The 2026 football World Cup will be held across USA, Mexico and Canada between 11th June and 19th July 2026.
This is the first expanded tournament with 48 teams taking part—an increase from the limit of 32 nations which has been in force since 1998.
The teams will be split into 12 groups of four teams. The top two in each group, as well as the eight best third-placed teams, will progress to a knockout round of 32 teams.
With the increased number of teams, the number of matches in the World Cup finals will increase from 64 to 104.
World Cup 2026 group stage
The draw for the World Cup 2026 group stage was held on 5th November at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C, USA.
The composition of the 12 groups of four teams is listed below. There are still six places to be determined via the UEFA and inter-confederation playoffs.
Group A
- 🇲🇽 Mexico
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- 🇰🇷 South Korea
- UEFA Path D winner (Denmark, Czech Republic, Republic of Ireland or North Macedonia)
Group B
- 🇨🇦 Canada
- UEFA Path A winner (Italy, Wales, Bosnia and Herzegovina or Northern Ireland)
- 🇶🇦 Qatar
- 🇨🇭 Switzerland
Group C
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- 🇲🇦 Morocco
- 🇭🇹 Haiti
- 🏴Scotland
Group D
- 🇺🇸 USA
- 🇵🇾 Paraguay
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- UEFA Path C winner (Turkey, Slovakia, Kosovo or Romania)
Group E
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- 🇨🇼 Curaçao
- 🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire
- 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Group F
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- UEFA Path B winner (Ukraine, Poland, Albania or Sweden)
- 🇹🇳 Tunisia
Group G
- 🇧🇪 Belgium
- 🇪🇬 Egypt
- 🇮🇷 Iran
- 🇳🇿 New Zealand
Group H
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- 🇨🇻 Cabo Verde
- 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
- 🇺🇾 Uruguay
Group I
- 🇫🇷 France
- 🇸🇳 Senegal
- Inter-confederation Path 2 winner (Iraq, Bolivia or Suriname)
- 🇳🇴 Norway
Group J
- 🇦🇷 Argentina
- 🇩🇿 Algeria
- 🇦🇹 Austria
- 🇯🇴 Jordan
Group K
- 🇵🇹 Portugal
- Inter-confederation Path 1 winner (DR Congo, Jamaica or New Caledonia)
- 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan
- 🇨🇴 Colombia
Group L
- 🏴 England
- 🇭🇷 Croatia
- 🇬🇭 Ghana
- 🇵🇦 Panama
World Cup Guide 2026: Latest odds
| Nation | Odds |
|---|---|
| Spain | 6.45 |
| England | 7.80 |
| France | 8.80 |
| Argentina | 9.30 |
| Brazil | 9.50 |
| Portugal | 12.50 |
| Germany | 15.25 |
| Uruguay | 24.00 |
| Netherlands | 25.00 |
| Norway | 35.00 |
| * Italy | 41.00 |
| Colombia | 46.00 |
| Belgium | 61.00 |
| Croatia | 81.00 |
| Ecuador | 86.00 |
| USA | 88.00 |
| Mexico | 93.00 |
| Morocco | 96.00 |
| Japan | 111.00 |
| Switzerland | 126.00 |
| Austria | 151.00 |
| South Korea | 165.00 |
| Senegal | 165.00 |
| Ghana | 176.00 |
| Paraguay | 185.00 |
| Algeria | 215.00 |
| Canada | 215.00 |
| * Denmark | 215.00 |
| * Sweden | 215.00 |
| Côte d’Ivoire | 240.00 |
| Scotland | 251.00 |
| Egypt | 265.00 |
| * Poland | 265.00 |
| * Turkey | 265.00 |
| * Ukraine | 301.00 |
| * Bolivia | 335.00 |
| * Wales | 385.00 |
| Tunisia | 435.00 |
| * Bosnia and Herzegovina | 451.00 |
| * Czech Republic | 501.00 |
| Australia | 525.00 |
| * Romania | 551.00 |
| * Slovakia | 551.00 |
| South Africa | 551.00 |
| Iran | 575.00 |
| * North Macedonia | 575.00 |
| * Northern Ireland | 851.00 |
| Saudi Arabia | 851.00 |
| Uzbekistan | 851.00 |
| * DR Congo | 901.00 |
| Panama | 901.00 |
| * Kosovo | 951.00 |
| * Albania | 1151.00 |
| Cabo Verde | 1151.00 |
| Jordan | 1151.00 |
| Qatar | 1151.00 |
| * Republic of Ireland | 1251.00 |
| * Iraq | 1351.00 |
| New Zealand | 1351.00 |
| * Jamaica | 1501.00 |
| * Suriname | 1501.00 |
| Curaçao | 1751.00 |
| Haiti | 1751.00 |
| * New Caledonia | 2501.00 |
All odds are correct as at 18:15 GMT on 12/12/2025, but are subject to fluctuation thereafter.
World Cup 2026 Qualification
Each of the six confederations is guaranteed representation at the 2026 World Cup finals. In each of the confederations, with the exception of UEFA, there are inter-confederation playoff slots, which act as a second chance for some nations to earn a place in the finals.
Which teams have qualified for the 2026 World Cup 2026?
As of the 19th November, the following teams have all booked their places in the World Cup finals…
Host Nations (all CONCACAF)
- 🇺🇸 USA
- 🇲🇽 Mexico
- 🇨🇦 Canada
AFC
- 🇮🇷 Iran
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- 🇺🇿 Ukbekistan
- 🇰🇷 South Korea
- 🇯🇴 Jordan
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- 🇶🇦 Qatar
- 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
CAF
- 🇲🇦 Morocco
- 🇹🇳 Tunisia
- 🇪🇬 Egypt
- 🇩🇿 Algeria
- 🇬🇭 Ghana
- 🇨🇻 Cabo Verde
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- 🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire
- 🇸🇳 Senegal
CONCACAF
- 🇵🇦 Panama
- 🇭🇹 Haiti
- 🇨🇼 Curaçao
CONMEBOL
- 🇦🇷 Argentina
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
- 🇨🇴 Colombia
- 🇪🇨 Ecuador
- 🇵🇾 Paraguay
- 🇺🇾 Uruguay
OFC
- 🇳🇿 New Zealand
UEFA
- 🏴 England
- 🇫🇷 France
- 🇭🇷 Croatia
- 🇵🇹 Portugal
- 🇳🇴 Norway
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands
- 🇧🇪 Belgium
- 🇦🇹 Austria
- 🇨🇭 Switzerland
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- 🏴 Scotland
AFC (Asian Football Confederation)
The AFC has been awarded eight direct qualifying slots for the finals and one inter-confederation playoff slot.
Following the conclusion of the AFC qualifying groups, Iran, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Jordan, Japan and Australia were confirmed as World Cup finalists after finishing in the top two places of their respective groups at the end of the third round. They were joined by Qatar and Saudi Arabia, who topped their groups in the fourth round.
Iraq defeated the United Arab Emirates in a two-legged fifth-round match and they will be the Asian representative in the inter-confederation playoffs.
CONMEBOL (South American Football Confederation)
CONMEBOL has been awarded six direct qualifying slots for the finals and one inter-confederation playoff slot.
The CONMEBOL qualification took the form of one group with 10 teams. The group has now concluded.
Each team played the others in their group home and away. The top six teams qualified directly for the 2026 World Cup, whilst the seventh-place team has earned a place in the inter-confederation playoffs.
Argentina were the first team to assure themselves of qualification, after a decisive 4-1 home victory over Brazil on Matchday 14 guaranteed a top-six finish in the table. Ecuador and Brazil then confirmed their qualification for the World Cup finals in the next round of matches. Colombia, Uruguay and Paraguay all ensured their place in the finals across the last two matchdays.
Bolivia finished in seventh place in the table and will play in the inter-confederation play-offs, whilst Venezuela, Peru and Chile were all eliminated.
CAF (Confederation of African Football)
The CAF has been awarded nine direct qualifying slots for the finals and one inter-confederation playoff slot.
The CAF qualifiers took the form of nine groups, each with six teams. Each team played the others in their group home and away.
The nine group winners qualified directly for the 2026 World Cup, whilst the four best group runners-up progressed to a play-off round (semi-final and final) to determine which team will earn a place in the inter-confederation playoffs.
Morocco and Tunisia were the first African teams to book their place in the finals, with Egypt, Senegal, South Africa, Cabo Verde, Ivory Coast, Algeria and Ghana joining them after the final two rounds of matches.
The four teams who progressed to the second round for a place in the inter-confederation playoffs were Nigeria, Gabon, Cameroon and DR Congo. DR Congo were the victors after defeating both Cameroon and Nigeria and will take the CAF place in the inter-confederation playoffs.
OFC (Oceania Football Confederation)
The OFC has been awarded one direct qualifying slot for the finals and one inter-confederation playoff slot.
This is the first World Cup in which the OFC has a direct qualification slot for the World Cup finals.
The OFC qualifying has now been completed. New Zealand have qualified directly for the 2026 World Cup, whilst New Caledonia has earned a place in the inter-confederation playoffs.
UEFA (Union of European Football Associations)
UEFA has been awarded 16 direct qualifying slots for the finals.
The European qualifying schedule sees 12 groups of four or five teams formed. The 12 group winners qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup.
The playoff stage will then see the 12 group runners-up joined by the four best Nations League group winners (based on the Nations League overall ranking) that finished outside the top two in their WC qualifying group. These sixteen teams will be drawn into four paths and will play two rounds of single-match playoffs (semi-finals and a final). The four path winners will also qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
England were the first European team to assure themselves of a place in the World Cup Finals. Across the final two matchdays, they were joined by the following group winners: France, Croatia, Portugal, Norway, Germany, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Scotland and the Netherlands.
The 16 teams who will contest the playoff stage for the four remaining UEFA places are: Italy, Denmark, Turkey, Ukraine, Poland, Wales, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Republic of Ireland, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Romania, Sweden, North Macedonia and Northern Ireland.
UEFA match schedule and dates
These sixteen teams were drawn into the following four paths, with the winner of each path winning a place in the 2026 World Cup finals.
Each semi-final will be played over one match and take place on 26th March 2026, with the finals taking place on the 31st March 2026.
Path A – semi-finals
🏴 Wales vs Bosnia and Herzegovina 🇧🇦
🇮🇹 Italy vs Northern Ireland 🏴
Path B – semi-finals
🇺🇦 Ukraine vs Sweden 🇸🇪
🇵🇱 Poland vs Albania 🇦🇱
Path C – semi-finals
🇸🇰 Slovakia vs Kosovo 🇽🇰
🇹🇷 Turkey vs Romania 🇷🇴
Path D – semi-finals
🇨🇿 Czech Republic vs Republic of Ireland 🇮🇪
🇩🇰 Denmark vs North Macedonia 🇲🇰
UEFA match schedule and dates
CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football)
The three host nations, USA, Mexico and Canada, are all from CONCACAF and qualify automatically.
The host nations aside, CONCACAF have been awarded a further three direct qualifying slots for the finals and two inter-confederation playoff slots.
The 12 teams who have made it through to the third round in the CONCACAF qualifying have been split into three groups of four teams each.
The group winners were not determined until the final round of matches, after which Panama, Curaçao and Haiti confirmed their places in the 2026 World Cup.
The two best ranked runners-up, Jamaica and Suriname, gained a place in the inter-confederation playoffs.
Inter-confederation playoff format
The inter-confederation playoffs will decide the final two places in the 2026 World Cup and give six teams who failed to qualify through their confederations a second chance to reach the big stage.
The six participating teams will consist of one team from each confederation, excluding UEFA, and one additional place for the confederation of the host countries.
The six teams who have a second chance at qualifying through the inter-confederation playoffs are:
- Bolivia (CONMEBOL)
- DR Congo (CAF) – seeded team
- Iraq (AFC) – seeded team
- Jamaica (CONCACAF)
- New Caledonia (OFC)
- Suriname (CONCACAF)
DR Congo and Iraq will be seeded based on their world rankings, and they’ll get a bye in the first round of matches. The four unseeded teams play knockout games, which will be held in Mexico. The winners of those matches will each play one of the seeded teams, with the two victorious nations claiming the 47th and 48th spots in the 2026 World Cup finals.
The draw for the semi-finals is as follows. Each semi-final will be played over one match and take place on 26th March 2026, with the finals taking place on the 31st March 2026.
🇳🇨 New Caledonia vs Jamaica 🇯🇲 (The winner will face DR Congo in the Pathway 1 final).
🇧🇴 Bolivia vs Suriname 🇸🇷 (The winner will face Iraq in the Pathway 2 final).
World Cup 2006 FAQs
When will the 2026 World Cup take place?
The opening match is on the 11th of June 2026, with the final taking place on 19th July 2026.
Where will the 2026 World Cup be held?
Three countries will host the final tournament: USA, Mexico and Canada.
How many countries will compete in the 2026 World Cup?
48 teams will compete in the finals, an increase of 16 over recent tournaments.
How many matches will there be in the 2026 World Cup?
With the increased number of teams, the number of matches in the World Cup finals will increase from 64 to 104.
Where will the 2026 World Cup final be played?
The 2026 World Cup final will be played at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA. The stadium is the home ground for the New York Giants and New York Jets in the NFL and opened in 2010.
How many cities will be hosting 2026 World Cup matches?
There will be 16 host cities in the World Cup. 11 are in the USA, three in Mexico and two in Canada.
Where was the 2022 World Cup held?
The 2022 World Cup was held in Qatar. It caused some controversy as it was the first tournament to held outside of the traditional summer months due to the extremes of the Qatar climate at that time of the year.
Who are the defending World Cup champions?
Argentina defeated France 4-2 on penalties in the 2022 World Cup final after the match ended 3-3 at the conclusion of extra-time. This fantastic game was notable for a Kylian Mbappé hattrick and a brace for Lionel Messi.
When were substitutes allowed in World Cup matches?
It was not until the 1970 World Cup that substitutes were allowed. Until then, the starting XI in any World Cup could not be changed once the match had begun.
Last 10 World Cup finals
| Year | Host Country | Winners | Runners-Up | Final Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Mexico | Argentina | West Germany | 3-2 |
| 1990 | Italy | West Germany | Argentina | 1-0 |
| 1994 | United States | Brazil | Italy | 0-0* |
| 1998 | France | France | Brazil | 3-0 |
| 2002 | South Korea/Japan | Brazil | Germany | 2-0 |
| 2006 | Germany | Italy | France | 1-1** |
| 2010 | South Africa | Spain | Netherlands | 1-0 (a.e.t.) |
| 2014 | Brazil | Germany | Argentina | 1-0 (a.e.t.) |
| 2018 | Russia | France | Croatia | 4-2 |
| 2022 | Qatar | Argentina | France | 3-3*** |
World Cup winners
Since the first tournament in 1930, eight different teams have held the famous World Cup trophy.
| Winners | Number of titles | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 5 | 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002 |
| Germany (incl. West Germany) | 4 | 1954, 1974, 1990, 2014 |
| Italy | 4 | 1934, 1938, 1982, 2006 |
| Argentina | 3 | 1978, 1986, 2022 |
| France | 2 | 1998, 2018 |
| Uruguay | 2 | 1930, 1950 |
| England | 1 | 1966 |
| Spain | 1 | 2010 |
Top scorers in World Cup final tournaments
| Player | Goals Scored | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| Miroslav Klose | 16 | Germany |
| Ronaldo | 15 | Brazil |
| Gerd Müller | 14 | Germany |
| Just Fontaine | 13 | France |
| Lionel Messi | 13 | Argentina |
| Kylian Mbappé | 12 | France |
| Pelé | 12 | Brazil |
| Sándor Kocsis | 11 | Hungary |
| Jürgen Klinsmann | 11 | Germany |
| Helmut Rahn | 10 | Germany |
| Gabriel Batistuta | 10 | Argentina |
| Gary Lineker | 10 | England |
| Teófilo Cubillas | 10 | Peru |
| Thomas Müller | 10 | Germany |
| Grzegorz Lato | 10 | Poland |
Check the Marathonbet Sportsbook for the latest outright odds on the World Cup, as well as match betting on all the qualifying matches.
You’ll discover a range of predictions and guides on some of the top sporting events in the Sports Betting Predictions section of the blog.
