TThe football world’s attention is on Washington Friday. The US capital will be the epicenter of the sport as the draw to determine the group stage of the 2026 World Cup takes place. Although we are effectively in the middle of club competitions, World Cup fever has awakened and fans are already eager to know the details of what will be next year’s big sporting event.
The pot will distribute fortunes on Dec. 5 and shape the first round of next year’s World Cup, to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico. North America as a whole will be focused on hosting one of the world’s largest sporting events, which will bring together 48 teams for the first time.
Panini unveils massive 2026 World Cup album with record 980 stickers
When will the opening and final games of the 2026 World Cup be held?
The great celebration of soccer begins on June 11th at Azteca Stadium, where the opening game will be held. The tournament will be held in the stadium where an important part of Maradona’s legend was built, and will continue until July 19, when the final will be played at the New Jersey Stadium in New York.
2026 World Cup Opening Game: June 11th (Estadio Azteca) 2026 World Cup Final Game: July 19th (New York/New Jersey Stadium)
But the 2026 World Cup schedule is about more than just two games. In fact, a total of 104 matches will be played during the approximately 50 days of competition. The breakdown is shown below. So you can find out how long the various rounds that make up the tournament will last.
Important dates for the 2026 World Cup
Group Stage: June 11th to 27th Round 32: June 28th to July 3rd Round 16: July 4th to 7th Quarterfinals: July 9th to July 11th Semifinals: July 14th and 15th 3rd and 4th place matches: July 18th Final: July 19th
The big news this year is that due to the high number of participants, the draw has been expanded with a round of 32 people. In fact, the eight-group scenario where the top two qualify is now history. In 2026, there will be a total of 12 groups, and the final tournament will be contested by the top eight teams in first, second, and third place.
The new format is set to debut next summer, and it means teams that want to be champions will have to get through eight games (instead of seven as is tradition) to hoist the desired crown.
