The 2026 World Cup is finally here and breaking new ground this summer as FIFA continues to expand and develop its showpiece tournament.
England have begun their latest attempt at claiming world glory as the most famous sporting event in the world heads to North America.
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Here’s everything you need to know about the World Cup…
World Cup 2026 full schedule and results
Thursday, June 11
Friday, June 12
Saturday, June 13
Sunday, June 14
Monday, June 15
- Group E: Ivory Coast 1-0 Ecuador – Philadelphia, USA
- Group F: Sweden 5-1 Tunisia – Guadalupe, Mexico
- Group H: Spain 0-0 Cape Verde – Atlanta, USA
- Group G: Belgium 1-1 Egypt – Seattle, USA
- Group H: Saudi Arabia 1-1 Uruguay – Miami, USA
World Cup 2026 groups
Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czech Republic
Group B: Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland
Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
Group D: USA, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey
Group E: Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia
Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway
Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
Group K: Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia
Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
Tuesday, June 16
Wednesday, June 17
- Group J: Argentina 3-0 Algeria – Kansas City, USA
- Group J: Austria 3-1 Jordan – Santa Clara, USA
- Group K: Portugal 1-1 DR Congo – Houston, USA
- Group L: England 4-2 Croatia – Arlington, USA
Thursday, June 18
- Group L: Ghana 1-0 Panama – Toronto, Canada
- Group K: Uzbekistan 1-3 Colombia – Mexico City, Mexico
- Group A: Czech Republic 1-1 South Africa – Atlanta, USA
- Group B: Switzerland 4-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina – Los Angeles, USA
- Group B: Canada 6-0 Qatar – Vancouver, Canada
Friday, June 19
- Group A: Mexico 1-0 South Korea – Zapopan, Mexico
- Group D: USA 2-0 Australia – Seattle, USA
- Group C: Scotland 0-1 Morocco – Foxborough, USA
Saturday, June 20
- Group C: Brazil 3-0 Haiti – Philadelphia, USA
- Group D: Turkey 0-1 Paraguay – Santa Clara, USA
- Group A: Netherlands 5-1 Sweden – Houston, USA
- Group E: Germany 2-1 Ivory Coast – Toronto, Canada
Sunday, June 21
- Group E: Ecuador 0-0 Curacao – Kansas City, USA
- Group F: Tunisia 0-4 Japan – Guadalupe, Mexico
- Group H: Spain 4-0 Saudi Arabia – Atlanta, USA
- Group G: Belgium 0-0 Iran – Los Angeles, USA
- Group H: Uruguay 2-2 Cape Verde – Miami, USA
Monday, June 22
Tuesday, June 23
Wednesday, June 24
- Group L: Panama 0-1 Croatia – Foxborough, USA
- Group K: Colombia 1-0 DR Congo – Zapopan, Mexico
- Group B: Switzerland 2-1 Canada – Vancouver, Canada
- Group B: Bosnia and Herzegovina 3-1 Qatar – Seattle, USA
- Group C: Morocco 4-2 Haiti – Atlanta, USA
- Group C: Scotland 3-0 Brazil – Miami, USA
Thursday, June 25
- Group A: South Africa vs South Korea, 2am – Guadalupe, Mexico
- Group A: Czech Republic vs Mexico, 2am – Mexico City, Mexico
- Group E: Curacao vs Ivory Coast, 9pm – Philadelphia, USA
- Group E: Ecuador vs Germany, 9pm – New Jersey, USA
Friday, June 26
- Group F: Tunisia vs Netherlands, 12am – Kansas City, USA
- Group F: Japan vs Sweden, 12am – Arlington, USA
- Group D: Turkey vs USA, 3am – Los Angeles, USA
- Group D: Paraguay vs Australia, 3am – Santa Clara, USA
- Group I: Norway vs France, 8pm – Foxborough, USA
- Group I: Senegal vs Iraq, 8pm – Toronto, Canada
Saturday, June 27
- Group H: Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia, 1am – Houston, USA
- Group H: Uruguay vs Spain, 1am – Zapopan, Mexico
- Group G: New Zealand vs Belgium, 4am – Vancouver, Canada
- Group G: Egypt vs Iran, 4am – Seattle, USA
- Group L: Panama vs England, 10pm – New Jersey, USA
- Group L: Croatia vs Ghana, 10pm – Philadelphia, USA
Sunday, June 28
- Group K: Colombia vs Portugal, 12.30am – Miami, USA
- Group K: DR Congo vs Uzbekistan, 12.30am – Atlanta, USA
- Group J: Algeria vs Austria, 3am – Kansas City, USA
- Group J: Jordan vs Argentina, 3am – Arlington, USA
- Round of 32 – Match 73: Group A runners-up vs Group B runners-up, 8pm – Los Angeles, USA
Monday, June 29
- Round of 32 – Match 76: Group C winners vs Group F runners-up, 6pm – Houston, USA
- Round of 32 – Match 74: Germany vs Group A/B/C/D/F third place, 9.30pm – Foxborough, USA
Tuesday, June 30
- Round of 32 – Match 75: Group F winners vs Group C runners-up, 2am – Guadalupe, Mexico
- Round of 32 – Match 78: Group E runners-up vs Group I runners-up, 6pm – Arlington, USA
- Round of 32 – Match 77: Group I winners vs Group C/D/F/G/H third place, 10pm – New Jersey, USA
Wednesday, July 1
- Round of 32 – Match 79: Mexico vs Group C/E/F/H/I third place, 2am – Mexico City, Mexico
- Round of 32 – Match 80: Group L winners vs Group E/H/I/J/K third place, 5pm – Atlanta, USA
- Round of 32 – Match 82: Group G winners vs Group A/E/H/I/J third place, 9pm – Seattle, USA
Thursday, July 2
- Round of 32 – Match 81: United States vs Group B/E/F/I/J third place, 1am – Santa Clara, USA
- Round of 32 – Match 84: Group H winners vs Group J runners-up, 8pm – Los Angeles, USA
Friday, July 3
- Round of 32 – Match 83: Group K runners-up vs Group L runners-up, 12am – Toronto, Canada
- Round of 32 – Match 85: Group B winners vs Group E/F/G/I/J third place, 4am – Vancouver, Canada
- Round of 32 – Match 88: Group D runners-up vs Group G runners-up, 7pm – Arlington, USA
- Round of 32 – Match 86: Argentina vs Group H runners-up, 11pm – Miami, USA
Saturday, July 4
- Round of 32 – Match 87: Group K winners vs Group D/E/I/J/L third place, 2.30am – Kansas City, USA
- Round of 16 – Match 90: Match 73 winners vs Match 75 winners, 6pm – Houston, USA
- Round of 16 – Match 89: Match 74 winners vs Match 77 winners, 10pm – Philadelphia, USA
Sunday, July 5
- Round of 16 – Match 91: Match 76 winners vs Match 78 winners, 9pm – New Jersey, USA
Monday, July 6
- Round of 16 – Match 92: Match 79 winners vs Match 80 winners, 1am – Mexico City, Mexico
- Round of 16 – Match 93: Match 83 winners vs Match 84 winners, 8pm – Arlington, USA
Tuesday, July 7
- Round of 16 – Match 94: Match 81 winners vs Match 82 winners, 1am – Seattle, USA
- Round of 16 – Match 95: Match 86 winners vs Match 88 winners, 5pm – Atlanta, USA
- Round of 16 – Match 96: Match 85 winners vs Match 87 winners, 9pm – Vancouver, Canada
Thursday, July 9
- Quarter-final – Match 97: Match 89 winners vs Match 90 winners, 9pm – Foxborough, USA
Friday, July 10
- Quarter-final – Match 98: Match 93 winners vs Match 94 winners, 8pm – Los Angeles, USA
Saturday, July 11
- Quarter-final – Match 99: Match 91 winners vs Match 92 winners, 10pm – Miami, USA
Sunday, July 12
- Quarter-final – Match 100: Match 95 winners vs Match 96 winners, 2am – Kansas City, USA
Tuesday, July 14
- Semi-final – Match 101: Match 97 winners vs Match 98 winners, 8pm – Arlington, USA
Wednesday, July 15
- Semi-final – Match 102: Match 99 winners vs Match 100 winners, 8pm – Atlanta, USA
Saturday, July 18
Sunday, July 19
Listen to World Cup 2026
This World Cup has 13 different kick-off times, ranging from 5pm BST to 5am.
The most frequent kick-off time in the group stage will be 8pm BST, with 12 games to be held then.
There will 36 group stage matches held between midnight at 5am UK time.
eSPORTY will have live commentary of every game this summer.
Tune in to eSPORTY through the website via the live stream or find us on DAB digital radio through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.
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World Cup 2026: Location
Like the Qatar tournament, the 2026 World Cup will break new ground for FIFA.
That’s because it will be held across three countries – United States, Canada and Mexico.
The trio’s bid was voted ahead of the proposal from Morocco.
The 2002 tournament was held in South Korea and Japan, but the World Cup has never had three host nations before – all of whom have automatically qualified.
There will be 16 host cities – 11 in the USA, two in Canada and three in Mexico.
The stadiums being used include the 83,264-capacity Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, New York’s MetLife Stadium and Vancouver’s BC Place.
Several NFL venues will be used to provide huge crowds with 12 of the 16 stadia having capacities over 65,000.
It has also been confirmed that the MetLife Stadium, which holds 82,500 people, will host the final.
The opening game of the tournament will be held at the Estadio Azteca and will see Mexico kick off the action in Group A.
World Cup 2026: Stadiums
United States
- SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, California: 70,240 capacity
- MetLife Stadium, New York City, New York: 82,500 capacity
- AT&T Stadium, Dallas, Texas: 80,000 capacity
- Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri: 76,416 capacity
- NRG Stadium, Houston, Texas: 72,220 capacity
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia: 75,000 capacity
- Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: 67,594 capacity
- Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington: 68,740 capacity
- Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco, California: 68,500 capacity
- Gillette Stadium, Boston, Massachusetts: 65,878 capacity
- Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, Florida: 65,326 capacity
Mexico
- Estadio Azteca, Mexico City: 83,264 capacity
- Estadio BBVA Bancomer, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon: 53,500 capacity
- Estadio Akron, Guadalajara, Jalisco: 46,355 capacity
Canada
- BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia: 54,500 capacity
- BMO Field, Toronto, Ontario: 40,000 capacity
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World Cup 2026: Teams and group format
The 2026 World Cup will be the first to include 48 teams, up from 32.
The expanded format was green-lit by the FIFA Council and it will feature a new look of 12 groups of four.
Winners and runners-up in each of those 12 four-team groups will advance to a new Round of 32, where they will be joined by the eight best third-placed teams.
It adds up to a total of 104 matches, up from 64 in Qatar.
For UEFA, there were 12 qualifying groups, with the winners getting a place at the World Cup.
The runners-up all entered a play-off and four have joined, making a total of 16 European sides, which is up from 13 in 2022.
Elsewhere, the qualifying stages have also been completed in Asia [AFC], Africa [CAF], South America [CONMEBOL], North and Central America [CONCACAF] and Oceania [OFC].
All of these confederations have seen an increase in places, and there were also intercontinental play-offs to decide the other two teams.
World Cup 2026: eSPORTY BET Odds
- Spain – 9/2
- France – 5/1
- England – 6/1
- Argentina – 8/1
- Brazil – 8/1
- Portugal – 10/1
- Germany – 14/1
- Netherlands – 20/1
- Norway – 25/1
- Belgium – 40/1
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