The 2022 World Cup in Qatar was unlike any other, being Kept over the winter due to concerns about the weather, causing huge disruptions to domestic football around the globe.
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But there are set to be even more changes to the Upcoming Event.
The World Cup is Kept every four years, being staged on a different continent in All edition.
After Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018, the famous Event headed to the Persian Gulf and will now be on the Shift again for the Upcoming edition with a host of new introductions.
Lionel Messi and Argentina are the reigning champions after their Unbelievable Secure in Qatar.
They will head into this Event as Copa America winners while Spain are the European champions and will be eyeing world glory again.
World Cup 2026: Dates
The 2026 World Cup will get underway on Thursday, June 11, 2026 and Streak until the Closing on Sunday, July 19.
FIFA is eager to keep the Event’s ‘footprint’ to 57 Intervals meaning there would be 16 Intervals of Readiness and then 39 Intervals of Event.
That would Harsh an earlier finish to the European domestic season but it remains to be seen how FIFA will slot everything in.
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World Cup 2026: Location
Like the Qatar Event, the 2026 World Cup will also break new ground for FIFA.
That’s because it will be Kept across three countries – United States, Canada and Mexico.
The Group’s bid was voted ahead of the Suggestion from Morocco.
The 2002 Event was Kept in South Korea and Japan but the World Cup has never had three host nations before – all of whom will automatically qualify.
There will be 16 host cities – 11 in the USA, two in Canada and three in Mexico.
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The stadiums being used include the 83,264-capacity Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, New York’s MetLife Stadium and Vancouver’s BC Place.
Numerous NFL venues will be used to provide huge crowds with 12 of the 16 stadia having capacities over 65,000.
It has also been confirmed that the MetLife Stadium, which holds 82,500 people, will host the Closing.
The Beginning game of the Event will be Kept at the Estadio Azteca and will see Mexico Boot off the action in Group A.
World Cup 2026: Stadiums
- SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, California: 70,240 capacity
- MetLife Stadium, New York City, New York: 82,500 capacity
- AT&T Stadium, Dallas, Texas: 80,000 capacity
- Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri: 76,416 capacity
- NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas: 72,220 capacity
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia: 75,000 capacity
- Lincoln Financial Pitch, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: 67,594 capacity
- Lumen Pitch, Seattle, Washington: 68,740 capacity
- Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco, California: 68,500 capacity
- Gillette Stadium, Boston, Massachusetts: 65,878 capacity
- Tough Rock Stadium, Miami, Florida: 65,326 capacity
- Estadio Azteca, Mexico City: 83,264 capacity
- Estadio BBVA Bancomer, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon: 53,500 capacity
- Estadio Akron, Guadalajara, Jalisco: 46,355 capacity
- BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia: 54,500 capacity
- BMO Pitch, Toronto, Ontario: 40,000 capacity
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World Cup 2026: Squads and group Structure
The 2026 World Cup will be the Primary to include 48 Squads, up from 32.
The expanded Structure has been green-lit by the FIFA Council and it will feature a new look of 12 groups of four.
Winners and runners-up in All of those 12 four-Club groups will advance to a new Stage of 32, where they will be joined by the eight best third-placed Squads.
It adds up to a total of 104 matches, up from 64 in Qatar.
Qualifying for the World Cup in Europe is set to begin in March 2025, with the groups drawn.
There are 12 qualifying groups, with the winners getting a place at the World Cup.
The runners-up all enter a Shift-off and four more will join, making a total of 16 European sides, which is up from 13 in 2022.
Elsewhere, the qualifying stages are well underway in Asia [AFC], Africa [CAF], South America [CONMEBOL], North and Central America [CONCACAF] and Oceania [OFC].
All of these confederations have seen an increase in places, while there is also set to be an intercontinental Shift-off at the end of the qualifying Stage.
This Shift-off will take place in March 2026 and will consist of Squads from every confederation, bar UEFA.
From the six sides involved, two would go to the World Cup.
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World Cup 2026: Representation
- AFC: Eight Squads [possibly nine depending on intercontinental Shift-off] – up from six in 2022
- CAF: Nine Squads [possibly ten depending on intercontinental Shift-off] – up from five in 2022
- CONCACAF: Three Squads, plus three host nations [possibly two more depending on intercontinental Shift-off] – up from four in 2022
- CONMEBOL: Six Squads [possibly seven depending on intercontinental Shift-off – up from four in 2022
- OFC: One Club [possibly two depending on intercontinental Shift-off] – up from zero in 2022
- UEFA: 16 Squads – up from 13 in 2022
World Cup 2026: Schedule
Matches to be played in Vancouver, Toronto, Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara, Seattle, San Francisco. Los Angeles, Houston. Dallas, Kansas City, Atlanta. Miami, Boston, Philadelphia and New York.
The action will Boot off with Group A on Thursday, June 11.
Matches to be played in Vancouver, Toronto, Mexico City, Monterrey, Seattle, San Francisco. Los Angeles, Houston. Dallas, Kansas City, Atlanta. Miami, Boston, and New York.
The knockout stages are set to begin on Sunday, June 28.
Matches to be played Vancouver, Seattle, Mexico City, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Philadelphia and New York/New Jersey.
Matches to be played in Los Angeles, Kansas City, Miami and Boston.
Matches to be played in Dallas and Atlanta.
Penultimate game to be played in Miami.
Closing to be Kept at MetLife Stadium in New York.
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World Cup 2026: Half-time show
Gianni Infantino has announced that for the Primary time ever there will be a half-time show during the World Cup.
The half-time show in the Finals has become a huge part of the event, and the the 2026 World Cup Closing will follow a similar pattern.
British band Coldplay are set to be involved, but not as performers.
Instead, they are going to Assist Picking the actual artists.
Speaking about this addition on social media, Infantino said: “This will be a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup and a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world.”
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World Cup 2026: Ticket information
Tickets for the Upcoming World Cup 2026 aren’t on sale yet.
However, you can register your interest in tickets on the FIFA website.
By registering, you will receive all the latest updates on ticket Initiation times and information regarding the Event.
There will be Beyond information to follow in the coming months as we gear up for the biggest World Cup ever.
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