determine the winner.[147]
Bracket
| Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | ||||||||||||||
| June 29 – Foxborough | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Group E | ||||||||||||||||||
| July 4 – Philadelphia | ||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd Group A/B/C/D/F | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 74 | ||||||||||||||||||
| June 30 – East Rutherford | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 77 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Group I | ||||||||||||||||||
| July 9 – Foxborough | ||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd Group C/D/F/G/H | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 89 | ||||||||||||||||||
| June 28 – Inglewood | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 90 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Runner-up Group A | ||||||||||||||||||
| July 4 – Houston | ||||||||||||||||||
| Runner-up Group B | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 73 | ||||||||||||||||||
| June 29 – Guadalupe | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 75 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Group F | ||||||||||||||||||
| July 14 – Arlington | ||||||||||||||||||
| Runner-up Group C | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 97 | ||||||||||||||||||
| July 2 – Toronto | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 98 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Runner-up Group K | ||||||||||||||||||
| July 6 – Arlington | ||||||||||||||||||
| Runner-up Group L | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 83 | ||||||||||||||||||
| July 2 – Inglewood | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 84 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Group H | ||||||||||||||||||
| July 10 – Inglewood | ||||||||||||||||||
| Runner-up Group J | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 93 | ||||||||||||||||||
| July 1 – Santa Clara | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 94 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Group D | ||||||||||||||||||
| July 6 – Seattle | ||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd Group B/E/F/I/J | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 81 | ||||||||||||||||||
| July 1 – Seattle | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 82 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Group G | ||||||||||||||||||
| July 19 – East Rutherford | ||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd Group A/E/H/I/J | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 101 | ||||||||||||||||||
| June 29 – Houston | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 102 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Group C | ||||||||||||||||||
| July 5 – East Rutherford | ||||||||||||||||||
| Runner-up Group F | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 76 | ||||||||||||||||||
| June 30 – Arlington | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 78 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Runner-up Group E | ||||||||||||||||||
| July 11 – Miami Gardens | ||||||||||||||||||
| Runner-up Group I | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 91 | ||||||||||||||||||
| June 30 – Mexico City | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 92 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Group A | ||||||||||||||||||
| July 5 – Mexico City | ||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd Group C/E/F/H/I | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 79 | ||||||||||||||||||
| July 1 – Atlanta | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 80 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Group L | ||||||||||||||||||
| July 15 – Atlanta | ||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd Group E/H/I/J/K | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 99 | ||||||||||||||||||
| July 3 – Miami Gardens | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 100 | Match for third place | |||||||||||||||||
| Winner Group J | ||||||||||||||||||
| July 7 – Atlanta | July 18 – Miami Gardens | |||||||||||||||||
| Runner-up Group H | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 86 | Loser Match 101 | |||||||||||||||||
| July 3 – Arlington | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 88 | Loser Match 102 | |||||||||||||||||
| Runner-up Group D | ||||||||||||||||||
| July 11 – Kansas City | ||||||||||||||||||
| Runner-up Group G | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 95 | ||||||||||||||||||
| July 2 – Vancouver | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 96 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Group B | ||||||||||||||||||
| July 7 – Vancouver | ||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd Group E/F/G/I/J | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 85 | ||||||||||||||||||
| July 3 – Kansas City | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Match 87 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Winner Group K | ||||||||||||||||||
| 3rd Group D/E/I/J/L | ||||||||||||||||||
Round of 32
| Runner-up Group A | Match 73 | Runner-up Group B |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 73] |
| Winner Group C | Match 76 | Runner-up Group F |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 74] |
| Winner Group E | Match 74 | 3rd Group A/B/C/D/F |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 75] |
| Winner Group F | Match 75 | Runner-up Group C |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 76] |
| Runner-up Group E | Match 78 | Runner-up Group I |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 77] |
| Winner Group I | Match 77 | 3rd Group C/D/F/G/H |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 78] |
| Winner Group A | Match 79 | 3rd Group C/E/F/H/I |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 79] |
| Winner Group L | Match 80 | 3rd Group E/H/I/J/K |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 80] |
| Winner Group G | Match 82 | 3rd Group A/E/H/I/J |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 81] |
| Winner Group D | Match 81 | 3rd Group B/E/F/I/J |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 82] |
| Winner Group H | Match 84 | Runner-up Group J |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 83] |
| Runner-up Group K | Match 83 | Runner-up Group L |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 84] |
| Winner Group B | Match 85 | 3rd Group E/F/G/I/J |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 85] |
| Runner-up Group D | Match 88 | Runner-up Group G |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 86] |
| Winner Group J | Match 86 | Runner-up Group H |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 87] |
| Winner Group K | Match 87 | 3rd Group D/E/I/J/L |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 88] |
Round of 16
| Winner Match 73 | Match 90 | Winner Match 75 |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 89] |
| Winner Match 74 | Match 89 | Winner Match 77 |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 90] |
| Winner Match 76 | Match 91 | Winner Match 78 |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 91] |
| Winner Match 79 | Match 92 | Winner Match 80 |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 92] |
| Winner Match 83 | Match 93 | Winner Match 84 |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 93] |
| Winner Match 81 | Match 94 | Winner Match 82 |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 94] |
| Winner Match 86 | Match 95 | Winner Match 88 |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 95] |
| Winner Match 85 | Match 96 | Winner Match 87 |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 96] |
Quarterfinals
| Winner Match 89 | Match 97 | Winner Match 90 |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 97] |
| Winner Match 93 | Match 98 | Winner Match 94 |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 98] |
| Winner Match 91 | Match 99 | Winner Match 92 |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 99] |
| Winner Match 95 | Match 100 | Winner Match 96 |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 100] |
Semifinals
| Winner Match 97 | Match 101 | Winner Match 98 |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 101] |
| Winner Match 99 | Match 102 | Winner Match 100 |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 102] |
Match for third place
| Loser Match 101 | Match 103 | Loser Match 102 |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 103] |
Final
| Winner Match 101 | Match 104 | Winner Match 102 |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 104] |
Statistics
Discipline
A player or team official is automatically suspended for the next match for the following offenses:[147]
- Receiving a red card (red card suspensions may be extended for serious offenses)
- Receiving two yellow cards in the tournament;[R] yellow cards expire after the completion of the group stage and again after the quarterfinals (yellow card suspensions are not carried forward to any other future international matches)[148]
During qualification, Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off for violent conduct in Portugal's penultimate match against the Republic of Ireland, with such an offense typically resulting in a ban of at least two matches. Ronaldo was handed a three-match ban, though the final two matches of the ban were suspended for a one-year probationary period, making him eligible to appear in Portugal's opening World Cup match.[149] On May 8, 2026, the Bureau of the FIFA Council amended the tournament regulations so that pending one- or two-match suspensions resulting from an indirect red card, a direct red card for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, or a direct red card for serious foul play during qualification would no longer be carried forward to the final competition.[150] This exempted Argentina's Nicolás Otamendi, Ecuador's Moisés Caicedo, and Qatar's Tarek Salman from serving their qualifying-round suspensions during the tournament, with the bans to instead be served in a subsequent competition.[151]
Marketing
Branding
The official emblem and brand identity was unveiled on May 17, 2023, at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, California; its basic form consists of a stacked "26" with an image of the FIFA World Cup Trophy in front of it (marking the first time that the trophy has been depicted in a World Cup emblem as a photo, as opposed to a stylized representation), but it is designed to be adaptable to different backdrops.[152][153] The next day, FIFA unveiled variants of the emblem for each of the host cities, which feature color variants and designs that reflect local landscapes or culture (with the Los Angeles emblem featuring a stylized sun and wave, the Monterrey emblem featuring imagery of the Cerro de la Silla mountain, and Toronto featuring the city skyline and the CN Tower).[154][155]
Reaction to the logo from the initial unveiling was largely negative, with many feeling that the design was either unfinished or uncreative compared to the emblems of past FIFA World Cup tournaments. By contrast, United States national team player Jesús Ferreira described the emblem as "beautiful".[156][153][157]
In March and April 2025, FIFA unveiled a set of 16 posters representing each of the 2026 World Cup host cities. The posters, designed by local artists, were intended to reflect the "distinct identity and heritage" of each host city.[158][159] On March 3, 2026, the official poster was unveiled. For the first time, three artists combined their skills and artistic styles to create the official poster: Carson Ting (Canada), Minerva GM (Mexico), and Hank Willis Thomas (United States).[160]
Broadcasting rights
On February 12, 2015, FIFA renewed the United States and Canadian broadcasting rights contracts for Fox (US English), NBCUniversal (US Spanish), and Bell Media (Canada) to cover the 2026 World Cup, without accepting any other bids. A report in The New York Times asserted that this extension was intended as compensation for the rescheduling of the 2022 World Cup to November–December rather than its traditional June–July scheduling, as it created considerable conflicts with major professional sports leagues that are normally in their offseasons during the World Cup.[161][162][163]
Fútbol de Primera has the Spanish radio broadcasting rights in the United States and Puerto Rico.[164]
The International Broadcast Center (IBC) will be located at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas.[165][166][167]
On January 8, 2026, FIFA signed a deal to make TikTok a "preferred platform" for World Cup video content. As part of the agreement, broadcasters may stream parts of matches at a dedicated hub on the TikTok app.[168] FIFA then made a similar "preferred platform" deal with YouTube on March 17, allowing broadcasters to stream select matches in full on their respective YouTube channels, as well as stream the first 10 minutes of every match on the platform as "an appetizer encouraging young fans then to watch on traditional channels".[169] It was later confirmed that YouTube had extended this deal with FIFA and CazéTV to show all tournament matches for free in Brazil.[170][171]
On May 8, 2026, Fox Sports announced a partnership with Cosm to show 40 matches, including the Mexico vs South Africa opening match, all United States matches, and the final.[172]
Sponsorships
| FIFA partners | FIFA World Cup sponsors | FIFA World Cup supporters |
|---|---|---|
Regional supporters
Domestic sponsors
| Atlanta | Boston | Dallas | Guadalajara |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|||
| Houston | Kansas City | Los Angeles | Monterrey |
| |||
| Mexico City | Miami[218] | New York/New Jersey | Philadelphia[219] |
| San Francisco Bay Area[229] | Seattle | Toronto | Vancouver |
|
FIFA fan festivals
FIFA will stage fan festivals in cities across the host nations, featuring matches on giant screens and live entertainment.[234] Among the confirmed fan fest locations are Liberty State Park in Jersey City,[234] Fairmount Park in Philadelphia,[235] Fort York and The Bentway in Toronto,[236] and East Downtown Houston.[237]
Tickets
Ticket prices for the 2026 FIFA World Cup initially ranged from $60 for group stage matches to $6,730 for the final—largely increased from the USD equivalent of $69 to $1,607 in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. However, in September 2025, FIFA confirmed it would use dynamic pricing for tickets for the first time, following the practice used in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.[238] Hospitality seats were made available in April 2025 via FIFA's ticket partner for the event.[citation needed]
An initial draw period for non-hospitality seats occurred between September 10–19, 2025, limited to Visa cardholders. A second phase ran from October 27–31, and a third phase started after the final draw of teams on December 5. Sales are capped at four tickets per person per match, and no person is able to purchase more than 40 tickets for the overall tournament. FIFA is also expected to launch an official resale platform.[238]
A final "last-minute" sales phase reopened on April 22, 2026, approximately 50 days before the start of the tournament, with tickets for all 104 matches made available on a first-come, first-served basis. By that stage, more than five million tickets had been sold out of an expected total exceeding six million, with additional tickets scheduled to be released in phases up to the final, subject to availability.[239]
Every city hosting the World Cup in the United States has passed a law stating that ticket sales to World Cup events are exempt from state and local sales taxes.[240][241][242]
Merchandise
On October 2, 2025, FIFA announced FIFA Heroes as the official video game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scheduled for release in 2026 on Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms.[243]
Symbols
Mascots
The official mascots of the tournament were revealed on September 25, 2025, and are Maple, Zayu, and Clutch. Maple is a moose, Zayu is a jaguar, and Clutch is a bald eagle, representing Canada, Mexico, and the United States respectively.[244] They were designed to reflect the cultural heritage of their respective countries.[245]
Match ball
.jpg)
On May 2, 2025, reports surfaced that the match ball would be called Adidas Trionda. The design features red, green, and blue (the three colors representing Canada, Mexico, and the United States, respectively, and also featured on the host countries' flags), as well as a white wave connecting each of the colors, hence the name using the Spanish words for three (tri) and wave (onda).[246] The design also features the national symbols of the three host countries (a maple leaf for Canada, a golden eagle for Mexico, and a five-pointed star for the United States) as well as gold embellishments to represent the World Cup Trophy.[247]
Music
On May 17, 2023, the official theme song of the tournament was released, an instrumental track simply titled "FIFA World Cup 26 Theme Song".[248] On March 20, 2026, an official music album was confirmed with the track "Lighter", performed by Jelly Roll and Carín León, released on the same day as the first album track.[249][250] The second song, "Por Ella", performed by Belinda Peregrín and Los Ángeles Azules, released on April 17, 2026, along with the music video.[251] The third song, "Echo", performed by Daddy Yankee and Shenseea, released on April 28, 2026, along with the music video.[252]. The fourth song, "Illuminate", performed by Jessie Reyez and Elyanna, released on May 8, 2026, along with the music video.[253] The fifth song, "Dai Dai", performed by Shakira and Burna Boy, released on May 14, 2026, along with the music video.[254]
In March 2025, sixteen remixes of the theme song were released, which featured artists from each host city giving their own local spin to the song.[255]
The remixers for each city were:
- Atlanta – Dallas Austin
- Boston – Ben Zakharenko, Dayvin, Berklee College of Music
- Dallas – Tre Nagella
- Guadalajara – Bautista
- Houston – Bombón
- Kansas City – Tech N9ne
- Los Angeles – DJ Flict
- Mexico City – Mexican Institute of Sound
- Miami – Mr. NaisGai
- Monterrey – Toy Selectah
- New York/New Jersey – Take a Daytrip
- Philadelphia – DJ Jazzy Jeff
- San Francisco Bay Area – Dan the Automator
- Seattle – Sango
- Toronto – Hill Kourkoutis
- Vancouver – Grayson Repp
Awards
FIFA Peace Prize
The FIFA Peace Prize was established in 2025 as an international award presented by FIFA. Its stated aim was to honor individuals whose actions FIFA characterizes as exceptional contributions to peace and unity, reflecting FIFA's campaign slogan "Football Unites the World".[256][257] According to FIFA, the purpose of the prize is to "reward individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace and by doing so have united people across the world".[256]
The first (and as of 2026[update] the only) FIFA Peace Prize was awarded on December 5, 2025, to United States president Donald Trump during the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C..[258][259][260] FIFA stated that the award recognized his "involvement in ceasefire efforts and diplomatic engagements in several conflicts".[256][261][262]
The creation of the prize and the choice of Trump as its first recipient generated widespread ridicule, scrutiny and controversy. Human rights groups, analysts, and soccer stakeholders questioned the transparency of the selection process, the suitability of the inaugural laureate, and the implications both for FIFA's claims of political neutrality and its human rights commitments.[263][264][265][266] Criticism of the award was renewed following US military intervention in Venezuela and war against Iran in early 2026.[267][268]
Selection process
FIFA stated that the Peace Prize would be awarded on the recommendation of an independent committee. However, as of the first award, the organization had not disclosed detailed nomination procedures or evaluation criteria.[259][257] FIFA had also not made clear the manner by which the recipient was selected or the exact form the prize would take.[269]
According to The New York Times, the prize was not discussed at the FIFA Council or with FIFA vice presidents, none of whom had input into the selection criteria, prior to its creation in October 2025.[270] The process behind the award was not made public: there were no nominations announced and no formal selection criteria given.[270][271] Human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, criticized the lack of transparency, reporting that queries about nominees, judges, and criteria remained unanswered.[272][264][273]
Investigations by The Guardian and other outlets identified Zaw Zaw, a Myanmar businessman and long-serving president of the Myanmar Football Federation, as chair of the selection committee.[274][275] Critics highlighted his ties to Myanmar's former military junta and to human rights abuses against the Rohingya people, raising concerns about the credibility of a peace award under his oversight.[274][275][272]
Prize money
In April 2026, FIFA confirmed the prizes for all participating nations. This edition's total distribution for the tournament will be $871 million, $431 million higher than the prize pool of the previous tournament. In addition to the performance-based prize money, each qualified team will also receive a $10 million qualification payment and a $2.5 million preparation fee before the competition.[276][277]
| Place | Teams | Amount (in millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per team | Total | ||
| Champions | 1 | $50 | $50 |
| Runners-up | 1 | $33 | $33 |
| Third place | 1 | $29 | $29 |
| Fourth place | 1 | $27 | $27 |
| 5th–8th place (quarter-finals) | 4 | $19 | $76 |
| 9th–16th place (round of 16) | 8 | $15 | $120 |
| 17th–32nd place (round of 32) | 16 | $11 | $176 |
| 33rd–48th place (group stage) | 16 | $9 | $144 |
| Total | 48 | $655 | |
Controversies
Climate
In January 2025, Queen's University Belfast warned about potential heat risks for most of the host cities and urged FIFA to schedule match kickoffs later into the afternoon or evening, stating that the wet-bulb globe temperature in certain host cities was higher than that of Qatar in the winter.[278] During the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, which was also hosted in the United States, several matches reported high temperatures ranging from 90 to 102 °F (32 to 39 °C) and weather delays.[279][280] In December 2025, FIFA announced that all matches at the 2026 World Cup would include a mandatory three-minute hydration break in each half to allow players to rest in hot conditions.[281] The three-minute period would also be available for commercials at the discretion of tournament broadcasters.[282]
Immigration
In June 2025, the second Trump administration reinstated a travel ban affecting citizens from multiple countries, citing national security concerns.[283] The ban, which was later expanded in December, prohibits the issuance of new immigrant and non-immigrant visas for citizens of 39 affected countries, including those whose teams have qualified for the World Cup—Haiti, Iran, Ivory Coast, and Senegal. The proclamation includes an exemption for any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting events as determined by the Secretary of State.[284][285]
This exemption ensured that national teams' players, coaches, and staff of those designated countries would be permitted to enter the United States for the competition, but the US State Department confirmed that ordinary citizens of the four countries were not covered by this exemption, making them ineligible for visa issuance to attend the matches. While fans were permitted to submit visa applications with the promise of priority if they provided proof of tickets, the department noted that issuance would be unlikely, barring rare "national interest" waivers. However, this restriction can be circumvented if a fan is a valid visa holder, a permanent resident, or a dual national who applies using a passport not subject to the ban. In such cases, applicants may still be eligible to enter or apply for entry, provided they satisfy all other immigration and security requirements.[286][287][288]
The U.S. government has decided to temporarily drop the $15,000 visa bond requirement for fans from five African countries that have made it to the 2026 World Cup — Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Tunisia — as long as they have a valid ticket for the tournament. At the same time, though, the U.S. has banned fans from Iran and Haiti from traveling to the World Cup. That said, players, coaches, and support staff from those two countries are not affected by the ban.[289]
Iran's participation
On November 27, 2025, the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) said it would boycott the December 5 World Cup draw after its president, Mehdi Taj, was denied a visa to enter the United States. Four other delegation members, including head coach Amir Ghalenoei, were approved. An FFIRI spokesperson told state media the United States' decision was "unrelated to sport" and said the federation quickly raised the issue with FIFA President Gianni Infantino.[290] However, on December 3, the FFIRI reversed its decision and announced that it would send representatives to the draw, with head coach Ghalenoei serving as the technical representative of the national soccer team.[291]
FIFA has long promoted the World Cup under the slogan "Football Unites the World," presenting it as a symbol of global connection and harmony. However, several reports suggest that the 2026 edition is taking place in a more complex context, with political tensions, including those involving Iran and the United States, as well as security concerns and immigration and visa policies in the United States, potentially making participation in the tournament more difficult.[292] Some analysts also describe the tournament as facing a mix of political, security, and logistical challenges at the same time.[293] Some commentators argue that while FIFA continues to emphasize messages of unity, these conditions may undermine that narrative by highlighting divisions and unequal access for fans from different parts of the world.[294]
Further complications regarding Iran's participation occurred as a result of the 2026 Iran–United States crisis in February 2026, which resulted in the United States and Israel launching missiles at Iran. In retaliation, Iran launched missiles at Israel and Persian Gulf Arab states, as well as additional spillover missile strikes in Jordan. FIFA stated that it was monitoring the situation and was focused on getting all countries to participate, despite reports saying Iran may not participate.[295][296][297]
Following a meeting with US President Trump on March 10, Infantino said that Trump had reiterated that the Iranian team "is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States".[298] In a post on Truth Social, Trump later added that, while the team is welcome, it would "[not be] appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety".[299] In response, Iran asked for FIFA to remove the United States as tournament hosts, referring to Trump's statement that the Iranian team's safety could not be guaranteed.[300][301]
In May 2026, Iran announced its demands for attending the World Cup, which includes visa guarantees for players, staff, journalists, and fans without further questioning by immigration authorities, security guarantees for players and staff, and "respectful" treatment of the Iranian flag, symbols, and national anthem. Requests were also made to have any press conference featuring the Iranian team to not include questions not related to the game.[302]
On May 16, 2026, FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafström met with Iranian Football Federation officials in Istanbul to offer reassurance over Iran's participation in the World Cup, following concerns about the team's ability to enter the United States due to the ongoing Iran war. Earlier, Iranian FA President Mehdi Taj had been refused entry to Canada for the FIFA Congress due to his links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which the U.S. and Canada classify as a terrorist entity. FIFA confirmed it was working with relevant authorities to ensure all teams could compete in a safe environment without discrimination.[303]
Final match halftime show
On September 28, 2024, FIFA announced that Global Citizen, an international advocacy organization, would co-produce a halftime show for the final match at MetLife Stadium, the first halftime show in the history of the World Cup.[304] The show is intended to copy the format of the Super Bowl halftime show, featuring a well-known musical performer to increase the tournament's commercial appeal in the market. On May 14, 2026, FIFA announced that the halftime show would feature performances by Madonna, Shakira, and BTS.[305]
The show has generated debate in the global soccer community. Supporters argue that the event modernizes the World Cup and provides a platform for global cultural exchange and revenue growth. However, critics, players, media, unions, and traditionalist fan groups have criticized what they view as the "Americanization" of soccer. Primary objections focus on the potential extension of the traditional 15-minute halftime interval, which generated an argument that it will disrupt player recovery, interfere with technical coaching adjustments, and break the natural flow of the match.[306][307]
Notes
- Curaçao is the smallest country by area and the least populous to qualify for the World Cup. Excluding teams from the United Kingdom, Curaçao is also the first team representing a non-sovereign nation to qualify for the World Cup since the Dutch East Indies (currently Indonesia) in 1938.
- Until 1991, Uzbekistan was part of the Soviet Union, which competed at seven World Cup tournaments. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Uzbekistan will become the third former Soviet republic to compete as an independent nation after Russia (1994, 2002, 2014 and 2018) and Ukraine (2006). FIFA considers Russia to be the successor team of the Soviet Union.
- Until 1992, the Czech Republic was part of Czechoslovakia, which competed in eight World Cup tournaments. Following its dissolution, the Czech Republic has qualified for the tournament for the second time as an independent nation, having previously debuted in 2006.
- Recognized as IR Iran by FIFA
- Recognized as Korea Republic by FIFA
- Recognized as Cabo Verde by FIFA
- Recognized as Congo DR by FIFA
- Recognized as Côte d'Ivoire by FIFA
- Recognized as USA by FIFA
- Recognized as Czechia by FIFA
- Recognized as Türkiye by FIFA
- The number in parentheses indicates the FIFA ranking of teams as of November 19, 2025.[81]
- The winners of the UEFA playoffs and inter-confederation playoffs were not known at the time of the draw, as those matches were held on 26 and 31 March 2026.
- As yellow cards are not carried forward to penalty shootouts, players may be shown two yellow cards in the same match without being sent off. However, this would result in a suspension for accumulating two yellow cards during the tournament.
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