2026 FIFA World Cup facts for kids
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| Tournament details | |
| Host countries | Canada Mexico United States |
| Dates | June 11 – July 19 |
| Teams | 48 (from 6 confederations) |
| Venue(s) | 16 (in 16 host cities) |
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is an exciting international soccer tournament for men's national teams. It will be the 23rd time this championship is held. The tournament takes place from June 11 to July 19, 2026. It is special because it's the first time three countries are hosting it together: Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Sixteen cities across these three nations will welcome the teams and fans.
This World Cup is also the first to have 48 teams competing, which is a big increase from the previous 32 teams. The host countries—Canada, Mexico, and the United States—automatically qualified for the tournament. Argentina is the defending champion, having won the title in 2022.
Contents
Tournament Format and Expansion
The idea to make the World Cup bigger started many years ago. Leaders at FIFA, the world's soccer governing body, wanted more countries to have a chance to play.
Starting with this tournament, 48 teams will compete. This is 16 more teams than before! The teams are divided into twelve groups, with four teams in each group. The top two teams from each group will move on. Also, the eight best third-placed teams will get to continue. This means 32 teams will enter the knockout stage. This is the first time the tournament format has changed since 1998.
The total number of matches will increase from 64 to 104. Teams that reach the final four will play eight matches instead of seven. The tournament will last 39 days.
Host Selection
The decision for who would host the 2026 World Cup was made in 2018. A joint bid from Canada, Mexico, and the United States won the vote. They competed against a bid from Morocco. The vote happened at the 68th FIFA Congress in Moscow.
Mexico has a special history, as it will be the first country to host or co-host the men's World Cup three times. They previously hosted in 1970 and 1986. The United States hosted in 1994. For Canada, this is their first time hosting the men's tournament. There were some concerns about fan behavior in Mexico, but FIFA was satisfied with the actions taken to address them.
The voting took place on June 13, 2018. All 203 eligible FIFA members could vote. The United bid received 134 votes, while Morocco received 65 votes.
Venues
Sixteen cities were chosen to host matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Eleven cities are in the United States, three in Mexico, and two in Canada. These cities include: 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.
Many of these stadiums are usually used for American football (NFL) or Canadian football (CFL). However, they are also designed to host soccer games. Some stadiums have artificial turf, but for the World Cup, these will be replaced with natural grass. The final match of the tournament will be held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Due to FIFA's rules, stadiums will use special names during the tournament. For example, AT&T Stadium will be called "Dallas Stadium". Estadio Azteca in Mexico City is the only stadium in this tournament that has hosted World Cup games before, in 1970 and 1986.
Teams
Qualification
The 2026 World Cup is the first to feature 48 teams. This means more countries get to participate! The three host nations, Canada, Mexico, and the United States, automatically qualified. This was confirmed by the FIFA Council in February 2023.
FIFA also approved a special playoff tournament. Six teams from different regions competed for the last two World Cup spots. This tournament was held in Mexico. For the first time, the OFC (teams from Oceania) has a guaranteed spot in the final tournament. This means all six soccer regions of the world will have at least one team in the World Cup.
Many teams that played in the 2022 World Cup are back for 2026. Some teams are making their World Cup debut, like Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan. Qatar qualified through regular matches for the first time, after hosting in 2022.
Draw
The draw for the tournament groups happened on December 5, 2025, in Washington, D.C.. The 48 teams were sorted into four groups, called "pots," based on their rankings. The three host nations were already placed into specific groups. Mexico was put in Group A and will play the very first match on June 11. Canada and the United States were placed in Groups B and D, respectively, and will play their first matches on June 12.
Squads
Before the tournament, teams will choose a provisional squad of players. Then, they must name their final squad by June 2. If a player gets injured or very sick, they can be replaced from the provisional squad.
Officiating
On April 9, 2026, FIFA announced the referees and other officials who will help manage the games.
Opening Ceremonies
This World Cup will have three exciting opening ceremonies, one in each host country!
- The ceremony in Mexico will be on June 11, 2026, at Estadio Banorte. It will feature Mexican artists like Maná, Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, Lila Downs, and Los Ángeles Azules. Also performing are South African singer Tyla, Colombian singer J Balvin, and Venezuelan singer Danny Ocean.
- Canada's ceremony will be on June 12, 2026, at BMO Field in Toronto. Canadian singers like Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Jessie Reyez, Michael Bublé, Nora Fatehi, and William Prince will perform. Palestinian singer Elyanna, Bangladeshi-American DJ Sanjoy, and French singer Vegedream will also be there.
- On the same day, the United States' ceremony will be at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. It will include 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.
There will also be two special ceremonies on July 4, 2026, to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States. These will be held in Philadelphia and Houston.
Match Schedule
The full match schedule was announced on December 6, 2025. Mexico will play the opening match on June 11, 2026, at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Canada's first match will be on June 12 in Toronto, and the United States' first match will also be on June 12 in Inglewood. Each host nation will play all its group stage matches in its own country.
AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, will host the most matches, with nine games. The United States will host 78 matches, including all games from the quarterfinal stage onwards. Canada and Mexico will each host 13 matches.
The host cities are grouped into three regions to make travel easier for teams and fans:
- 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. The 48 competing countries are divided into twelve groups (A to L), with four teams in each. Every team in a group plays against each other once. Teams get three points for a win, one for a draw, and zero for a loss.
After all group matches, the top two teams from each group will move on. Also, the eight best third-placed teams from all groups will advance to the next stage, called the knockout stage. If teams have the same number of points, other rules like goal difference and goals scored help decide who ranks higher.
Knockout Stage
The knockout stage is where the competition gets even more intense! It starts on June 28 with the Round of 32. From this point, if a team loses, they are out of the tournament. The final match will be on July 19.
If a game is tied after normal playing time, teams will play 30 minutes of extra time. If it's still a tie, a penalty shootout will decide the winner. The two teams that lose in the semifinals will play a match for third place to win the bronze medal.
Statistics
Discipline
Players or team officials can be suspended from playing in the next match if they receive a red card. Also, if a player gets two yellow cards during the tournament, they will be suspended for one match.
Marketing
Branding
The official emblem for the 2026 World Cup was revealed on May 17, 2023. It shows the numbers "26" with the famous FIFA World Cup Trophy in front. This is the first time the actual trophy has been used in the emblem! Each host city also has its own special version of the emblem, with colors and designs that show off their local culture.
In March and April 2025, FIFA showed off 16 posters, each designed by local artists to represent a host city. The official tournament poster was unveiled on March 3, 2026. Three artists from Canada, Mexico, and the United States worked together to create it.
Broadcasting Rights
Fox (for English in the US), NBCUniversal (for Spanish in the US), and Bell Media (in Canada) have the rights to broadcast the 2026 World Cup. TikTok and YouTube also made deals with FIFA to share video content and even stream some matches, especially to encourage young fans to watch. On May 8, 2026, Fox Sports announced a partnership with Cosm to show 40 matches, including the opening game and the final.
Sponsorships
Many companies are supporting the 2026 FIFA World Cup. These include FIFA partners, World Cup sponsors, and regional and domestic supporters. These sponsorships help make the tournament possible.
FIFA Fan Festivals
FIFA will host special "fan festivals" in cities across the host nations. These are places where fans can gather to watch matches on big screens and enjoy live entertainment. Some confirmed locations include Liberty State Park in Jersey City, Fairmount Park in Philadelphia, and Fort York in Toronto.
Tickets
Ticket sales for the 2026 FIFA World Cup began with an initial draw period in September 2025. FIFA used a new "dynamic pricing" system for tickets, which means prices could change based on demand. This system was also used for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
A final "last-minute" sales phase started on April 22, 2026. By then, over five million tickets had already been sold! FIFA expects to sell more than six million tickets in total. Ticket prices for the final match at MetLife Stadium were quite high. On May 2026, FIFA president Gianni Infantino defended the ticket prices, saying they reflected market rates.
Symbols
Mascots
The official mascots for the tournament were revealed on September 25, 2025. Their names are Maple, Zayu, and Clutch. Maple is a moose representing Canada. Zayu is a jaguar representing Mexico. Clutch is a bald eagle representing the United States. They were designed to show the unique cultures of each host country.
Match Ball
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The official match ball for the tournament is called the Adidas Trionda. The name "Trionda" combines Spanish words for "three" (tri) and "wave" (onda). The ball's design features red, green, and blue colors, which represent the flags of Canada, Mexico, and the United States. It also includes national symbols like a maple leaf for Canada, a golden eagle for Mexico, and a five-pointed star for the United States.
Music
The official theme song for the tournament, an instrumental track called "FIFA World Cup 26 Theme Song," was released on May 17, 2023. An official music album was confirmed on March 20, 2026. The first song from the album, "Lighter" by Jelly Roll and Carín León, was released that same day. Other songs like "Por Ella" by Belinda Peregrín and Los Ángeles Azules, "Echo" by Daddy Yankee and Shenseea, and "Illuminate" by Jessie Reyez and Elyanna have also been released.
In March 2025, sixteen remixes of the theme song were released. Artists from each host city put their own local spin on the song.
Awards
Prize Money
In April 2026, FIFA announced the prize money for all teams participating in the tournament. The total prize pool for this World Cup is $871 million, which is much higher than the previous tournament. Besides the prize money based on how well they perform, each qualified team also received a $10 million payment for qualifying and a $2.5 million fee for preparation before the competition.
| 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 | |
Images for kids
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Dallas Stadium
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Mexico City Stadium
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New York New Jersey Stadium
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Atlanta Stadium
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Kansas City Stadium
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Houston Stadium
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San Francisco Bay Area Stadium
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Los Angeles Stadium
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Philadelphia Stadium
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Seattle Stadium
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Boston Stadium
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Miami Stadium
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BC Place Vancouver
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Estadio Monterrey
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Estadio Guadalajara
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Toronto Stadium
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See also
In Spanish: Copa Mundial de Fútbol de 2026 para niños
