The 2026 World Cup will be bigger than ever, with FIFA expanding the competition from 32 to 48 teams.
This expansion to the 2026 tournament will bring with it a few tweaks to the format, as the tried-and-tested eight groups of four teams, where the top two qualify for the knockout stages won’t work here.
FIFA originally wanted groups of three, meaning that though there would be more teams, there would be the same number of fixtures for each participant – but that idea has been scrapped.
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Instead, we’ll have 12 groups of four teams, with the top two progressing, plus the eight best third-placed sides.
We have an early idea of how the schedule will look in terms of when and where the matches will be played, with the full draw set to take place in December 2025 – but with only three teams certain of which group they’ll be in.
So how’s it looking at this early stage?
Below is a look at how the schedule currently looks for the 72 group stages matches, with slots for the three co-hosts, the USA, Canada and Mexico, all filled in.
Group A
June 11, 2026
Mexico vs A2, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
A3 vs A4, Estadio Akron, Zapopan
June 18, 2026
A4 vs A2, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Mexico vs A3, Estadio Akron, Zapopan
June 24, 2026
A4 vs Mexico, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
A2, vs A3, Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe
Group B
June 12, 2026
Canada vs B2, BMO Field, Toronto
June 13, 2026
B3 vs B4, Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara
June 18, 2026
B4 vs B2, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood
Canada vs B3, BC Place, Vancouver
June 24, 2026
B4 vs Canada, BC Place, Vancouver
June 24, 2026
B2 vs B3, Lumen Field, Seattle
Group C
June 13, 2026
Match 5 – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
Match 7 – MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
June 19, 2026
Match 29 – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Match 30 – Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
June 24, 2026
Match 49 – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
Match 50 – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Group D
June 12, 2026
United States vs D2, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood
June 13, 2026
D3 vs D4, BC Place, Vancouver
June 19, 2026
D4 vs D2, Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara
United States vs D3, Lumen Field, Seattle
June 25, 2026
D4 vs United States, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood
D2 vs D3, Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara
Group E
June 14, 2026
Match 9, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Match 10, NRG Stadium, Houston
June 20, 2026
Match 33, BMO Field, Toronto
Match 34, Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
June 25, 2026
Match 55, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Match 56, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
Group F
June 14, 2026
Match 11, AT&T Stadium, Arlington
Match 12, Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe
June 20, 2026
Match 35, NRG Stadium, Houston
Match 36, Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe
June 25, 2026
Match 57, AT&T Stadium, Arlington
Match 58, Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
Group G
June 15, 2026
Match 15, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood
Match 16, Lumen Field, Seattle
June 21, 2026
Match 39, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood
Match 40, BC Place, Vancouver
June 26, 2026
Match 63, Lumen Field, Seattle
Match 64, BC Place, Vancouver
Group H
June 15, 2026
Match 13, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
Match 14, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
June 21, 2026
Match 37, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
Match 38, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
June 26, 2026
Match 65, NRG Stadium, Houston
Match 66, Estadio Akron, Zapopan
Group I
June 16, 2026
Match 17, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
Match 18, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
June 22, 2026
Match 41, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
Match 42, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
June 26, 2026
Match 61, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
Match 62, BMO Field, Toronto
Group J
June 16, 2026
Match 19, Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
Match 20, Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara
June 22, 2026
Match 43, AT&T Stadium, Arlington
Match 44, Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara
June 27, 2026
Match 69, Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
Match 70, AT&T Stadium, Arlington
Group K
June 17, 2026
Match 23, NRG Stadium, Houston
Match 24, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
June 23, 2026
Match 47, NRG Stadium, Houston
Match 48, Estadio Akron, Zapopan
June 27, 2026
Match 71, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
Match 72, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Group L
June 17, 2026
Match 21, BMO Field, Toronto
Match 22, AT&T Stadium, Arlington
June 23, 2026
Match 45, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
Match 46, BMO Field, Toronto
June 27, 2026
Match 67, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
Match 68, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
