Everything to Know About World Cup 2026: Teams, Hosts, Where and Who to Watch

We’ve been hearing about the 2026 FIFA World Cup for months, and it’s now upon us. 

There are more teams and host stadiums than ever this year, and tickets to World Cup matches have been a hot topic since they were first released, with many fans priced out, and transportation to the US and to the stadiums themselves becoming a barrier to attending for some. That’s why you’ll find me watching every match from the comfort of my home (or maybe at a local park or bar for a watch party) when the tournament begins on June 11. 

Matches will run daily until July 19, and this year, you’ll be able to watch them all on Fox and FS1. You can catch every single match in Spanish on Peacock, too.

Here’s a primer on everything else you might be wondering about this year’s World Cup, including which teams are playing, where matches will be held and who’s headlining the first-ever World Cup final halftime show. 

When is the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

This year’s World Cup begins on June 11 with a match between co-host Mexico and South Africa, to be held in Mexico City. 

There will be 48 teams playing in 104 matches over a little over a month. The championship final is scheduled to take place on Sunday, July 19, at New York New Jersey Stadium (aka MetLife Stadium), home to the NFL’s Jets and Giants, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. 

The group stage runs until June 27, after which the knockout stage begins. The Round of 32 will run from June 28-July 3, the Round of 16 is July 4-7, the quarterfinals are July 9-11 and the semifinals are July 14 and 15.

Which teams are in the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

This year’s World Cup is the biggest ever in terms of the number of clubs participating in the tournament. In a FIFA first, 48 teams have qualified, and, in another first, there are three host nations: Mexico, the US and Canada. Argentina returns to the pitch as the most recent World Cup champions, having defeated France in 2022. 

• Canada (host country)
• Mexico (host country)
• USA (host country)
• Algeria
• Argentina
• Australia
• Austria
• Belgium 
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Brazil
• Cabo Verde
• Colombia
• Congo DR
• Côte d’Ivoire 
• Croatia
• Curaçao
• Czechia
• Ecuador
• Egypt
• England
• France
• Germany
• Ghana 
• Haiti
• Iran
• Iraq
• Japan
• Jordan
• Morocco
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Panama
• Paraguay 
• Portugal
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia
• Scotland
• Senegal
• South Africa
• South Korea
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Tunisia
• Türkiye
• Uruguay
• Uzbekistan 

Players to watch at the 2026 World Cup

The top-ranked teams heading into the 2026 World Cup (in order) are France, Spain, Argentina and England, so naturally some of the top players to watch will be playing for those countries. 

At age 18, Lamine Yamal of Spain is one of the youngest players in this year’s series (he’ll actually celebrate his birthday midtournament). When he was 17, Yamal was the runner-up for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, the award recognizing the best international footballer of the year, losing to Ousmane Dembélé of France. Dembélé is headed into his third World Cup and is fresh off a UEFA Champions League win with his club, Paris Saint-Germain. 

Lionel Messi, one of the most famous soccer players in the world, returns this year as captain of the Argentina team (aka La Albiceleste), in what will likely be his final World Cup. Messi, 39, along with Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, are two of the oldest players in the tournament and among the most respected and renowned players of all time. Even if Messi doesn’t win a second consecutive title, his World Cup performances will likely be a highlight of the tournament. 

Harry Kane, captain of England, will also be one to watch. Kane is England’s all-time top goal scorer and indeed one of the top scorers in every league he has played in, with a staggering 61 goals in 51 games for Bayern Munich this season. However, a World Cup title has eluded Kane and England — they last won in 1966.

Fans will also have their eyes on Japan’s Kaishū Sano, whose performance as a midfielder in the Bundesliga has earned him praise, and Nico Paz, a midfielder on Argentina’s squad, known for his footwork and creative play. Paz, 21, is making history as the first player on the Argentina national team to play in the World Cup without ever having played for any of the nation’s football clubs.

Other names who could go big include Australia’s Nestory Irankunda and Ardon Jashari, a midfielder on Switzerland’s team who has made waves at AC Milan. 

Who’s performing at the FIFA World Cup final halftime show?

While we don’t yet know which teams will play in this year’s World Cup final match, we do know there will be world-class entertainment at halftime. 

With a roster that rivals some of the best Super Bowl halftime shows, the 2026 World Cup final show will be headlined by Madonna, Shakira and BTS. Having just one of these global artists would have been impressive, but all three will share the stage on Sunday, July 19, at MetLife Stadium. If those names weren’t enough, the performance will be curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay and, yes, I’ve buried the lede: the Muppets will also appear. 

Host cities at World Cup 2026

The US, Canada and Mexico are the host nations of this year’s tournament, and matches will be played in 16 cities across the three countries. The last time the US hosted the World Cup was in 1994; it was a simpler time back then, as that year, only 24 teams participated in matches across nine venues. Mexico has also previously hosted twice, in 1970 and 1986. This year, two venues are in Canada, three in Mexico and 11 in the US. 

One thing you’ll notice is that the venues have been temporarily renamed for the massive event, in line with FIFA’s branding guidelines. For example, Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium is referred to as Atlanta Stadium, while Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, is now Boston Stadium. 

A statement on the FIFA website explains: “All listed stadium capacities are preliminary at this stage and subject to change before the tournament. Stadium official names for the FIFA World Cup 2026 have been matched with Host City names and may differ from the common designation used locally.”

• Toronto Stadium (BMO Field)
• BC Place Vancouver
• Estadio Guadalajara (Estadio Akron)
• Estadio Monterrey (Estadio BBVA)
• Mexico City Stadium (Estadio Azteca)
• Atlanta Stadium (Mercedes-Benz Stadium)
• Boston Stadium (Gillette Stadium)
• Dallas Stadium (AT&T Stadium)
• Houston Stadium (NRG Stadium)
• Kansas City Stadium (Arrowhead Stadium)
• Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi Stadium)
• Miami Stadium (Hard Rock Stadium)
• New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium)
• Philadelphia Stadium (Lincoln Financial Field)
• San Francisco Bay Area Stadium (Levi’s Stadium)
• Seattle Stadium (Lumen Field)

There are official World Cup songs, too

The first time I realized the World Cup had an official song was in 1998, when Ricky Martin’s Cup of Life (La Copa de la Vida) was released. The song was an international hit, and in the years since, the World Cup has expanded not just to include an official song but also an official playlist featuring songs from several music superstars. 

This year’s anthem, Dai Dai, a collaboration between Shakira and Nigerian singer/producer Burna Boy, has already racked up more than 65 million views on YouTube in its first two weeks, and is one of several singles on the soundtrack. Also out now is Game Time by Future and Tyla, Lighter by Jelly Roll and Mexican singer Carín León and Goals, a collab between international stars Lisa, Anitta and Rema.

Here’s a rundown of all the songs on the 2026 World Cup soundtrack; you can listen to playlists on Spotify and Apple Music:

• Dai Dai by Shakira and Burna Boy (Official Song)
• Goals by Lisa, Anitta and Rema
• Illuminate by Jessie Reyez and Elyanna
• Echo by Daddy Yankee and Shenseea
• Por Ella by Los Ángeles Azules and Belinda
• Lighter by Jelly Roll and Carín León
• Game Time by Future and TYLA

Where to watch World Cup 2026 matches

If you’re planning to watch all the action on TV at home, Fox will show every US Men’s National Team group match, plus every match from the round of 16 onward, including the championship final. You’ll be able to catch 34 additional matches on FS1. Fox and FS1 are available on services like DirecTV, YouTube TV and Fox One. 

For fans looking to watch matches in Spanish, every game will air on either Telemundo or Universo and will stream on Peacock. Free streaming service Tubi will also be showing the opening match on June 11 and USA vs. Paraguay on June 12.