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2026 Fifa World Cup explained: What you need to know
As 48 teams, including eight from the Arab region, prepare for the big event across the US, Canada and Mexico, here's everything you need to follow the action
- PUBLISHED: Fri 5 Jun 2026, 4:54 PM UPDATED: Sat 13 Jun 2026, 10:21 PM
In less than a week, the 2026 Fifa World Cup (June 11- July 19) will begin, bringing together 48 teams for the 104-match extravaganza.
For the first time, the tournament will be staged in three countries — the US, Canada and Mexico.
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While the US hosted the event in 1994, Mexico is one of the few countries to have staged the World Cup twice in the past — 1970 and 1986.
Canada will make its debut as a host nation of the big football event.
The 104 matches will be played across 16 cities in North America.
Co-hosts Mexico will face South Africa in the opening match on June 11 (kick-off 11 pm UAE Time) in Mexico City.
Defending champions Argentina will begin their campaign against Algeria on June 17 (kick-off 5 am UAE Time) in Kansas City.
The winners and runners-up of the 12 groups will advance to the round of 32. The eight best third-placed teams in the groups will also qualify for the first knockout stage.
For the first time, the winners, runners-up and the semifinalists will play eight matches in the tournament — three matches in the group stage, then the round of 32, round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals and either the final or the third-place playoff.
Asia will be represented by nine teams — Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan and Iraq.
Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Iraq will also represent the Arab region alongside Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia.
To help you follow the action, here's a complete list of teams in the 12 groups. And don't miss the complete fixtures.
WHEN: (June 11 to July 19)
WHERE: USA, Canada and Mexico
TEAMS: 48
MATCHES: 104
HOST CITIES: 16
Canada: Toronto and Vancouver
Mexico: Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey
USA: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Seattle, San Francisco Bay Area
MOST SUCCESSFUL TEAMS:
Brazil 5 titles
Italy 4 titles (Italy haven't qualified for this World Cup)
Germany 4 titles
Argentina 3 titles
Uruguay 2 titles
France 2 titles
England 1 title
Spain 1 title
GROUPS
Group A: Mexico (co-hosts), South Africa, South Korea, Czech Republic
Group B: Canada (co-hosts), Bosnia-Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland
Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
Group D: United States (co-hosts), Paraguay, Australia, Turkey
Group E: Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia
Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway
Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
Group K: Portugal, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia
Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
FIXTURES (UAE Time)
GROUP STAGE
June 11
Mexico City: Group A: Mexico v South Africa (11 PM)
June 12
Guadalajara: Group A: South Korea v Czech Republic (6 AM)
Toronto: Group B: Canada v Bosnia-Herzegovina (11 PM)
June 13
Los Angeles: Group D: United States v Paraguay (5 AM)
Santa Clara/San Francisco: Group B: Qatar v Switzerland (11 PM)
June 14
East Rutherford/New Jersey: Group C: Brazil v Morocco (2 AM)
Foxborough/Boston: Group C: Haiti v Scotland (5 AM)
Vancouver: Group D: Australia v Turkey (8 AM)
Houston: Group E: Germany v Curacao (9 PM)
June 15
Arlington/Dallas: Group F: Netherlands v Japan (12 AM)
Philadelphia: Group E: Ivory Coast v Ecuador (3 AM)
Monterrey: Group F: Sweden v Tunisia (6 AM)
Atlanta: Group H: Spain v Cape Verde (8 PM)
Seattle: Group G: Belgium v Egypt (11 PM)
June 16
Miami: Group H: Saudi Arabia v Uruguay (2 AM)
Los Angeles: Group G: Iran v New Zealand (5 AM)
East Rutherford/New Jersey: Group I: France v Senegal (11 PM)
June 17
Foxborough/Boston: Group I: Iraq v Norway (2 AM)
Kansas City: Group J: Argentina v Algeria (5 AM)
Santa Clara/San Francisco: Group J: Austria v Jordan (8 AM)
Houston: Group K: Portugal v DR Congo (9 PM)
June 18
Arlington/Dallas: Group L: England v Croatia (12 AM)
Toronto: Group L: Ghana v Panama (3 AM)
Mexico City: Group K: Uzbekistan v Colombia (6 AM)
Atlanta: Group A: Czech Republic v South Africa (8 PM)
Los Angeles: Group B: Switzerland v Bosnia-Herzegovina (11 pm)
June 19
Vancouver: Group B: Canada v Qatar (2 AM)
Guadalajara: Group B: Mexico v South Korea (5 AM)
Seattle: Group D: USA v Australia (11 PM)
June 20
Foxborough/Boston: Group C: Scotland v Morocco (2 AM)
Philadelphia: Group C: Brazil v Haiti (4:30 AM)
Santa Clara/San Francisco: Group D: Turkey v Paraguay (7 AM)
Houston: Group F: Netherlands v Sweden (9 PM GMT)
June 21
Toronto: Group E: Germany v Ivory Coast (12 AM)
Kansas City: Group E: Ecuador v Curacao (4 AM GMT)
Monterrey: Group F: Tunisia v Japan (8 AM)
Atlanta: Group H: Spain v Saudi Arabia (8 PM)
Los Angeles: Group G: Belgium v Iran (11 PM)
June 22
Miami: Group H: Uruguay v Cape Verde (2 AM)
Vancouver: Group G: New Zealand v Egypt (5 AM)
Arlington/Dallas: Group J: Argentina v Austria (9 PM)
June 23
Philadelphia: Group I: France v Iraq (1 AM)
East Rutherford/New Jersey: Group I: Norway v Senegal (4 AM)
Santa Clara/San Francisco: Group J: Jordan v Algeria (7 AM)
Houston: Group K: Portugal v Uzbekistan (9 PM)
June 24
Foxborough/Boston: Group L: England v Ghana (12 AM)
Toronto: Group L: Panama v Croatia (3 AM)
Guadalajara: Group K: Colombia v DR Congo (6 AM)
Vancouver: Group B: Switzerland v Canada (11 PM)
Seattle: Group B: Bosnia v Qatar (11 PM)
June 25
Atlanta: Group C: Morocco v Haiti (2 AM)
Miami: Group C: Scotland v Brazil (2 AM)
Mexico City: Group A: Czech Republic v Mexico (5 AM)
Monterrey: Group A: South Africa v South Korea (5 AM)
June 26
Philadelphia: Group E: Curacao v Ivory Coast (12 AM)
East Rutherford/New Jersey: Group E: Ecuador v Germany (12 AM)
Arlington/Dallas: Group F: Japan v Sweden (3 AM)
Kansas City: Group F: Tunisia v Netherlands (3 AM)
Santa Clara/San Francisco: Group D: Paraguay v Australia (6 AM)
Los Angeles: Group D: Turkey v USA (6 AM)
Toronto: Group I: Senegal v Iraq (11 PM)
Foxborough/Boston: Group I: Norway v France (11 PM)
June 27
Guadalajara: Group H: Uruguay v Spain (4 AM)
Houston: Group H: Cape Verde v Saudi Arabia (4 AM)
Vancouver: Group G: New Zealand v Belgium (7 AM)
Seattle: Group G: Egypt v Iran (7 AM)
June 28
Philadelphia: Group L: Croatia v Ghana (1 AM)
East Rutherford/New Jersey: Group L: Panama v England (1 AM)
Atlanta: Group K: DR Congo v Uzbekistan (3:30 AM)
Miami: Group K: Colombia v Portugal (3:30 AM)
Arlington/Dallas: Group J: Jordan v Argentina (6 AM)
Kansas City: Group J: Algeria v Austria (6 AM)
ROUND OF 32
June 28
Los Angeles: Match 73: Group A runners-up v Group B runners-up (11 PM)
June 29
Houston: Match 76: Group C winners v Group F runners-up (9 PM)
June 30
Foxborough/Boston: Match 74: Group E winners v Group A/B/C/D/F third place (12:30 AM)
Monterrey: Match 75: Group F winners v Group C runners-up (5 AM)
Arlington/Dallas: Match 78: Group E runners-up v Group I runners-up (9 PM)
July 1
East Rutherford/New Jersey: Match 77: Group I winners v Group C/D/F/G/H third place (1 AM)
Mexico City: Match 79: Group A winners v Group C/E/F/H/I third place (5 AM)
Atlanta: Match 80: Group L winners v Group E/H/I/J/K third place (8 PM)
July 2
Seattle: Match 82: Group G winners v Group A/E/H/I/J winners (12 AM)
Santa Clara/San Francisco: Match 81: Group D winners v Group B/E/F/I/J third place (4 AM)
Los Angeles: Match 84: Group H winners v Group J runners-up (11 PM)
July 3
Toronto: Match 83: Group K runners-up v Group L runners-up (3 AM)
Vancouver: Match 85: Group B winners v Group E/F/G/I/J third place (7 AM)
Arlington/Dallas: Match 88: Group D runners-up v Group G runners-up (10 PM)
July 4
Miami: Match 86: Group J winners v Group H runners-up (2 AM)
Kansas City: Match 87: Group K winners v Group D/E/I/J/L third place (5:30 AM)
ROUND OF 16
July 4
Houston: Match 90: Match 73 winners v Match 75 winners (9 PM)
July 5
Philadelphia: Match 89: Match 74 winners v Match 77 winners (1 AM)
July 6
East Rutherford/New Jersey: Match 91: Match 76 winners v Match 78 winners (12 AM)
Mexico City: Match 92: Match 79 winners v Match 80 winners (4 AM)
Arlington/Dallas: Match 93: Match 83 winners v Match 84 winners (11 PM)
July 7
Seattle: Match 94: Match 81 winners v Match 82 winners (4 AM)
Atlanta: Match 86 winners v Match 88 winners (8 PM)
July 8
Vancouver: Match 96: Match 85 winners v Match 87 winners (12 AM)
QUARTER-FINALS
July 10
Foxborough/Boston: Match 97: Match 89 winners v Match 90 winners (12 AM)
Los Angeles: Match 98: Match 93 winners v Match 94 winners (11 PM)
July 12
Miami: Match 99: Match 91 winners v Match 92 winners (1 AM)
Kansas City: Match 100: Match 95 winners v Match 96 winners (5 AM)
SEMI-FINALS
July 14
Arlington/Dallas: Match 101: Match 97 winners v Match 98 winners (11 PM)
July 15
Atlanta: Match 102: Match 99 winners v Match 100 winners (11 PM)
THIRD-PLACE PLAYOFF
July 19
Miami: Match 103: Loser Match 101 v Loser Match 102 (1 AM)
FINAL
July 19
East Rutherford/New Jersey: Match 104: Winner Match 101 v Winner match 102 (11 PM)
Rituraj Borkakoty is Sports Editor and has spent more than two decades writing on his sporting heroes. He also loves an underdog story, so if you have one, share it with him. He would love to bring it to life.