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World Cup 2026 Opens June 11 With 48 Teams

Sport
June 4, 2026
2026 World Cup stadium and soccer goal pop-art illustration

The 2026 World Cup opens June 11 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The tournament runs through July 19 across three host nations. United States, Mexico and Canada share 16 host cities.

USMNT Lands in Group D as 48 Teams Chase the Trophy

FIFA expanded the 2026 World Cup to 48 teams from 32. The format adds 104 total matches over 39 days. Twelve groups of four teams open the tournament. Mexico plays the opening match at Estadio Azteca on June 11.

A new round of 32 follows the group stage. The top two teams in each group advance automatically. The eight best third-placed teams also reach the knockout round. The 2026 World Cup final lands at MetLife Stadium on July 19.

Eleven United States cities host 2026 World Cup matches. New York, Los Angeles and Dallas headline the American venues. Mexico hosts matches in Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey. Canada hosts matches in Toronto and Vancouver.

FOX holds the United States English broadcast rights for 2026. Telemundo carries the Spanish broadcasts for United States viewers. FOX airs 70 of the 104 matches on network television. The round of 16 begins July 4 on FOX.

Estadio Azteca becomes the first stadium to host three World Cups. Estadio Azteca staged the 1970 and 1986 finals. The 2026 World Cup marks the first 48-team edition in history. The 1994 World Cup last brought the event to the United States.

Argentina enters the 2026 World Cup as the defending champion. Argentina won the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar. The expanded field gives 48 nations a path to the title. The knockout bracket now opens with a round of 32.

The United States enters Group D with Paraguay, Australia and Turkiye. USMNT opens June 12 at SoFi Stadium against Paraguay. Team USA then faces Australia at Lumen Field in Seattle. The United States closes group play against Turkiye on June 25.

USMNT enters on form after a 3-2 win over Senegal. Christian Pulisic ended a goal drought in that Senegal friendly. The 2026 World Cup group stage runs June 11 through June 27. The MetLife Stadium final on July 19 pays the biggest prize.

Related Sports Coverage

CBS Sports and Yahoo Sports tracked the 2026 World Cup buildup this week. FIFA confirmed the June 11 opener, and NBC Sports published the full 104-match schedule.