The opening whistle is just days away, marking the start of the biggest and most spectacular show in football history. This summer, all eyes are on North America!

If you want to impress your mates at the pub during the matches or completely dominate the Trevinfo predictor game, here is everything you need to know about the 2026 World Cup!

Who are the hosts?
This is the first-ever World Cup jointly hosted by three nations: the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

While the lion's share of the matches will be played in the USA—culminating in the grand final at New York’s MetLife Stadium (New Jersey) on July 19th—Mexico is making history of its own. It becomes the first country ever to host the World Cup three times (following 1970 and 1986), with the opening match kicking off at the legendary Estadio Azteca!

How many stadiums will host the stars?
The sheer scale of the tournament is mind-blowing, with teams taking the pitch across 16 ultra-modern stadiums:
USA (11 stadiums): New York/New Jersey, Los Angeles, Dallas, Kansas City, Houston, Atlanta, Miami, Philadelphia, Seattle, San Francisco, Boston.
Mexico (3 stadiums): Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara.
Canada (2 stadiums): Vancouver, Toronto.
Fun fact: All the American venues are actually NFL (American football) stadiums, which have been upgraded at massive expense to feature real grass and pitch dimensions that meet strict FIFA standards.

Massive Expansion: 48 Teams on Board!
Forget the traditional 32-team format! For the first time ever, 48 nations are competing, meaning we get a record-breaking 104 matches packed into 39 thrilling days.
The teams are divided into 12 groups of four. The top two from each group, along with the 8 best third-placed teams, will advance to the Round of 32. From there, it’s a ruthless, single-elimination knockout battle. This means the eventual world champion will have to win 8 matches instead of the previous 7 to lift the trophy!

Who made the cut?
With the expanded format, we are in for a true global football festival where traditional heavyweights share the stage with nations that rarely get the spotlight.

The Top Favorites: Packed with global superstars, France, a soaring Spain, England, Brazil, and of course, the defending champions Argentina, are all among the top contenders.
The Hosts: The USA, Mexico, and Canada qualified automatically as host nations.
History Makers: Thanks to increased slots for Africa and Asia, the tournament features incredible underdog stories. Nations like Canada are making only their third-ever appearance, while several absolute debutants and returning teams are bound to make the group stage completely unpredictable.


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