When and where is the World Cup taking place in 2026? Discover which dates the World Cup is held and the host nations and cities the matches will be held in!
As we get closer to the World Cup, we can look ahead with growing anticipation and interest. But you may be unsure of when and where exactly the tournament is taking place, so let’s clear that up.
To ensure that you know all the dates and which host nations and stadiums will hold the games, we’re here to explain it all. So, read on to learn everything you need to know about when and where the World Cup is in 2026 before the big event begins!
When is the World Cup?
The upcoming 2026 World Cup begins in the summer, contrasting the 2022 edition in Qatar which occurred in the winter. The competition kicks off on Tuesday 11th June, with the whole tournament lasting for over five weeks. After making its way through each type of round, it will finish on Sunday 19th July.
When is the World Cup final?
The World Cup final will be the conclusion of the whole tournament, rounding off what will surely be a spectacular viewing experience. As it’ll be the tournament’s finale, it’s set to take place on Sunday 19th July and is the 104th game of the 2026 competition.
Where is the World Cup hosted?
The 2026 World Cup will be held across three separate host nations, rather than just one, including the United States, Canada, and Mexico. There are several host cities within these countries which are listed in the section below.
World Cup 2026 host cities
Below are all the host cities for the 2026 World Cup, with stadiums and notable games that will be played at each location listed:
United States
Atlanta (Atlanta Stadium): Based in the state of Georgia, the Atlanta Stadium will hold eight games throughout the tournament, eventually hosting one of the semi-finals, which will occur on Wednesday 15th July.
Boston (Boston Stadium): Located on the East Coast in Massachusetts, the Boston Stadium will host seven games, including England’s group game against Ghana, France’s group game against Norway, and a quarter-final on Thursday 9th July.
Dallas (Dallas Stadium): The Dallas Stadium is situated in Arlington, Texas, and is set to have nine games across the competition, starting with England’s first group game against Croatia, and ending with a semi-final on Tuesday 14th July.
Houston (Houston Stadium): The Houston Stadium is another located in Texas, with seven games scheduled to occur here. The most high-profile game will be a round of 16 fixture between the winners of matches 73 and 75.
Kansas City (Kansas City Stadium): Based in the state of Missouri, the Kansas City Stadium will host six games throughout the World Cup, which includes a quarter-final on Saturday 11th July.
Los Angeles (Los Angeles Stadium): Located on the West Coast in California, the Los Angeles Stadium will have eight games occurring throughout the tournament, with a quarter-final taking place here on Friday 10th July.
Miami (Miami Stadium): Found in Florida, the Miami Stadium will be home to seven different fixtures, including Scotland’s group game against Brazil, Colombia’s group game against Portugal, a quarter-final, and the third-place playoff on Saturday 18th July.
New York (New York/New Jersey Stadium): The New York/New Jersey Stadium is based in the state of New Jersey, hosting eight games, including England’s group game against Panama, France’s group game against Senegal, and most importantly, the World Cup final!
Philadelphia (Philadelphia Stadium): Located in the state of Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Stadium will host six games in total, with its biggest game being on Saturday 4th July, in the form of a round of 16 match.
San Francisco Bay Area (San Francisco Bay Area Stadium): Also situated on the West Coast in California, the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium will hold a total of six games, the biggest being a round of 32 game on Wednesday 1st July.
Seattle (Seattle Stadium): Based in Washington, the Seattle Stadium is set to host six games across the tournament, with its final game being a round of 16 fixture between the winners of matches 81 and 82 on Monday 6th July.
Mexico
Mexico City (Mexico City Stadium): Located in Mexico’s capital, the Mexico City Stadium will be hosting five games, where the highest-profile game is a round of 16 clash on Sunday 5th July.
Monterrey (Monterrey Stadium): Monterrey Stadium is situated in Guadalupe, Nuevo León, in Mexico, and will hold four games throughout the competition, concluding its time at the tournament with a round of 32 game between the winner of Group F and runner-up of Group C.
Guadalajara (Guadalajara Stadium): The final stadium in Mexico is located in Zapopan, Jalisco, and will host four games during the group stage with the most notable fixture being a group game between Uruguay and Spain on Friday 26th June.
Canada
Toronto (Toronto Stadium): Toronto Stadium is based in the city of Toronto and will hold six games throughout the World Cup, including five group games and one round of 32 fixture on Thursday 2nd July.
Vancouver (BC Place Vancouver): The other Canadian stadium of the tournament is BC Place Vancouver, located in Vancouver on the West Coast, and will hold seven games with the largest fixture being a round of 16 clash on Tuesday 7th July.
What is the format of the 2026 World Cup?
The format of the 2026 World Cup is slightly different to previous tournaments, after the competition expanded following the last edition in 2022. It will now host 48 teams in total, with a record 104 matches taking place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The tournament will start with 12 groups of four before moving on to a 32-team knockout stage, which occurs prior to the round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, third-place playoff, and the final.
What is the World Cup schedule?
The World Cup 2026 schedule spans the course of 39 days between 11th June and 19th July.
The group stage begins on the first day, with the round of 32 starting on 28th June, the round of 16 on 4th July, the quarter-finals on 9th July, the semi-finals on 14th July, the third-place playoff on 18th July and the final on 19th July.
How to bet on the World Cup
Knowing how to bet on the World Cup can certainly improve your enjoyment of the tournament and enhance your viewing experience. However, before you bet, it’s important to understand the format of the competition and know who the favourites are as the tournament progresses.
Here at Betway, we provide different markets that suit every bettor, including tournament winner odds and specific national team betting markets! Join Betway today via either our online site or downloading our app from the App Store or Play Store. Get started with World Cup betting now by accessing the latest odds and staying more connected to the action than ever with Betway!
World Cup 2026 form guide
Looking into the form of different teams can help betting strategies and give some extra direction on how to predict which teams might be more successful. Form guides will include everything, such as past results, who the favourites are, and which nations are trending up and down.
When available, view our full World Cup 2026 form guide so that you can begin to refine your betting tactics for the tournament!
FAQs
How many teams are competing at the 2026 World Cup?
The 2026 World Cup contains 48 teams, increasing from the 32 teams involved in previous tournaments.
How many games will be played at the 2026 World Cup?
The 2026 World Cup will contain a total of 104 matches.
