"Road to Glory": FIFA Has Published the Full Schedule for the 2026 World Cup

The World Cup will kick off on June 11, 2026, with the opening match between Mexico and South Africa at the legendary Azteca Stadium.

• The US national team will begin its journey on June 12 in Los Angeles against Paraguay, while Canada will start on June 12 in Toronto
• The tournament final will take place on July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
• For the first time in history, 48 national teams will participate in the tournament, playing 104 matches over 39 days.

FIFA has officially presented the detailed schedule for the 2026 World Cup, which promises to be the largest sporting event in history. The tournament will span three countries (the USA, Canada, and Mexico) and 16 cities. The Mexican national team will open the championship on June 11 at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City — this will be a historic moment, as the arena will become the first to host three World Cup opening matches. On the same day, South Korea and the Czech Republic will play in Guadalajara. The US national team, competing in Group D, will play its first match at the ultra-modern SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, which has already caused unprecedented excitement in the ticket market.

The new tournament structure with 48 teams has divided participants into 12 groups of 4 teams each. Due to the vast distances, FIFA has applied a regional approach: teams will play group stage matches in specific clusters (Western, Central, or Eastern) to minimize travel. For example, all of England's matches in Group L will take place in Dallas, Toronto, and Boston. The playoffs will begin with a new stage — the 1/16 finals (Round of 32), which starts on June 28. The decisive match for the World Cup will be hosted by New Jersey, while the semifinals will take place in Dallas and Atlanta.