The details of the 2026 World Cup unveiled. FIFA has officially announced the program for the next World Cup in 2026, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The tournament will feature 48 teams for the first time, and the final will be held in New York on July 19. The opening ceremony and match will take place at the historic Azteca Stadium in Mexico on June 11.
The FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, has expressed confidence in the incredible fan experience and hopes for 6 million supporters and 6 billion viewers for the expanded tournament. The MetLife Stadium in New Jersey has been chosen to host the final, surpassing other cities like Dallas and Los Angeles that were also considered. The Azteca Stadium in Mexico will be the first venue to host the opening of the competition for the third time in history, after 1970 and 1986, with semi-finals set to take place in Dallas and Atlanta. The third-place match will be held in Miami.
The 2026 World Cup will involve 48 teams divided into twelve groups of four, and the top two from each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will advance to the knockout stage, extending the previous format. This upcoming World Cup is expected to be a record-breaking commercial success for FIFA. Lionel Messi, the 36-year-old superstar, who won the previous edition in Qatar in December 2022, is also expected to participate in the 2026 World Cup. In the meantime, he is set to take part in the Copa America, which will be held in the United States from June 20 to July 16, serving as a sort of “pre-World Cup” for the host country two years before the main event.