FIFA football world cup 2026 kicks off on Thursday. The 2026 edition of the quadrennial soccer tournament will be played in the U.S., Mexico and Canada from June 11 through the final on July 19. For the first time, the draw was done in such a way as to ensure the four highest-ranked nations were kept apart -- Spain, Argentina, France and England cannot meet before the semi-finals, if all top their groups.
If the top seeds all win their groups, England could find themselves playing co-hosts Mexico in Mexico City in the last 16 and then Brazil in the quarter-finals, before a semi against Argentina. Other possible match-ups include France and Germany being on a last-16 collision course and a potential meeting between Messi's Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal in the quarter-finals.
Lionel Messi's Argentina, the reigning champions, will begin their defense of the trophy against Algeria in Group J in Kansas City on June 16. They will then face Austria and Jordan in Dallas. European champions Spain will play their first two Group H fixtures, against debutants Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia, in the covered and air-conditioned Atlanta stadium. They will then head to Mexico to take on Uruguay in Guadalajara.
England will open their bid against Croatia in the covered Dallas stadium on June 17, before shifting to the northeastern United States for their remaining Group L fixtures. The 1966 winners will take on Ghana in Boston on June 23 and then face Panama at the MetLife Stadium just outside New York City on June 27. If they top their group they must then go to Atlanta for a last-32 tie on July 1.
France, winners in 2018 and runners-up in 2022, will play all three Group I matches in the northeastern US, facing Senegal at the MetLife Stadium and Norway in Boston, either side of a fixture in Philadelphia against an intercontinental play-off winner.
Meanwhile Brazil, who won the last World Cup staged in the United States in 1994, will meet Morocco at the MetLife Stadium in their first Group C encounter on June 13. Carlo Ancelotti's team then take on Haiti in Philadelphia on June 19 before a clash with Scotland in Miami on June 24 -- it will be the fifth time the countries have faced off at a World Cup.
The tournament expanded again to 48 this year when a new round of 32 was established. The finalists will play eight games, up from seven. This time, 16 stadiums are being used: 11 in the U.S., three in Mexico and two in Canada. All games from the quarterfinals on will be in the U.S. No Chicago this time: The city wasn't interested, citing what it said was a lack of financial assurances by FIFA.
Following are the groups for the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
