With less than 250 days to go until the biggest football spectacle in the world kicks off in the USA, Canada and Mexico, excitement is building as fans across the globe mark their calendars for key milestones.
From the much-anticipated ticket sales phases to the crucial World Cup draw, every date brings supporters one step closer to the action.
Knowing these essential World Cup 2026 dates is key for anyone planning to be part of the experience, whether in the stands or following from home.
With ticketing windows opening soon and the official draw set to shape the path to glory, 2026 football's grandest stage is almost here, and now is the time to prepare.
We have all the information you need regarding the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including important dates, so read on for more details.
When will the 2026 World Cup draw be made?
The draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place in Washington on Friday, 5 December 2025. The announcement was made in August by President Donald Trump, who labelled the tournament as the ‘biggest event in sports. Trump's announcement wasn't coincidental, either, as the American president will participate in the draw ceremony.
The draw will take place at the John F Kennedy Center in the US capital, and Trump will be joined on stage by FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Incidentally, Trump is also in line to receive FIFA's new ‘Peace Prize' at the draw ceremony. This new award has recently been created to ‘recognise an individual's actions for peace and unity' and the expectation is that the US President will be this year's winner.
How many teams will be at the World Cup 2026?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature a total of 48 teams, an increase from the usual 32. This expanded format was approved by FIFA in 2017 and aims to make the tournament more inclusive by allowing teams from underrepresented regions to compete.
FIFA's decision to expand the tournament is driven by a desire to promote the growth of the sport globally, providing smaller nations with the opportunity to participate while also enhancing the commercial appeal of the event.
Under the new format, Europe will receive 16 slots, Africa will have nine slots, Asia will be allocated eight slots, and South America will receive six slots. North America and the Caribbean will be given a combined total of six slots, including those for the host nations, while Oceania will have one slot. Additionally, two more slots will be determined through intercontinental playoffs involving six teams from different confederations.
How many games will be played at the 2026 World Cup?
According to the fixture schedule announced by FIFA in February 2024, there will be one hundred and four matches in the 2026 World Cup, a significant increase from 64, the number of games played since France 1998.
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Tune into the #FIFAWorldCup 2026 Match Schedule Announcement at 3PM EST/9PM CET! ?
— FIFA (@FIFAcom) February 4, 2024
What other changes to the format?
There have been some significant alterations made to the usual World Cup format.
Sixteen host cities will provide the backdrop for the tournament, which will feature 48 participating nations divided into 12 groups of four teams. As usual, the top two will progress to the knockout stages, but due to the increase in numbers, the best third-place sides will also qualify for the new round of 32.
World Cup 2026 ticket sales dates
The release of tickets for the World Cup is following the timeline below:
- Phase 1: Visa pre-sale draw: From Wednesday, 10 September until Friday, 19 September, fans with a FIFA registration code and a Visa card were able to enter a random draw for tickets. Around one million tickets were up for grabs during this pre-sale phase.
- Phase 2: Early ticket draw: From 27-31 October, more fans were able to enter another random draw for tickets.
- Phase 3: Random selection draw: Another randomised draw will take place shortly after the Group Stage draw, however, for this phase, fans are able to select which games they would like to be put in a draw for.
- Phase 4: Remaining tickets: Closer to the tournament, fans will be able to purchase tickets on a first-come, first-served basis.
Where is the 2026 World Cup being hosted
Where are the 2026 World Cup host cities?
The bidding process has been completed, and the 16 host cities are confirmed. Across the three host nations, logistics have been divided into three geographical locations: West, Central, and East. The US has 11 host locations, two in Canada, and three in Mexico.
West Region
- BC Place, Vancouver: 54,500
- Lumen Field, Seattle: 69,000 (expandable to 72,000)
- Levi's Stadium, San Francisco Bay Area: 68,500 (expandable to 75,000)
- Estadio Akron, Guadelajara: 49,850
- SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles: 70,240 (expandable to 100,240)
Central Region
- Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City: 76,416
- AT&T Stadium, Dallas: 80,000 (potentially 105,000)
- NRG Stadium, Houston: 72,220 (expandable to 80,000)
- Estadio BBVA, Monterrey: 53,500 (Bid book: 53,460)
- Estadio Azteca, Mexico City: 87,523
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta: 71,000 (expandable to 83,000)
East Region
- BMO Field, Toronto: 30,000 (expanding to 45,500)
- Gillette Stadium, Boston: 68,878
- MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey: 82,500
- Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia: 69,796
- Hard Rock Stadium, Miami: 64,767 (Bid book: 67,518)
Have the nations previously hosted a World Cup?
Mexico will have its moment again, following on from 1970 and 1986. It will become the first country to host the men's World Cup three times, a fine accolade.
The USA will be the first nation to host both the men's and women's World Cups twice, following on from the senior men's competition in 1994, and the women's in 1999 and 2003.
Canada will have the honour of co-hosting the men’s World Cup for the first time, having hosted the Women's World Cup back in 2015.
Notably, Toronto hosted FIFA World Cup qualifiers in 1957. Guadalajara hosted the event in 1970 and 1988, so this will be the third time that the Mexican city will host the football spectacle.
FAQs about the 2026 FIFA World Cup
How can I book tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
Please check out the ticket release schedule we outlined above to find out how to buy tickets for the World Cup. The next phase will go ‘live' shortly after the group stage draw on 5 December.
Who has qualified for the World Cup in 2026?
There are 20 teams that have already qualified for the World Cup. There are as follows:
- Co-hosts: Canada, Mexico, USA
- AFC: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan
- CAF: Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia
- CONMEBOL: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay
- OFC: New Zealand
- UEFA: England, France
Which stadium will host the opening game of the 2026 World Cup?
The first game, a group A fixture, will be played at Estadio Azteca in Mexico between the host (Mexico) and a team that will be announced before the clash scheduled for 11 June 2026.
Which venue will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup final?
The final game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be staged at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on 19 July 2024.
When was the first time that the 2026 World Cup hosts qualified to participate in the upcoming event?
The first time that Canada qualified for a World Cup tournament was in 1982. Mexico's first appearance in the tournament was in 1930, while the USA made their first appearance in the contest in 1930 as well.
Which 2026 World Cup host has had the most consecutive appearances in the tournament?
Mexico had made a record nine consecutive appearances in the competition, while the USA and Canada have each had two consecutive appearances.