The next edition of the FIFA World Cup, the biggest tournament in international football, will be played in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
FOLLOW THE ANNOUNCEMENT LIVE HERE: FIFA WORLD CUP SCHEDULE ANNOUNCEMENT UPDATES
The 2026 World Cup, deemed as the ‘biggest and most inclusive’ edition of the tournament by FIFA, will have the most number of teams in any World Cup and thus, will have the maximum number of matches as well.
Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, is the defending champion in the FIFA World Cup and is expected to start as one of the clear favourites in the next edition of the tournament.
The 2026 World Cup will welcome millions of fans to 16 iconic, world-class venues in unique cities across Canada, Mexico and the USA: 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.
Canada will host the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 2026, nearly 40 years after it first started hosting FIFA events and 11 years after the country welcomed the world to one of the most successful FIFA Women’s World Cup tournaments ever, in 2015.
Mexico will become the first nation to stage the FIFA World Cup for a third time, as the country previously hosted unforgettable editions in 1970 and 1986.
Meanwhile, it will be the second time that the US men’s national team will walk out for FIFA World Cup matches on home soil, with the 1994 tournament across the USA living long in the memories of football fans.
What’s new in the FIFA World Cup 2026?
Started as a 13-team tournament in 1930, the World Cup has expanded to 32 teams eventually. The FIFA World Cup 2026 will feature 48 teams and 104 matches, the biggest pool of teams, and thus, the most number of matches.
Though the venue of the final has not been announced, AFP reported that the AT&T Arena in Dallas will host the summit clash.
Which stadiums have been selected for the FIFA World Cup 2026?
The following stadiums have been selected for hosting the FIFA World Cup across the USA, Canada and Mexico:
United States
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta), Gillette Stadium (Massachusetts), At&T Arena (Dallas), NRG Stadium (Houston), Arrowhead Stadium (Missouri), Los Angeles Stadium (Los Angeles), Hard Rock Stadium (Miami), MetLife Stadium (New Jersey), Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia), Lumen Field (Seattle), Levi’s Stadium (San Jose)
Mexico
Akron Stadium (Guadalajara), Estadio Azteca (Mexico City), Estadio BBVA (Guadalupe)
Canada
BC Place (Vancouver), BMO Field (Toronto)
How many teams have qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026?
Only three teams have earned automatic qualification to the FIFA World Cup 2026 – the USA, Canada and Mexico as hosts. The spots for all other teams are yet to be decided with continental qualification still on, around the world.
What will FIFA announce in the World Cup schedule then?
In the words of FIFA, the “host city allocations for the 104 matches of the game-changing tournament in 2026 will be announced during a special programme.”
“The broadcast will also reveal the location of the tournament’s opening matches in Canada, Mexico and the USA, the group stage locations for each host country’s national team and the venue for the eagerly awaited FIFA World Cup final, which is scheduled for Sunday, 19 July 2026.”
Where will the FIFA World Cup 2026 schedule unveiling take place?
The schedule for the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be unveiled in Miami, Florida, in the United States of America, later on Sunday. The time of the unveiling is 3PM EST/9PM CET, which is about 1:30 am IST on February 5, in India.
How to watch the FIFA World Cup 2024 schedule unveiling?
A live programme for the schedule unveiling will air on TSN, CTV and RDS platforms in Canada, Televisa in Mexico, and FOX and Telemundo in the USA.
FIFA+ will provide live coverage of the event for fans around the world.
Comments
SHARE