The Long Read
The Summer the Game Goes West
Forty-eight teams, three host nations, sixteen cities. The biggest World Cup ever played begins, and nobody quite knows what it will feel like.
The LeaguePaper Desk · 9 June · 7 min read
United States · Canada · Mexico
World Cup 2026
The first 48-team World Cup, played across sixteen cities in three countries. 11 June – 19 July 2026.
48
Teams
104
Matches
16
Host cities
3 nations
Hosts
Updated automatically
The World Cup Desk
All writing →Match Report
Ferran Torres Crowns Spain Kings of the World
A single strike deep into extra time, born of ten-man defiance and Spanish patience, hands La Roja the World Cup on a sweltering New Jersey night.
19 July · 4 min
Match Report
England Survive French Storm To Seize Bronze Thriller
Ten goals, one four-goal cushion nearly squandered and a stoppage-time twist as England outlasted France in the most chaotic third-place match imaginable.
19 July · 4 min
Match Report
Spain Send France Tumbling Out in Dallas
A cool Oyarzabal penalty and a Pedro Porro strike carried Spain past a subdued France and into a World Cup final that suddenly feels theirs to seize.
16 July · 4 min
Match Report
Messi Conjures England Heartbreak in Atlanta Twilight
England had one foot in a World Cup final until Lionel Messi seized the last six minutes and left a nation staring at what might have been.
16 July · 4 min
Match Report
Argentina break Swiss resistance in draining extra-time epic
Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez struck late to spare Argentina from an upset, after ten-man Switzerland threatened one of the World Cup's great rearguard acts.
12 July · 4 min
Match Report
Bellingham's Late Blow Breaks Norwegian Hearts in Miami
Two goals from Jude Bellingham, the second deep into stoppage time, hauled England past a defiant Norway and into the World Cup semi-finals.
12 July · 4 min
Key Dates
- 11 JuneOpening match — Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
- 12 JuneCanada open in Toronto; the United States open in Los Angeles
- 11–27 JuneGroup stage — 12 groups of four
- 28 June – 3 JulyRound of 32
- 4–7 JulyRound of 16
- 9–11 JulyQuarter-finals
- 14–15 JulySemi-finals
- 18 JulyThird-place match, Miami
- 19 JulyFinal — MetLife Stadium, New York / New Jersey
The Matches
This week →Tuesday 7 July
Round of 16 · Lumen Field
Round of 16 · BC Place
Sunday 12 July
Quarterfinals · GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
The Groups
Group A
| Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| MexicoMEX | 3 | +6 | 9 |
| South AfricaRSA | 3 | -1 | 4 |
| South KoreaKOR | 3 | -1 | 3 |
| CzechiaCZE | 3 | -4 | 1 |
Group B
| Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| SwitzerlandSUI | 3 | +4 | 7 |
| CanadaCAN | 3 | +5 | 4 |
| Bosnia-HerzegovinaBIH | 3 | -1 | 4 |
| QatarQAT | 3 | -8 | 1 |
Group D
| Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| United StatesUSA | 3 | +4 | 6 |
| AustraliaAUS | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| ParaguayPAR | 3 | -2 | 4 |
| TürkiyeTUR | 3 | -2 | 3 |
Group E
| Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| GermanyGER | 3 | +6 | 6 |
| Ivory CoastCIV | 3 | +2 | 6 |
| EcuadorECU | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| CuraçaoCUW | 3 | -8 | 1 |
Group F
| Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| NetherlandsNED | 3 | +6 | 7 |
| JapanJPN | 3 | +4 | 5 |
| SwedenSWE | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| TunisiaTUN | 3 | -10 | 0 |
Group G
| Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| BelgiumBEL | 3 | +4 | 5 |
| EgyptEGY | 3 | +2 | 5 |
| IranIRN | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| New ZealandNZL | 3 | -6 | 1 |
Group H
| Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| SpainESP | 3 | +5 | 7 |
| Cape VerdeCPV | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| UruguayURU | 3 | -1 | 2 |
| Saudi ArabiaKSA | 3 | -4 | 2 |
Group K
| Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| ColombiaCOL | 3 | +3 | 7 |
| PortugalPOR | 3 | +5 | 5 |
| Congo DRCOD | 3 | +1 | 4 |
| UzbekistanUZB | 3 | -9 | 0 |
The Sixteen Cities
Atlanta·Boston·Dallas·Guadalajara·Houston·Kansas City·Los Angeles·Mexico City·Miami·Monterrey·New York / New Jersey·Philadelphia·San Francisco Bay Area·Seattle·Toronto·Vancouver