FIFA World Cup 2026 will be the most ambitious sporting event to have ever been staged on Canadian, American and Mexican soil, with the extended 48-sample tournament a groundbreaking moment, in which three countries will share the honor of hosting the world's game.
The 2026 World Cup will see 48 teams hosted between the United States, Canada and Mexico in 16 state-of-the-art venues, ushering in a new era of World Cup tournaments in which more teams from around the globe will compete in a region spanning three countries and tens of millions of fans from coast to coast.
The Historic Expansion: 48 Teams, The Field Will Look Very Different
2026 FIFA World Cup qualification will determine the 45 entrants that will join the hosts Canada, Mexico, and the United States, with the qualification process beginning on September 7, 2023. The new competition consists of 12 groups of four teams, with the leading pair in each advancing along with the eight best third-placed teams to a round of 32. This new introduction of a knockout competition before the traditional Last 16 stage, provides a significant change to the competitive landscape, and with more matches and more drama, the world cup tickets will be even more in demand.
World Cup 2026 Tickets: The Race to Get In
The request for World Cup 2026 Tickets is already one of the most anticipated ticket on-sales in sporting history. The widened format results in more football and more chances, but also insatiable appetite from supporters across three host countries and the globe.
General Sales Schedule: In the lead up to the World Cup, fans will have the chance to secure tickets in a series of phases: from September 10, 2020 to July 19, 2026. FIFA has already announced that tickets will only be available through FIFA. com/tickets (sales are expected to start late in 2025.
Avoiding Scams: FIFA has warned fans against buying from “unofficial ticketing sites” as tickets from nonapproved sellers are liable to be voided, leaving the buyer out of pocket. The governing body encountered similar issues in 2018 when it filed criminal complaints against resale sites for selling fraudulent tickets.
Technology and The FIFA World Cup 2026 Tickets
FIFA World Cup 2026 Tickets will feature state-of-the-art technology to further ensure the tournament's security and the level of service that fans receive on a matchday. In its quest to enhance the fan experience by giving more people access to tickets to matches, FIFA has developed new and creative ways to distribute tickets, including digital collectables which grant “Rights to Buy” (RTB) access, ensuring that presale opportunities are available to collectors and loyal fans.
Stadium: Technology: Hard Rock Stadium boasts a giant cable-supported canopy roof covering 58,000sqm (85% of fans are in the shade), over 1,000 plasma screen TVs and HD video displays. To date, 16 stadiums with a capacity of at least 18,000 have been selected as World Cup hosts — eight of them have permanent artificial turf that FIFA will make them convert to grass, and four facilities (Dallas, Houston, Atlanta and Vancouver) have retractable roofs and climate control.
Tournament Schedule and Key Matches
FIFA World Cup 2026 schedule provides more flexibility with global engagement in mind and in respect of the three-nation logistics of the tournament. The opening match will feature Mexico on June 11, 2026, at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City; Canada on June 12 at BMO Field in Toronto; and the United States also on that day at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
Semifinal Spectacles: AT&T Stadium in Dallas will host one of the semifinals on July 14, 2026 and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta will host the other on July 15, 2026, according to the official FIFA schedule. The bronze final (third-place playoff) will take place in Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on July 18.
Looking Toward History
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be the biggest World Cup ever and will continue the game’s phenomenal growth in the USA and worldwide, ensuring a global showcase for the sport with unprecedented human and infrastructure resources. The expanded format, the world-class venues, and the tri-national hosting combine to provide a precedent for future World Cups to look to for inspiration.
For supporters who will make the trip to this historic tournament, the FIFA World Cup 2026 will not be just 104 games of world-class football but also an unique opportunity for an intense experience of the sport across three cultures and in some of the finest stadiums the world has to offer. From the timeless vibes of Estadio Azteca to the cutting-edge SoFi Stadium, from the record-breaking noise of Arrowhead to the grandiosity of AT&T Stadium, this tournament is guaranteed to create memories that will last lifetimes.
With qualification ongoing and the draw for the final tournament three years away, excitement grows for what will no doubt prove a landmark for the beautiful game. The FIFA World Cup 2026 isn’t just a bigger tournament but a reimagining of what the tournament can be, a pan-continental celebration of football that pays homage to the game’s past while hurling itself into its infinite future.