The 2026 World Cup is the primary males’s World Cup within the United States for the reason that 1994 match, and it is not like any World Cup ever performed.
Here’s everything you need to know to be prepared when the match kicks off this week.
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Where and when is the 2026 World Cup?
The match begins Thursday with Mexico internet hosting South Africa at Mexico City’s famed Estadio Azteca. The first sport within the United States is the next day, because the U.S. faces Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on Friday.
The group stage runs by means of June 27, with the primary off day coming July 8 before the quarterfinals. The remaining is Sunday, July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Kickoff instances vary from midday ET to midnight ET, with 4 video games per day from June 13 to June 23 and six video games per day for group finales from June 24 to June 27.
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This World Cup would be the first one that’s performed in three international locations, because the U.S., Canada and Mexico function co-hosts. Canada (two cities) and Mexico (three) will every host 13 video games, and the remaining 78 matches are in 11 cities throughout the U.S., together with all eight video games from the quarterfinals onward.
Tournament format
With 48 groups, that is the most important World Cup ever, a 50% enhance from the 2022 match. The enlargement means 104 whole matches, 40 greater than the earlier World Cup.
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As common, the 48 groups are divided into teams of 4 for the 72 video games within the group stage. Following round-robin group play, the highest two groups in every group advance to the knockout stage, as do the eight greatest third-place groups.
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In a change this 12 months, the primary group tiebreaker is just not aim distinction, however fairly head-to-head outcome, adopted by head-to-head aim distinction and head-to-head targets within the case of a tie between greater than two groups. If groups are even on the head-to-head tiebreakers, general group aim distinction is subsequent, adopted by whole targets scored, then fewest disciplinary factors (a scoring system for yellow and purple playing cards).
With the expanded World Cup comes an expanded knockout stage — starting with the Round of 32 and lasting by means of the ultimate — with additional time and penalty kicks deciding which crew advances if the rating is tied after regulation.
Hydration breaks will characteristic prominently this summer time — a concession to a warming planet that FIFA has in some way additionally managed to monetize.
What else is new at this World Cup?
Beyond the format, a handful of rule adjustments are designed to hold the video games shifting, and one change will pause the motion in every half:
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Every match may have necessary three-minute hydration breaks halfway by means of every half. This will enable gamers a quick respite from the new circumstances, giving media rights-holders a possibility to promote extra adverts.
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Players have 5 seconds to restart play on lifeless balls together with throw-ins and aim kicks.
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Players have 10 seconds to depart the sector when substituted.
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A participant who receives medical therapy should keep off the sector for one minute, apart from gamers who’re injured on performs that obtained a card.
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The crew captain is the one participant allowed to method the referee and protest or query a choice. Other gamers who achieve this might obtain a yellow card.
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The Video Assistant Referee might evaluation second yellow playing cards and nook kicks, within the case of clear and apparent errors.
How to watch the 2026 World Cup
In the United States, all 104 matches are in English on Fox (70) and FS1 (34), and all are streamed on Fox One.
For those that favor Spanish-language broadcasts, 92 video games shall be on Telemundo, with the opposite 12 matches (all simultaneous group finales) on Universo.
Which international locations are the favorites?
The common suspects for probably the most half, headed by 5 earlier winners. 2022 runner-up France (+450) and reigning European champion Spain are the highest two betting favorites, adopted by England (+650), defending champion Argentina (+800) and five-time winner Brazil (+800).
The subsequent tier contains always-talented Portugal (10-1), a Germany facet that has shockingly gone out in two straight group levels (14-1), Netherlands (20-1), Erling Haaland‘s Norway (25-1) and a Belgium crew in transition (33-1).
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Who are the Cinderellas?
This is the ninth males’s World Cup performed within the Americas, and seven of the earlier eight have been received by South American groups, with Germany successful in Brazil in 2014 because the lone exception. The sizzling climate is usually tougher for European groups to deal with, so watch out for a sleeper South American crew to make a run, maybe Colombia (40-1 to win the title), Uruguay (50-1) or Ecuador (66-1).
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All however two World Cup host nations have made the knockout stage, so the United States (40-1) or Mexico (66-1) may make a deep run like unheralded South Korea did as co-host in 2002.
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If you’re searching for an Asian crew to pull upsets this match, go together with a Japan facet that knocked off Germany and Spain on the 2022 World Cup and has a roster filled with gamers from Europe’s high leagues.
Even with ageing stars, Croatia has to be thought of a Cinderella once more, after ending runner-up in 2018 and third in 2022. Switzerland and Türkiye are among the many different strong European groups which have expertise to make noise.
Morocco has to be on the sleeper listing as nicely after making the semis 4 years in the past, and fellow Africa Cup of Nations finalist Senegal additionally has the correct mix of veterans and youth to do likewise.
What are expectations for the United States?
The U.S. males’s nationwide crew is at the moment sixteenth in FIFA’s rankings and has the Eleventh-best title odds at +4000. Both these numbers are optimistic about the place the U.S. ranks within the international pecking order.
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But taking part in at residence in a bunch and not using a conventional energy, the U.S. is still the Group D favorite, and a group-stage elimination can be an utter disaster. Realistic expectations have the U.S. ending high two within the group and successful a good Round-of-32 matchup, then operating right into a top-10 caliber crew within the Round of 16. Advancing within the knockout stage is much from a given for the U.S., which has achieved so solely as soon as in World Cup historical past (2002).
Who are the celebs to watch?
With 48 groups and most outstanding soccer nations current (apologies to Italy, Nigeria, Cameroon, Poland and others), this World Cup will characteristic a boatload of stars from the previous, current and future.
Making their final stand
Two of the all-time greats are poised to be the primary males to play in six World Cups. Argentina’s Lionel Messi, who turns 39 on June 24, received the Golden Ball as the very best participant on the 2022 match, tallying seven targets and three assists. Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo is already the one man to rating at 5 World Cups, because the 41-year-old strives for the one main worldwide trophy that has eluded him.
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At age 40, Croatia’s Luka Modrić shall be again for a fifth World Cup, assuming he recovers from cheekbone surgical procedure in time. Modric received the Golden Ball on the 2018 match, the place Croatia was runner-up to France, and he led the crew to a third-place end in 2022.
Tips of gifted spears
The match favorites are crammed with attackers who may all shine. France’s Kylian Mbappé already has 12 World Cup targets, tied for sixth-most all-time with Pelé, and Mbappé wants 5 extra targets to break Miroslav Klose’s males’s World Cup report.
France additionally options reigning Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, who has not scored in 11 earlier World Cup video games however has over 50 targets for PSG the final two seasons.
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Lamine Yamal (18 years outdated) was runner-up to Dembélé for final 12 months’s Ballon d’Or, after successful two trophies with Barcelona and the Euro 2024 title with Spain. He’ll be in a health race after struggling a hamstring damage in late April.
Harry Kane has over 50 targets for Bayern Munich this season alone, and he stays England’s most suitable choice up high. England’s profession targets chief received the Golden Boot as the highest scorer on the 2018 World Cup, and he is two targets shy of tying Gary Lineker’s English report of 10 World Cup targets.
As common, Brazil has loads of attacking choices, led by a pair of La Liga stalwarts. Vinícius Júnior has over 125 targets for Real Madrid, however he is not often replicated his membership kind on the worldwide stage. Raphinha led Brazil with six targets in qualifying, however he has not performed for Barcelona since injuring his hamstring in the course of the March worldwide break.
Can they carry their groups to the promised land?
Bruno Fernandes is hardly the one weapon on a loaded Portugal crew, however he is the engine that can make them go, very similar to he does for Manchester United.
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The greatest pure striker on the planet, Man City‘s Erling Haaland has Norway on the World Cup for the primary time since 1998. He scored almost half of Norway’s 34 targets in qualifying, with 16 targets in eight video games.
Mo Salah is leaving Liverpool after this season, and this can be the final World Cup for the 33-year-old. He’ll look to lead Egypt to a first-ever World Cup win within the nation’s fourth look.
Four years in the past, proper again Achraf Hakimi helped make Morocco the primary African crew to attain the World Cup semifinals. He’s received a cupboard filled with trophies with PSG, and he additionally led Morocco to the Africa Cup of Nations remaining in January.
Club stars prepared to shine on the worldwide stage
With Mbappé and Dembélé, France would not need extra attacking weapons, however they’ve loads of others within the squad. Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise is amongst this 12 months’s Ballon d’Or favorites after reaching 20 targets and 20 assists this season. Rayan Cherki has shined for Manchester City this season, piling up double digits in each targets and assists.
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If you watched the U.S.-Belgium pleasant in March, you noticed Jeremy Doku wreak havoc down the left facet. He’s achieved the identical for Man City this season, and he leads a new era of Belgian stars.
If Colombia does make a run, Luis Suárez might turn into as well-known as his teammate Luis Díaz. Suarez has topped 30 targets for Portuguese membership Sporting this season, and he had 4 targets vs. Venezuela in a qualifier final September.
Americans to watch
Most of the U.S. stars are again from the 2022 World Cup, the place the U.S. made the Round of 16 before dropping 3-1 to Netherlands.
Christian Pulisic stays the face of the crew, although he is been slumping for membership and nation currently. Pulisic hasn’t scored in his final eight caps, the longest drought of his U.S. profession, and he is gone over 4 months with out scoring for AC Milan (as of May 1), final notching a aim again on Dec. 28.
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Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams are anticipated to man the U.S. midfield. McKennie has 9 targets and six assists whereas taking part in all around the area for Juventus this season. As lengthy as he is wholesome, Adams stars for Premier League membership Bournemouth and places out fires from his defensive midfield spot. Antonee Robinson would be the most irreplaceable U.S. participant, because the Fulham left again has been linked with a transfer to Manchester United and Liverpool this summer time.
Two faces who could also be new to informal followers are Chris Richards, who begins frequently for Premier League membership Crystal Palace and is the very best U.S. middle again possibility, and ahead Folarin Balogun, who scored in eight straight Ligue 1 video games for Monaco this season.
Put your predictions to the check
Ready to put your World Cup data to the check this summer time? 2026 Soccer Pick ‘Em with FOX One is a new free-to-play Yahoo Fantasy game the place followers make picks every spherical, earn factors and climb the leaderboard.
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Play 2026 Soccer Pick ‘Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world’s biggest soccer tournament
There are loads of methods to get in on the enjoyable. You can play solo towards the sector, create a personal group with buddies for bragging rights, be part of a public group to play with different followers or take it up a notch and compete in a featured group towards a few of your favourite soccer analysts and media personalities — like those beneath!