FIFA World Cup 2026, the world soccer championship, is coming to the United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Near New York City, MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey; Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia; and Gillette Stadium in Boston are hosting some matches. The Final is at MetLife Stadium.
This World Cup expands from 32 to 48 teams, so the knockout stage where you advance or drop out with one game has an extra Round of 32. Argentina is the defending champion. Teams to watch include 2018 World Cup champion France, European Champion Spain, Africa’s most successful team ever Morocco, and England where soccer / football started. Debuts include Jordan, Uzbekistan, Cape Verde, and Curaçao which is the smallest country to every qualify for the World Cup. Haiti returns after two generations. We are rooting for them. Surprising absences include African powerhouse Nigeria, and possibly Italy.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw
The FIFA World Cup Draw that determines which teams will play each other in the opening Group Stage, is at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC on Friday, December 5, 2025.
There are six slots open for European and FIFA Playoff winners.
Latin teams that qualified before the Draw include:
CONCACAF (North, Central America, and Caribbean)
- Canada (co-host) 🇨🇦
- Curaçao (debut) 🇨🇼
- Haiti 🇭🇹
- Mexico (co-host) 🇲🇽
- Panama 🇵🇦
- United States (co-host) 🇺🇸
CONMEBOL (South America)
- Argentina (defending champion) 🇦🇷
- Brazil 🇧🇷
- Colombia 🇨🇴
- Ecuador 🇪🇨
- Paraguay 🇵🇾
- Uruguay 🇺🇾
CAF (Africa)
- Algeria 🇩🇿
- Cape Verde (debut) 🇨🇻
- Egypt 🇪🇬
- Ghana 🇬🇭
- Ivory Coast 🇨🇮
- Morocco 🇲🇦
- Senegal 🇸🇳
- South Africa 🇿🇦
- Tunisia 🇹🇳
UEFA (Latin Europe)
- France 🇫🇷
- Portugal 🇵🇹
- Spain 🇪🇸
FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Stage
The FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Stage matches are Thursday, June 11-27, 2026.
Groups
Group A
- Mexico 🇲🇽
- South Africa 🇿🇦
- South Korea 🇰🇷
- TBD
Group B
- Canada 🇨🇦
- TBD
- Qatar 🇶🇦
- Switzerland 🇨🇭
Group C
- Brazil 🇧🇷
- Morocco 🇲🇦
- Haiti 🇭🇹
- Scotland 🏴
Group D
- United States 🇺🇸
- Paraguay 🇵🇾
- Australia 🇦🇺
- TBD
Group E
- Germany 🇩🇪
- Curaçao 🇨🇼
- Ivory Coast 🇨🇮
- Ecuador 🇪🇨
Group F
- Netherlands 🇳🇱
- Japan 🇯🇵
- TBD
- Tunisia 🇹🇳
Group G
- Belgium 🇧🇪
- Egypt 🇪🇬
- Iran 🇮🇷
- New Zealand 🇳🇿
Group H
- Spain 🇪🇸
- Cape Verde 🇨🇻
- Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦
- Uruguay 🇺🇾
Group I
- France 🇫🇷
- Senegal 🇸🇳
- TBD
- Norway 🇳🇴
Group J
- Argentina 🇦🇷
- Algeria 🇩🇿
- Austria 🇦🇹
- Jordan 🇯🇴
Group K
- Portugal 🇵🇹
- TBD
- Uzbekistan 🇺🇿
- Colombia 🇨🇴
Group L
- England 🏴
- Croatia 🇭🇷
- Ghana 🇬🇭
- Panama 🇵🇦
Group Stage Matches at MetLife Stadium
Brazil vs Morocco is a FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Stage match at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey; on June 13, 2026 at 6pm.
France vs Senegal is a FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Stage match at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey; on June 16, 2026 at 3pm.
Norway vs Senegal is a FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Stage match at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey; on June 22, 2026 at 8pm.
Ecuador vs Germany is a FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Stage match at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey; on June 25, 2026 at 4pm.
Panama vs England is a FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Stage match at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey; on June 27, 2026 at 5pm.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32
The FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 is Monday, June 29 – Friday, July 3, 2026.
Winner Group I vs 3rd Group C/D/F/G/H is a FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey; on June 30, 2026 at 5pm.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16
The FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 is Saturday-Tuesday, July 4-7, 2026. Philadelphia is hosting a match on July 4, 2026.
Winner Match 76 vs Winner Match 78 is a FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey; on July 5, 2026 at 4pm.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarterfinals
The FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarterfinals are Thursday-Saturday, July 9-11, 2026. Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts (Boston) is hosting a match on
FIFA World Cup 2026 Semifinals
The FIFA World Cup 2026 Semifinals are Tuesday-Wednesday, July 14-15, 2026.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Third Place
The FIFA World Cup 2026 Third Place Match is Saturday, July 18, 2026.
FIFA World Cup 2026 FINAL
The FIFA World Cup 2026 Final is at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey; on Sunday, July 19, 2026 at 3pm.
Where to Watch?
The Rockefeller Center ice rink becomes a soccer pitch with large screens, from July 4-19, 2026.
Louis Armstrong Stadium at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center is a viewing location from June 17-28, 2026.
For Sports bars, we recommend Smithfield Hall in Chelsea, Manhattan; Football Factory at Legends in Koreatown, Manhattan; and Tir na Nog in Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan.