48 Teams, 104 Matches, Three Nations: The Scale of World Cup 2026

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the largest football tournament ever held. A record 48 national teams will compete across 104 matches from 11 June to 19 July, hosted jointly by the United States, Canada, and Mexico — the first time the World Cup has been shared by three nations.

Matches will be spread across 16 host cities, with the United States staging 78 games in 11 stadiums while Mexico and Canada each host 13 matches. The expanded format introduces 12 groups of four teams, with the top two from every group and the eight best third-placed sides progressing to a round of 32 that has never been used at a World Cup before.

The tournament culminates on Sunday, 19 July, at New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium), an 82,500-seat venue in East Rutherford, New Jersey. With over 1,000 players representing their nations and millions of fans expected to travel across three countries, organisers face an unprecedented logistical challenge — one that FIFA believes will define a new era for the global game.