The FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off today. Here’s everything you need to know.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will kick off today (June 11) in what will be the biggest edition in the tournament’s history.

This year’s tournament will be the first to feature 48 teams, up from the 32-team format used in the last seven editions, with a total of 104 matches to be played.

It will also be the first edition to be played across three countries, with the United States, Canada, and Mexico co-hosting the tournament.

Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s FIFA World Cup.

The format

With the addition of 16 teams to this year’s edition, the number of groups in the first round has increased to 12.

The top two teams from each of the 12 groups will be guaranteed a spot in the Round of 32 – the first knockout round of the tournament – while the eight best third-place teams will also progress.

In a change from previous editions, if teams are tied in the group stage, their head-to-head record (points gained in matches between the tied teams) will be used first to determine who moves to the knockouts, followed by the goal difference in those specific matches.

The teams

Four countries will make their Football World Cup debuts this year.

Curacao, FIFA’s smallest member with a population of just 165,000 people, will feature in the tournament for the first time, having qualified from the North American, Central American and Caribbean confederation.

Uzbekistan will be the first Central Asian team to play in a football World Cup, with Jordan and Cape Verde also making their debuts.

The venues

16 stadiums in 16 cities across the United States, Canada, and Mexico will host matches, with 12 of those stadiums primarily used for other sports.

To adhere to FIFA’s corporate sponsorship rules, several famous stadiums – like the Estadio Azteca which will host the opening match between Mexico and South Africa – have been renamed for the duration of the tournament.

The New York New Jersey Stadium, officially known as the MetLife Stadium and home to the NFL’s New York Giants, will host the July 19 final.

Prize money

Reflecting the massive commercial scale of this tournament, FIFA has approved a record-breaking total financial contribution pool of USD 727 million – a 50% increase from the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

The winners will take home USD 50 million, while the runners-up will receive USD 33 million.

Each participating team will be entitled to USD 10.5 million, with additional payouts for reaching further into the tournament.

The favourites

Argentina will look to become just the third country to successfully defend their World Cup title, having beaten France in the
final of the 2022 edition in Qatar.

While they are among the top teams, European champions Spain and 2018 winners France are viewed as more significant challengers to the title.

Perennial football powerhouses Brazil, England, Germany, and Portugal are also among the teams that are more likely to come out on top.