There will be more host nations, more teams and more Donald Trump than ever before. Here’s everything you need to know about its teams, groups, format and schedule. With less than six months to go until the FIFA World Cup 2026, the schedule for the 39-day tournament co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States has been released. Teams, groups, format, dates, start times and venues for all 104 matches at the 48-team tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States. Italian icon Fabio Cannavaro will have his work cut out if he is to steer Uzbekistan past Portugal, the playoff winners and Colombia in the nation’s first-ever tournament appearance.

World Cup Group Stage: Full Schedule

This Europa League-esque introduction has come into force to accommodate the 48 teams which now take part. The inaugural edition in 1930 had an awkward 13 teams after Egypt missed their connecting boat to Uruguay. The reigning European champions will feel confident up against the tournament newbies and a Uruguay team which ended 2025 with a thumping 5–1 defeat at the hands of the USMNT. The winner of UEFA playoff path B is not going to be a walkover either, with one of Ukraine, Sweden, Poland and Albania joining Group F. El Tri open up the competition on June 11 at the iconic Estadio Azteca, which will become the first venue in World Cup history to stage matches at three different editions of the competition. Those remaining qualifiers will not be determined until March 2026, when two sets of playoffs—one between 16 UEFA nations and a separate six-way inter-confederation bracket—are conducted.

• It will be billed as the battle of the strikers when Erling Haaland’s Norway take on a France team captained by Kylian Mbappé.
• There will be more host nations, more teams and more Donald Trump than ever before.
• The U.S. men’s national team manager insists that he is targeting nothing less than lifting the World Cup trophy on home soil next summer.
• Argentina open their campaign against an Algeria team with Riyad Mahrez as its attacking fulcrum and Zinedine Zidane’s son, Luca, in goal.
• El Tri open up the competition on June 11 at the iconic Estadio Azteca, which will become the first venue in World Cup history to stage matches at three different editions of the competition.
• Nevertheless, there is still plenty to pick apart from the schedule.

Monday, June 29

Both pre-tournament contenders for the Golden Boot will hope to bolster their tallies against the winner of FIFA’s inter-confederation playoff from pathway 2, namely one of Bolivia, Suriname or Iraq. As one of the three host richroger casino bonus nations, the venues for Mexico’s group stage fixtures were determined before Friday’s draw. This is what it is all about, as we’ve been waiting years for the schedule for this 48-team tournament to be revealed. The tournament will be made up of one group-stage round and four knockout rounds before the final.

Group H schedule

• Those remaining qualifiers will not be determined until March 2026, when two sets of playoffs—one between 16 UEFA nations and a separate six-way inter-confederation bracket—are conducted.
• Italian icon Fabio Cannavaro will have his work cut out if he is to steer Uzbekistan past Portugal, the playoff winners and Colombia in the nation’s first-ever tournament appearance.
• The reigning European champions will feel confident up against the tournament newbies and a Uruguay team which ended 2025 with a thumping 5–1 defeat at the hands of the USMNT.
• Both pre-tournament contenders for the Golden Boot will hope to bolster their tallies against the winner of FIFA’s inter-confederation playoff from pathway 2, namely one of Bolivia, Suriname or Iraq.
• Curuçao’s first-ever World Cup game will be against none other than four-time winners Germany.

Nevertheless, there is still plenty to pick apart from the schedule. Friday’s grand group stage draw, befit with everyone from Rio Ferdinand to the Village People, provided the foundation for the upcoming international jamboree. A swollen glut of 104 fixtures are planned for the 48 nations competing across Mexico, Canada and the United States. There will also be an unprecedented number of matches on offer next summer. We now know where you can watch each team play across the USA, Canada and Mexico next summer and you can start making your plans.

Group D schedule

Curuçao’s first-ever World Cup game will be against none other than four-time winners Germany. The U.S. men’s national team manager insists that he is targeting nothing less than lifting the World Cup trophy on home soil next summer. Qatar know all too well the difficulty of winning points on home soil at a World Cup and the 2022 hosts were drawn together with Switzerland to round out Group B. The co-hosts start their campaign against a potentially tricky opponent, with one of Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina to come through UEFA Playoff path A. Canada have also been guaranteed home field advantage with an opening fixture in Toronto before they close out their group stage in Vancouver.

Group J schedule

Therefore, the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey has been rebranded as the New York New Jersey Stadium and the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles has been renamed the Los Angeles Stadium for the tournament. There have been straight knockouts, double group stages and even one iteration without a final. After missing out on qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations, the Black Stars will be desperate to make amends on the grandest of stages, especially against a former colonial power. The Three Lions begin against 2018 finalists Croatia and finish with a clash against Panama, one of their group-stage opponents from that same 2018 vintage. Just like Ronaldo, their coach is a former Ballon d’Or winner and—unlike Cristiano—lifted the World Cup in the same year. Argentina open their campaign against an Algeria team with Riyad Mahrez as its attacking fulcrum and Zinedine Zidane’s son, Luca, in goal.