FIFA World Cup 2026 to Make History with Several Firsts

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which kicks off today, is set to go down in history with a number of unprecedented milestones.

For the first time ever, the tournament will be jointly hosted by three countries – the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The competition will also become the largest World Cup ever held in terms of participating teams. Under a decision by FIFA, the number of teams has increased from 32 to 48, adding 16 more national sides compared to previous editions.

A record-breaking 104 matches will be played throughout the tournament.

World Cup games will be staged across 16 cities. The United States will host the majority of matches, with 11 host cities. Canada and Mexico will contribute two and three host cities, respectively.

Host cities in the United States include Houston, Boston, Kansas City, New York/New Jersey, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Seattle, and San Francisco. In Canada, matches will take place in Toronto and Vancouver, while Mexico will host games in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey.

The opening match between Mexico and South Korea will be played at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The final is scheduled to take place at MetLife Stadium in the New York/New Jersey area of the United States.

Due to its expanded format, record number of matches, and organization across three nations, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is widely regarded as the biggest tournament in football history.

FIFA World Cup 2026 Groups

Group A: Mexico, South Korea, South Africa, Czech Republic

Group B: Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti

Group D: United States, Australia, Paraguay, Türkiye

Group E: Germany, Ecuador, Côte d'Ivoire, Curaçao

Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, Sweden

Group G: Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand

Group H: Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde

Group I: France, Senegal, Norway, Iraq

Group J: Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan

Group K: Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Group L: England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana

It should be noted that the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which begins today, will conclude on July 19.