World Cup 2026 — Everything You Need to Know
This summer, the biggest sporting event on the planet comes to North America. Forty-eight countries. Sixty days. One hundred and four matches. And England, for the first time in a very long time, heading into a World Cup with genuine reason to believe.
Whether you’re a lifelong football fan or you’ve never watched a match in your life, this is your home for everything you need to know about the 2026 FIFA World Cup. We explain it all — the format, the teams, the players, the drama — in plain English, with no assumed knowledge and no jargon without explanation.
The tournament kicks off on 11 June 2026 in Mexico City, and the final takes place on 19 July in New Jersey. In between, there are more matches, more storylines and more moments of pure football than any tournament in history.
England are in Group L. Their first game is against Croatia on 17 June in Dallas. And after decades of near-misses, heartbreaks and penalty shootout nightmares, manager Thomas Tuchel believes this squad — young, hungry and full of talent — can go all the way.
We’ve covered everything. Click below to find exactly what you’re looking for.
What Would You Like to Know?
New to football?
Start with “How the World Cup works” — it explains the whole tournament format from scratch, including the new 48-team format that makes 2026 different from previous years.
Following England?
Go straight to the England squad guide — we’ve broken down all 26 players in plain English, including the controversial omissions that had everyone talking.
Want to understand the groups?
We’ve got a page for every one of the 12 groups. England’s group (Group L — Croatia, Ghana and Panama) is a good place to start.
The Basics
The 2026 FIFA World Cup takes place in the United States, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July 2026. It is the biggest World Cup in history — 48 teams competing across 16 cities over 39 days.
This is the first World Cup to feature 48 teams (up from 32) and the first to be co-hosted by three countries. The final takes place on 19 July at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey — the biggest stadium in the USA.
The Host Countries
United States
The USA hosts 78 of the 104 matches, across 11 cities: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle. This is the USA’s second time hosting the World Cup — they also hosted in 1994, which was a massive success for growing football in America.
Mexico
Mexico hosts 13 matches across Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey. Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca is one of the most iconic football venues in the world — it hosted the famous 1986 quarter-final between England and Argentina (including Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal). Mexico hosted the opening match of this tournament.
Canada
Canada hosts 13 matches across Toronto and Vancouver — the first time Canada has ever hosted a World Cup.
The Format — How It Works
48 teams are split into 12 groups of 4. Each team plays the other three teams in their group once. The top two from each group automatically qualify for the Round of 32. The eight best third-placed teams also qualify. That’s 32 teams in the knockout stage.
From the Round of 32, it’s straight knockout — win or go home. The tournament goes: Round of 32 → Round of 16 → Quarter-finals → Semi-finals → Third-place play-off → Final.
What is the new Round of 32? At previous World Cups with 32 teams, the knockout stage started at the Round of 16. With 48 teams, there is now an extra round first — the Round of 32. England would play this round in late June/early July if they qualify from their group.
UK Kick-Off Times
Most matches are played in the afternoon or evening in North America, which means they fall in the evening or late evening in the UK. Most England games kick off at 9pm or 10pm UK time. Check our England fixtures page for exact times.
England's Squad — Meet the 26 Players
The 12 Groups — Who's Playing Who
Latest World Cup News and Updates
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