FIFA World Cup 2026 explained in maps and charts

EXPLAINER

Qualified teams, groups, docket and snapshot of stadiums that volition big World Cup matches.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 volition instrumentality spot successful the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.

This year’s shot tourney volition beryllium the largest World Cup ever held, expanding from 32 to 48 nationalist teams.

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In this ocular explainer, Al Jazeera explores the qualified teams, groups, lucifer schedule, big stadiums and prize wealth for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Which 48 teams person qualified?

For the archetypal clip successful the tournament’s history, 48 teams volition vie successful the world’s biggest shot tournament, up from the 32-team format successful spot since France 1998, itself an enlargement from 24 teams (1982-1994) and 16 earlier that.

The 3 big nations: The US, Mexico and Canada qualified automatically, portion the remaining 45 teams earned their spots done a two-year qualifying process crossed FIFA’s six continental confederations.

(Al Jazeera)

Who are the groups?

The tourney volition diagnostic 12 groups of 4 teams. The apical 2 from each radical beforehand automatically to the knockout stage, joined by the 8 champion third-placed finishers, meaning 32 of the 48 teams volition progress, earlier a caller Round of 32 narrows the tract further.

(Al Jazeera)

When is each squad playing?

There volition beryllium 72 matches during the radical signifier and 32 successful the knockout rounds, for a full of 104 – up from 64 astatine Qatar 2022. The graphic beneath shows erstwhile each squad plays during the radical stage.

(Al Jazeera)

What clip are World Cup matches successful my clip zone?

Use the widget beneath to find retired precisely erstwhile your squad is playing successful your section time.

Where volition the matches beryllium played?

Matches volition beryllium played crossed 16 cities successful 3 countries. The US volition big the astir – 78 matches crossed its 11 stadiums, with Mexico and Canada each hosting 13 matches crossed their respective 3 and 2 stadiums.

(Al Jazeera)

Where and erstwhile volition the opening lucifer beryllium played?

The opening lucifer takes spot connected June 11 astatine 13:00 section time, (19:00 GMT) astatine Mexico City Stadium, wherever hosts Mexico look chap Group A broadside South Africa – a rematch of the 2010 World Cup opener, which ended 1-1 successful Johannesburg.

(Al Jazeera)

Where volition the last beryllium played?

The last volition beryllium held connected Sunday July 19 astatine New York New Jersey Stadium, kicking disconnected astatine 15:00 section clip (19:00 GMT) successful beforehand of a capableness assemblage of 82,500.

(Al Jazeera)

Which teams person won the astir titles?

Since the inaugural tourney successful 1930, 8 antithetic teams person won the men’s FIFA World Cup.

Brazil has won the astir titles with 5 (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002).

(Al Jazeera)

Mexico has hosted the planetary tourney doubly before, successful 1970 and 1986. The US hosted the games successful 1994. This volition beryllium the archetypal clip for Canada to beryllium a cohost of the tournament.

(Al Jazeera)

How overmuch is the prize money?

This year’s winning squad volition person a grounds $50m successful prize wealth on with the 18-carat gold-plated trophy – up from $42m successful Qatar 2022. The graphic beneath shows however the prize wealth has grown from $2.2m successful 1982 to $50m successful 2026.

(Al Jazeera)

The FIFA World Cup begins connected June 11. You tin travel the enactment connected Al Jazeera’s dedicated World Cup 2026 page with each the latest news, lucifer build-up and unrecorded substance commentary, and support up to day with radical standings, real-time lucifer results and schedules.