4Debutants
First-time qualifiers
Four nations make their World Cup debut in 2026: Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan. Curaçao — population around 156,000 — becomes the smallest nation ever to reach a World Cup.
FIFA World Cup 2026 — Live Scores, Schedule, Groups, Bracket & TV Channels
🏆 World Cup 2026Round of 16 · Atlanta Stadium · Atlanta
53%
Argentina are favourites
How the forecast worksWin probabilities are statistical model outputs based on team strength and tournament context, refreshed up to kick-off. They're context, not betting advice — cyan is Argentina, grey the draw, indigo Egypt.
📺 ITV1📺 ITVX📺 STV
🏆 Road to the Final
Predict the bracket →R32
R16
QF
SF
🏆
Today's rundown
All matches →The wallchart — all 104 matches
Reading the wallchartOne column per match day in your timezone. Green pulse = live now, solid score = finished, time = upcoming, dimmed = knockout slot still to be decided. Tap any match to open its control page; scroll sideways to travel through the tournament.
Thu 11 Jun
Fri 12 Jun
Sat 13 Jun
Tue 16 Jun
Fri 19 Jun
Mon 22 Jun
Sun 12 Jul
Quarter-finals
TBD v TBD02:00
Tue 14 Jul
Semi-finals
TBD v TBD20:00
Wed 15 Jul
Semi-finals
TBD v TBD20:00
Sat 18 Jul
3rd Place Final
TBD v TBD22:00
Sun 19 Jul
Final
TBD v TBD20:00
Explore the tournament
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Groups
Standings, qualification and predict mode for all 12 groups.
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Best 3rd places
The 12 third-placed teams ranked — who's through to the Round of 32 and who's out.
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Matches
All 104 fixtures with live scores in your time zone.
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Knockouts
The new Round of 32, then R16, QF, SF and the Final.
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Bracket
Visual bracket — predict your champion from R32 to the Final.
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Stats
Top scorers, assist leaders and tournament records.
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Venues
16 cities across three countries, with capacity and climate notes.
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Rules & format
How the 48-team format, tiebreakers and refereeing changes work.
New in 2026
Full rules →The 2026 edition is the biggest World Cup ever — 48 teams, 12 groups, 104 matches across three host nations. Below are the most-asked questions about the new format, tiebreakers and refereeing rules, in plain English.
How does the new 48-team World Cup format work?
The 2026 World Cup features 48 teams split into 12 groups of 4. The top two teams in each group plus the eight best third-placed sides advance to a new 32-team knockout phase: Round of 32, Round of 16, Quarter-finals, Semi-finals and Final. That's 104 matches in total, up from 64 in Qatar 2022.
When does the World Cup 2026 start and finish?
The tournament runs from 11 June 2026 to 19 July 2026. The opening match is at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City and the Final is at MetLife Stadium in New York / New Jersey. Total length is 39 days.
Which countries are hosting the 2026 World Cup?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. It's the first three-country World Cup and the first to span three host nations across 16 cities. The USA stages 78 matches, Canada 13 and Mexico 13.
What are the tiebreaker rules for the group stage?
Group standings are decided in this order: points, then goal difference, then goals scored, then head-to-head points between tied teams, then head-to-head goal difference, then head-to-head goals scored, then fair play points, then a FIFA Council drawing of lots.
How do the best third-placed teams qualify?
Eight of the twelve third-placed teams advance to the Round of 32. They are ranked by points first, then by goal difference, goals scored, fewer red cards, fewer yellow cards, and finally drawing of lots. The exact group pairings for those eight slots are set by a published bracket grid before the tournament.
What new refereeing rules are in place for 2026?
Semi-automated offside technology returns in an enhanced form, and the captain-only dialogue rule is strictly enforced — only a team's captain may approach the referee, with any other player who surrounds the official shown a yellow card. In February 2026 IFAB approved referee body cameras as a competition option after a successful Club World Cup trial. Sin bins and blue cards are NOT in use at this tournament; they remain a grassroots IFAB trial.
How much prize money is on offer at the 2026 World Cup?
FIFA's total prize purse for 2026 is the largest in tournament history, with the winning nation taking the headline cheque. Every participating federation receives an appearance fee plus a separate club-benefits payment to the players' clubs. Final per-round figures are published by FIFA in the weeks before the opening match.
Why are matches played across three time zones?
The 16 host cities span four standard time zones, from Pacific (Vancouver, Los Angeles, Seattle) to Eastern (Boston, New York, Miami, Toronto). Kickoffs are scheduled to suit both North American prime-time and European peak viewing, which is why some matches start in the early afternoon local time.
How does heat and altitude affect the 2026 tournament?
Five host venues sit at notable altitude or heat risk: Mexico City (2,240m / 7,350ft), Guadalajara (1,560m), Monterrey (summer highs near 38°C), Dallas and Miami. FIFA's heat-stress protocol triggers mandatory cooling breaks when wet-bulb readings cross the threshold, and afternoon kickoffs at the hotter venues are scheduled around the worst of the sun.
Storylines to watch
5,000kmBosnia's group-stage flights
The travel problem
Vancouver to Mexico City is 3,940km — further than Lisbon to Moscow. Bosnia and Herzegovina drew the worst of it: around 5,000km of flights across their three group games, more than any other team at the tournament.
2,240mEstadio Azteca altitude
Altitude swing
Mexico City sits at 2,240m, Vancouver at sea level. A team drawn into the wrong cluster of venues plays at a 2.2km altitude swing — and the matches are only 96 hours apart.
70+Matches per winning player
The 70-match champion
The winning squad assembles in early June and lifts the trophy on 19 July — eight matches across a 39-day tournament. Add a full club season either side, and the busiest players on the champion nation can end the calendar year with 70+ competitive games.
38°CMonterrey summer high
Heat-stress hotspots
Monterrey, Dallas and Miami are the brutal ones — peak afternoon wet-bulb temperatures push the FIFA cooling-break threshold. Watch for tactical changes at the 30-minute mark in afternoon kickoffs.
8Matches to win the title
Round of 32 — first ever
The new Round of 32 adds an extra knockout round. The eventual champions now play eight matches in total — three group games plus five knockouts (R32, R16, QF, SF, Final) — one more than any previous World Cup winner needed.
How the schedule clusters
FIFA grouped the 16 host cities into three regional clusters to limit travel during the group stage. Knowing your team's cluster tells you a lot about the climate, altitude and travel days you can expect across their first three matches.
West cluster
Pacific cluster. Teams here play in mild evening conditions; the only altitude risk is the road trip to Mexico for the second match.
VancouverSeattleLos AngelesSan Francisco
Central cluster
The hot/altitude cluster. Mexico City's 2,240m and afternoon kickoffs at the southern US venues are the dominant tactical factor.
Mexico CityGuadalajaraMonterreyDallasHoustonKansas City
East cluster
Atlantic cluster. Coastal cities, milder temperatures than central, and the route to the Final — every East-cluster group can reach MetLife on a single short flight.
TorontoBostonNew York / New JerseyPhiladelphiaAtlantaMiami
By the numbers
48
Teams
12
Groups
104
Matches
16
Host cities
48/48 qualified. 11 June 2026 — 19 July 2026. Opening match at Estadio Azteca, Mexico City. Final at MetLife Stadium, New York / New Jersey.