2026 FIFA World Cup: Format, Groups, and Key Details

The approaching 2026 FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, promises to become one of the most ambitious tournaments in football history. Below is a complete overview of the competition’s updated structure, group compositions, and essential regulations.

Tournament Format for 2026

During the official draw, 48 national teams — including those passing through qualification playoffs — were distributed into 12 groups of four. As usual, each team will take part in three group-stage matches, meeting every opponent within its group once.

Advancement rules follow a familiar pattern but expand due to the increased number of participants. The top two teams from each group automatically progress to the knockout phase. However, with the tournament enlarged from 32 to 48 contenders, an additional elimination round has been introduced. Instead of the classic 16 teams, 32 nations will now qualify beyond the group stage.

Thus, in addition to 12 group winners and 12 runners-up, the tournament will welcome the eight strongest third-place teams. Pairings for the round of 32 will depend on which groups these third-place qualifiers emerge from.

From the knockout phase forward, the competition unfolds through single-elimination matches leading up to the final. In case of a draw after normal time, teams play two 15-minute halves of extra time, and if the tie persists, the duel is settled by a penalty shootout.

To make the World Cup matches even more thrilling, you can explore football betting on trusted platforms such as 1xBit.

World Cup Groups

Below are the full group lineups for the tournament.

Group A

• Mexico (host nation)
• South Africa
• South Korea
• Winner of European Playoff D (Denmark / North Macedonia / Republic of Ireland / Czech Republic)

Group B

• Canada (host nation)
• Winner of European Playoff A (Italy / Northern Ireland / Wales / Bosnia and Herzegovina)
• Qatar
• Switzerland

Group C

• Brazil
• Morocco
• Haiti
• Scotland

Group D

• United States (host nation)
• Paraguay
• Australia
• Winner of European Playoff C (Slovakia / Kosovo / Turkey / Romania)

Group E

• Germany
• Curaçao
• Ivory Coast
• Ecuador

Group F

• Netherlands
• Japan
• Winner of European Playoff B (Ukraine / Sweden / Poland / Albania)
• Tunisia

Group G

• Belgium
• Egypt
• Iran
• New Zealand

Group H

• Spain
• Cape Verde
• Saudi Arabia
• Uruguay

Group I

• France
• Senegal
• Winner of FIFA Playoff 2 (Bolivia / Suriname / Iraq)
• Norway

Group J

• Argentina
• Algeria
• Austria
• Jordan

Group K

• Portugal
• Winner of FIFA Playoff 1 (New Caledonia / Jamaica / DR Congo)
• Uzbekistan
• Colombia

Group L

• England
• Croatia
• Ghana
• Panama

Tiebreaker Rules in the Group Stage

If several teams finish the group stage with equal point totals, FIFA applies the following tiebreaker sequence:

1. Most points earned in matches between the tied teams
2. Superior goal difference in those head-to-head matches
3. Highest number of goals scored in those head-to-head matches

If a tie remains unresolved, the same criteria are repeated but applied exclusively to the teams still level on points.

If parity persists afterward, the following steps come into play (these also serve as primary criteria for ties between only two teams):

4. Best goal difference across all group matches
5. Highest number of goals scored in all group matches
6. Best disciplinary record (“fair play”)
7. FIFA world ranking

Ranking Third-Place Teams

To determine which third-place teams will progress to the knockout stage, FIFA evaluates them according to:

1. Total points
2. Goal difference
3. Goals scored
4. Team conduct score
5. FIFA world ranking

Complete Match Schedule

Below is the full calendar of matches from the group stage through the final. Times are listed with both local and Eastern Time (ET).

Group Stage

Thursday, June 11

• Group A: Mexico vs. South Africa (Mexico City), 1 p.m. / 3 p.m. ET
• Group A: South Korea vs. UEFA Playoff Path 2 winner (Zapopan), 8 p.m. / 10 p.m. ET

Friday, June 12

• Group B: Canada vs. UEFA Playoff Path 1 winner (Toronto), 3 p.m. / 3 p.m. ET
• Group D: United States vs. Paraguay (Inglewood), 9 p.m. / 12 a.m. ET (6/13)

Saturday, June 13

• Group B: Qatar vs. Switzerland (Santa Clara), 12 p.m. / 3 p.m. ET
• Group C: Brazil vs. Morocco (East Rutherford), 6 p.m. / 6 p.m. ET
• Group C: Haiti vs. Scotland (Foxborough), 9 p.m. / 9 p.m. ET
• Group D: Australia vs. UEFA Playoff Path 3 winner (Vancouver), 9 p.m. / 12 a.m. ET (6/14)

Sunday, June 14

• Group E: Germany vs. Curaçao (Houston), 12 p.m. / 1 p.m. ET
• Group F: Netherlands vs. Japan (Arlington), 3 p.m. / 4 p.m. ET
• Group E: Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador (Philadelphia), 7 p.m. / 7 p.m. ET
• Group F: UEFA Playoff Path 2 winner vs. Tunisia (Guadalupe), 8 p.m. / 10 p.m. ET

Monday, June 15

• Group H: Spain vs. Cape Verde (Atlanta), 12 p.m. / 1 p.m. ET
• Group G: Belgium vs. Egypt (Seattle), 3 p.m. / 6 p.m. ET
• Group H: Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay (Miami Gardens), 6 p.m. / 6 p.m. ET
• Group G: Iran vs. New Zealand (Inglewood), 9 p.m. / 12 a.m. ET (6/16)

Tuesday, June 16

• Group I: France vs. Senegal (East Rutherford), 3 p.m. / 3 p.m. ET
• Group I: FIFA Playoff Winner 2 vs. Norway (Foxborough), 6 p.m. / 6 p.m. ET
• Group J: Argentina vs. Algeria (Kansas City), 9 p.m. / 10 p.m. ET
• Group J: Austria vs. Jordan (Santa Clara), 9 p.m. / 12 a.m. ET (6/17)

Wednesday, June 17

• Group K: Portugal vs. FIFA Playoff Winner 1 (Houston), 12 p.m. / 1 p.m. ET
• Group L: England vs. Croatia (Arlington), 3 p.m. / 4 p.m. ET
• Group L: Ghana vs. Panama (Toronto), 7 p.m. / 7 p.m. ET
• Group K: Uzbekistan vs. Colombia (Mexico City), 10 p.m. / 12 a.m. ET (6/18)

Thursday, June 18

• Group A: UEFA Playoff Path 2 winner vs. South Africa (Atlanta), 12 p.m. / 12 p.m. ET
• Group B: Switzerland vs. UEFA Playoff Path 1 winner (Inglewood), 12 p.m. / 3 p.m. ET
• Group B: Canada vs. Qatar (Vancouver), 6 p.m. / 9 p.m. ET
• Group A: Mexico vs. South Korea (Zapopan), 9 p.m. / 11 p.m. ET

Friday, June 19

• Group D: United States vs. Australia (Seattle), 12 p.m. / 3 p.m. ET
• Group C: Scotland meets Morocco (Foxborough), 3 p.m. / 6 p.m. ET
• Group C: Brazil challenges Haiti (Philadelphia), 9 p.m. / 9 p.m. ET
• Group D: UEFA Playoff Path 3 winner vs. Paraguay (Santa Clara), 9 p.m. / 12 a.m. ET (6/20)

Saturday, June 20

• Group F: Netherlands vs. UEFA Playoff Path 2 winner (Houston), 12 p.m. / 1 p.m. ET
• Group E: Germany against Ivory Coast (Toronto), 4 p.m. / 4 p.m. ET
• Group E: Ecuador vs. Curaçao (Kansas City), 7 p.m. / 8 p.m. ET
• Group F: Tunisia vs. Japan (Guadalupe), 10 p.m. / 12 a.m. ET (6/21)

Sunday, June 21

• Group H: Spain vs. Saudi Arabia (Atlanta), 12 p.m. / 12 p.m. ET
• Group G: Belgium meets Iran (Inglewood), 3 p.m. / 6 p.m. ET
• Group H: Uruguay vs. Cape Verde (Miami Gardens), 6 p.m. / 6 p.m. ET
• Group G: New Zealand vs. Egypt (Vancouver), 9 p.m. / 12 a.m. ET (6/22)

Monday, June 22

• Group J: Argentina vs. Austria (Arlington), 12 p.m. / 1 p.m. ET
• Group I: France vs. FIFA Playoff Winner 2 (Philadelphia), 5 p.m. / 5 p.m. ET
• Group I: Norway vs. Senegal (East Rutherford), 8 p.m. / 8 p.m. ET
• Group J: Jordan faces Algeria (Santa Clara), 8 p.m. / 11 p.m. ET

Tuesday, June 23

• Group K: Portugal vs. Uzbekistan (Houston), 12 p.m. / 1 p.m. ET
• Group L: England vs. Ghana (Foxborough), 4 p.m. / 4 p.m. ET
• Group L: Panama vs. Croatia (Toronto), 7 p.m. / 7 p.m. ET
• Group K: Colombia vs. FIFA Playoff Winner 1 (Zapopan), 8 p.m. / 10 p.m. ET

Wednesday, June 24

• Group B: Switzerland vs. Canada (Vancouver), 12 p.m. / 3 p.m. ET
• Group B: UEFA Playoff Path 1 winner vs. Qatar (Seattle), 12 p.m. / 3 p.m. ET
• Group C: Scotland vs. Brazil (Miami Gardens), 6 p.m. / 6 p.m. ET
• Group C: Morocco vs. Haiti (Atlanta), 6 p.m. / 6 p.m. ET
• Group A: UEFA Playoff Path 1 winner vs. Mexico (Mexico City), 7 p.m. / 9 p.m. ET
• Group A: South Africa vs. South Korea (Guadalupe), 7 p.m. / 9 p.m. ET

Thursday, June 25

• Group E: Ecuador vs. Germany (East Rutherford), 4 p.m. / 4 p.m. ET
• Group E: Curaçao vs. Ivory Coast (Philadelphia), 4 p.m. / 4 p.m. ET
• Group F: Japan vs. UEFA Playoff Path 2 winner (Arlington), 7 p.m. / 7 p.m. ET
• Group F: Tunisia vs. Netherlands (Kansas City), 7 p.m. / 7 p.m. ET
• Group D: UEFA Playoff Path 3 winner vs. United States (Inglewood), 7 p.m. / 10 p.m. ET
• Group D: Paraguay vs. Australia (Santa Clara), 7 p.m. / 10 p.m. ET

Friday, June 26

• Group I: Norway vs. France (Foxborough), 3 p.m. / 3 p.m. ET
• Group I: Senegal vs. FIFA Playoff Winner 2 (Toronto), 3 p.m. / 3 p.m. ET
• Group H: Cape Verde vs. Saudi Arabia (Houston), 7 p.m. / 8 p.m. ET
• Group H: Uruguay vs. Spain (Zapopan), 6 p.m. / 8 p.m. ET
• Group G: Egypt vs. Iran (Seattle), 8 p.m. / 11 p.m. ET
• Group G: New Zealand vs. Belgium (Vancouver), 8 p.m. / 11 p.m. ET

Saturday, June 27

• Group L: Panama vs. England (East Rutherford), 5 p.m. / 5 p.m. ET
• Group L: Croatia vs. Ghana (Philadelphia), 5 p.m. / 5 p.m. ET
• Group K: Colombia vs. Portugal (Miami Gardens), 7:30 p.m. / 7:30 p.m. ET
• Group K: FIFA Playoff Winner 1 vs. Uzbekistan (Atlanta), 7:30 p.m. / 7:30 p.m. ET
• Group J: Algeria vs. Austria (Kansas City), 9 p.m. / 10 p.m. ET
• Group J: Jordan vs. Argentina (Arlington), 9 p.m. / 10 p.m. ET

Round of 32

Sunday, June 28

• Group A runners-up vs. Group B runners-up (Inglewood), 12 p.m. / 3 p.m. ET

Monday, June 29

• Group C winners vs. Group F runners-up (Houston), 12 p.m. / 1 p.m. ET
• Group E winners vs. third place from Groups A/B/C/D/F (Foxborough), 4:30 p.m. / 4:30 p.m. ET
• Group F winners vs. Group C runners-up (Guadalupe), 5 p.m. / 7 p.m. ET

Tuesday, June 30

• Group E runners-up vs. Group I runners-up (Arlington), 12 p.m. / 1 p.m. ET
• Group I winners vs. third place from Groups C/D/F/G/H (East Rutherford), 5 p.m. / 5 p.m. ET
• Group A winners vs. third place from Groups C/E/F/H/I (Mexico City), 7 p.m. / 9 p.m. ET

Wednesday, July 1

• Group L winners vs. third place from Groups E/H/I/J/K (Atlanta), 12 p.m. / 12 p.m. ET
• Group G winners vs. third place from Groups A/E/H/I/J (Seattle), 1 p.m. / 4 p.m. ET
• Group D winners vs. third place from Groups B/E/F/I/J (Santa Clara), 5 p.m. / 8 p.m. ET

Thursday, July 2

• Group H winners vs. Group J runners-up (Inglewood), 12 p.m. / 3 p.m. ET
• Group K runners-up vs. Group L runners-up (Toronto), 7 p.m. / 7 p.m. ET
• Group B winners vs. third place from Groups E/F/G/I/J (Vancouver), 8 p.m. / 11 p.m. ET

Friday, July 3

• Group D runners-up vs. Group G runners-up (Arlington), 12 p.m. / 3 p.m. ET
• Group J winners vs. Group H runners-up (Miami Gardens), 6 p.m. / 6 p.m. ET
• Group K winners vs. third place from Groups D/E/I/J/L (Kansas City), 7:30 p.m. / 8:30 p.m. ET

Round of 16

Saturday, July 4

• Round of 16 Match 1 (Houston), 12 p.m. / 1 p.m. ET
• Round of 16 Match 2 (Philadelphia), 5 p.m. / 5 p.m. ET

Sunday, July 5

• Round of 16 Match 3 (East Rutherford), 4 p.m. / 4 p.m. ET
• Round of 16 Match 4 (Mexico City), 6 p.m. / 8 p.m. ET

Monday, July 6

• Round of 16 Match 5 (Arlington), 1 p.m. / 2 p.m. ET
• Round of 16 Match 6 (Seattle), 2 p.m. / 5 p.m. ET

Tuesday, July 7

• Round of 16 Match 7 (Atlanta), 12 p.m. / 12 p.m. ET
• Round of 16 Match 8 (Vancouver), 1 p.m. / 4 p.m. ET

Quarterfinals

Thursday, July 9

• Quarterfinal 1 (Foxborough), 4 p.m. / 4 p.m. ET

Friday, July 10

• Quarterfinal 2 (Inglewood), 12 p.m. / 3 p.m. ET

Saturday, July 11

• Quarterfinal 3 (Miami Gardens), 5 p.m. / 5 p.m. ET
   
• Quarterfinal 4 (Kansas City), 7 p.m. / 8 p.m. ET

Semifinals

Tuesday, July 14

• Semifinal 1 (Arlington), 1 p.m. / 2 p.m. ET

Wednesday, July 15

• Semifinal 2 (Atlanta), 3 p.m. / 3 p.m. ET

Third-Place Match

Saturday, July 18 — Miami Gardens, 5 p.m. / 5 p.m. ET

Final

Sunday, July 19 — East Rutherford, 3 p.m. local / 5 p.m. ET