After more than 1,250 days of waiting, football fans are getting ready for five weeks of World Cup action with the 2026 edition set to kick-off in North America on Thursday 11 June (7 pm CET).
Hosted for the first time by three countries – the United States, Canada and Mexico – this summer’s men’s World Cup will be the biggest in history, with a record 48 teams set to play a record 104 matches, culminating in the final in New York/New Jersey (East Rutherford) on Sunday 19 July (8 pm CET).
Argentina come into the tournament as defending champions, after their penalty shoot-out victory over France in the Qatar final in 2022. They are joined in the main draw by four nations making their World Cup debuts: Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan.
In this Euronews guide, here’s everything you need to know about the 2026 FIFA World Cup…
Key dates for your World Cup diary
