The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has officially unveiled the detailed match schedule for the 2026 World Cup finals, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This edition marks the first in history with 48 participating teams, raising the total number of matches to 104, compared to 64 in previous tournaments.
According to the schedule, the tournament will kick off in June 2026 and run for five weeks. The matches will be distributed across 16 host cities, with Mexico City (Mexico) hosting the opening match, while MetLife Stadium in New York (USA) will stage the final.
The competition format brings several innovations: the 48 teams are divided into 12 groups of four. After the group stage, 32 teams (including the 24 group winners and runners-up, plus the eight best third-placed teams) will advance to the round of 16. This significantly increases the number of matches compared to the previous 32-team format.
Detailed schedules for each group, match kick-off times, and specific venues will be periodically updated on FIFA's official website. The organizing committee is committed to reducing travel for teams and fans by clustering geographically during the group stage.
