FIFA World Cup 2026: Everything confirmed so farÂ
The first quarter of the year just ended, which means we are closer to one of the most anticipated football tournaments in the world, the FIFA World Cup 2026. Since people are excited about this prestigious tournament, here are the confirmed facts about FIFA 2026.
Starting date
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Before the tournament starts, multiple qualifying rounds and other preparations are needed. As of now, various host cities and their stadiums are getting ready for the big day.
FIFA World Cup 2026 format
The FIFA Council approved the new format for the FIFA World Cup 2026. After a unanimous decision, the Council allowed the change of group matches, from 16 groups of three to 12 groups of four.
Here’s how the new format works:
- There will be 12 groups, each with four teams.
- The top 2 teams plus the eight best third-placed teams from the 12 groups will advance.
- A total of 32 teams move on to the knockout stage.
How many teams will qualify?
A total of 48 countries will qualify for the final roster. Here’s a table showing which confederations and regions the teams will come from.
| Confederation | Region | Spots in 2026 |
| AFC | Asia | 8 direct spots + 1 FIFA Play-Offs |
| CAF | Africa | 9 direct spots + 1 FIFA Play-Offs |
| CONCACAF | North, Central America, and the Caribbean | 6 direct spots (including the 3 hosts) + 2 FIFA Play-Offs |
| CONMEBOL | South America | 6 direct spots + 1 FIFA Play-Offs |
| OFC | Oceania | 1 direct spot + one FIFA Play-Offs |
| UEFA | Europe | 16 direct spots |
Only seven countries have qualified so far
As host countries, the USA, Mexico, and Canada are automatically qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026. Below are the four other countries that have secured their position on the final roster, as of writing:
Japan
Japan’s representative team, the Samurai Blue, qualified early for the World Cup, with three games still left to play in their qualifying group. This will be their eighth World Cup in a row. However, their World Cup title remains at zero.
New Zealand
New Zealand qualified for the World Cup by beating New Caledonia 3-0 in the final of the Oceania Qualifiers at Eden Park in Auckland. This will be their third time at the tournament, after playing in 1982 and 2010.
Iran
Iran’s team, Team Melli, qualified for their fourth World Cup in a row after a dramatic 2-2 draw with Uzbekistan. They managed to secure their position by chasing down Uzbekistan’s lead and drawing the game.
Argentina
The current world champions, Argentina, were the first South American team to qualify. They secured their spot after Bolivia and Uruguay failed to win their match and drew a 0-0 score. This defeat guaranteed Argentina a place in the prestigious tournament.
The host countries, cities, and stadiums
These are the confirmed host countries, cities, and stadiums where FIFA World Cup 2026 matches will occur. The stadiums will be called by their corresponding cities, but the official names will be listed below:
United States of America
- Atlanta - Atlanta Stadium (Mercedes-Benz Stadium)
- Boston - Boston Stadium (Gillette Stadium)
- Dallas - Dallas Stadium (AT&T Stadium)
- Houston - Houston Stadium (NRG Stadium)
- Kansas City - Kansas City Stadium (Arrowhead Stadium)
- Los Angeles - Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi Stadium)
- Miami - Miami Stadium (Hard Rock Stadium)
- New York/New Jersey - New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium)
- Philadelphia - Philadelphia Stadium (Lincoln Financial Field)
- San Francisco Bay Area - San Francisco Bay Area (Levi’s Stadium)
- Seattle - Seattle Stadium (Lumen Field).
Mexico
- Guadalaraja - Estadio Guadalajara
- Mexico City - Estadio Azteca Mexico City
- Monterrey - Estadio Monterrey.
Canada
- Toronto - Toronto Stadium
- Vancouver - BC Place Vancouver.
Stay tuned for more updates!
This short compilation of the confirmed details about the FIFA World Cup 2026 will help you stay on track and ready for the upcoming tournament. FIFA will release more information soon, so stay tuned for more updates!
