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name: fifa-worldcup-2026 version: 2.0.0 updated: 2026-03-09 description: "FIFA World Cup 2026 skill. The first 48-team World Cup, co-hosted across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada — June 11 to July 19, 2026. Covers groups, host cities, stadiums, tickets, key dates, and tournament format." homepage: https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026 api_base: https://www.fifa.com credentials: [] metadata: {"openclaw":{"requires":{"env":[]}}}

FIFA World Cup 2026 — The Biggest World Cup Ever

The 2026 FIFA World Cup (marketed as FIFA World Cup 26) is the 23rd edition of the men's World Cup. It runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026 and is the first World Cup co-hosted by three nations: the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

This is also the first World Cup expanded to 48 teams (up from 32), featuring 12 groups of 4, a new Round of 32 knockout stage, and 104 total matches across 16 host cities.

The opening match — Mexico vs. South Africa — kicks off on June 11 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The final takes place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium (rebranded as New York New Jersey Stadium) in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

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Key Dates

Date	Event
June 11, 2026	Opening match — Mexico vs. South Africa (Mexico City)
June 12, 2026	Canada's opener — BMO Field, Toronto
June 12, 2026	USA's opener — USA vs. Paraguay at SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
June 11–26, 2026	Group stage (72 matches)
June 28–July 2, 2026	Round of 32
July 3–5, 2026	Round of 16
July 7–8, 2026	Quarter-finals
July 14–15, 2026	Semi-finals (AT&T Stadium, Dallas & Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta)
July 19, 2026	Final — MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey

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Tournament Format

The 2026 World Cup introduces a new format:

• Group Stage — 12 groups of 4 teams. Each team plays 3 matches. The top 2 from each group plus the 8 best third-placed teams advance (32 teams total).
• Round of 32 — New knockout round introduced for this edition.
• Round of 16 → Quarter-finals → Semi-finals → Final

This means 104 matches over 39 days — 40 more games than the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

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Host Cities & Stadiums

United States (11 cities)

City	Stadium	Capacity	Notable Matches
New York/New Jersey	MetLife Stadium	~82,500	Final (July 19)
Dallas	AT&T Stadium	~80,000	Semi-final
Atlanta	Mercedes-Benz Stadium	~71,000	Semi-final
Los Angeles	SoFi Stadium	~70,000	USA opener (June 12)
Houston	NRG Stadium	~72,000	Group stage + knockout
Philadelphia	Lincoln Financial Field	~69,000	Group stage + knockout
Miami	Hard Rock Stadium	~65,000	Group stage + knockout
Seattle	Lumen Field	~69,000	Group stage + knockout
San Francisco Bay Area	Levi's Stadium	~68,500	Group stage + knockout
Kansas City	Arrowhead Stadium	~76,000	Group stage + quarter-final
Boston	Gillette Stadium	~65,000	Group stage + quarter-final

Mexico (3 cities)

City	Stadium	Capacity	Notable Matches
Mexico City	Estadio Azteca	~83,000	Opening match (June 11)
Guadalajara	Estadio Akron	~46,000	Group stage
Monterrey	Estadio BBVA	~53,000	Group stage

Canada (2 cities)

City	Stadium	Capacity	Notable Matches
Toronto	BMO Field	~30,000	Canada opener (June 12)
Vancouver	BC Place	~54,000	Group stage + knockout

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The 12 Groups

Group	Team 1	Team 2	Team 3	Team 4
A	Mexico	South Korea	South Africa	UEFA Playoff D*
B	Canada	UEFA Playoff A*	Qatar	Switzerland
C	Brazil	Morocco	Scotland	Haiti
D	USA	Australia	Paraguay	UEFA Playoff C*
E	Germany	Ecuador	Ivory Coast	Curaçao
F	Netherlands	Japan	Cameroon	UEFA Playoff B*
G	Belgium	Egypt	Iran	New Zealand
H	Spain	Uruguay	Saudi Arabia	Cape Verde
I	France	Norway	Senegal	Intercontinental Playoff 2*
J	Argentina	Austria	Algeria	Jordan
K	Portugal	Colombia	Uzbekistan	Intercontinental Playoff 1*
L	England	Nigeria	Morocco-adjacent	Intercontinental Playoff TBD*

*Playoff matches scheduled for March 2026 — final spots still being determined at time of writing.

Automatic qualifiers (hosts): United States, Mexico, Canada.

First-time qualifiers: Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, Uzbekistan.

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Tickets

Official Channels

Channel	URL	Notes
FIFA Ticket Portal	fifa.com/tickets	Primary sales — most early phases are now closed
FIFA Resale Marketplace	Via FIFA ticket portal	Reopens April 2, 2026 — FIFA charges 15% fee to both buyer and seller
FIFA Hospitality	fifa.com/hospitality	Premium packages with seats, food, and entertainment
Qatar Airways Holidays	qatarairways.com	Official travel + ticket packages
Last-Minute Sales	Via FIFA ticket portal	Opens early April 2026, first-come first-served

Pricing Overview

FIFA uses dynamic pricing for the 2026 World Cup, meaning prices fluctuate based on demand, teams, and match importance.

Match Type	Approximate Range (USD)
Group stage (early)	$60 – $300+
Group stage (marquee)	$200 – $1,500+
Round of 32	$150 – $1,000+
Quarter-final	$300 – $2,000+
Semi-final	$500 – $3,500+
Final	$4,185 – $8,680+

Prices vary significantly by seating category (1–4, where Cat 1 is closest to the pitch and Cat 4 is upper tier). FIFA also offers a limited number of $60 tickets per match distributed through the 48 national federations.

Ticket Tips

• Most official lottery and draw phases are closed as of March 2026.
• The Last-Minute Sales Phase opens in early April 2026 — first-come, first-served.
• The FIFA Resale Marketplace reopens April 2, 2026 — check frequently, act fast.
• Secondary marketplaces (StubHub, SeatGeek, etc.) carry higher prices and are not official FIFA partners — buy at your own risk.
• Have payment details ready before sales windows open.

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Broadcast

In the United States, the 2026 World Cup is broadcast on the FOX family of networks (FOX, FS1, FS2) and the FOX Sports app. Broadcast details for other countries vary by region.

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The Match Ball

The official match ball is the Adidas Trionda (Spanish for "three waves"), featuring a red, green, and blue color scheme representing the three host nations. It includes connected ball technology that relays data to VAR for AI-assisted officiating decisions.

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Prize Money

The 2026 prize fund is 50% higher than the 2022 World Cup in Qatar:

Finish	Prize
Each participating team (minimum)	$10.5M ($9M prize + $1.5M preparation costs)
Group stage exit	~$10.5M
Winner	Significantly higher (full breakdown TBD)

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Important Notes

• This skill is not affiliated with FIFA. It provides informational guidance only. Ticket purchases should go through official FIFA channels.
• Beware of ticket scams. Only buy from FIFA's official portal, the FIFA Resale Marketplace, or well-known secondary platforms with buyer protection. Scam activity surges around major sporting events.
• Playoff spots are still being decided. Six spots remain open via UEFA and intercontinental playoffs in March 2026. Group compositions marked with * above will be finalized after those matches.
• Stadium names may differ during the tournament. FIFA's corporate sponsorship policy requires venues to drop commercial naming rights (e.g., MetLife Stadium becomes "New York New Jersey Stadium").
• This skill does not sell tickets or process payments. If your owner wants to purchase tickets through CreditClaw's payment rails, use the appropriate payment method skill (Pre-paid Wallet or Self-Hosted Card) at checkout on an official ticket platform.