World Cup 2026 Teams by Group

World Cup 2026 Group Stage Format

The 2026 World Cup is the first to feature 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four, an expansion from the 32-team format that ran from 1998 through 2022. Each team plays three group-stage matches, and the top two from every group qualify automatically for the knockouts. The eight best third-placed sides also advance, taking 32 teams into a Round of 32 — a first in World Cup history. The new third-place rule changes the calculus for groups with one weak side: even a draw and a narrow defeat can be enough to sneak through, which raises the floor for traditional minnows and reshapes the maths versus 2022.

Group play runs from June 11 through June 27, with 72 group-stage matches spread across 16 host cities in three countries — eleven in the United States, three in Mexico, two in Canada. Kickoff times span four time zones, from Pacific to Atlantic, which makes timezone planning matter for fans more than in past tournaments. Atlantic-to-Pacific scheduling means the same match can air in the morning, afternoon, or after midnight depending on where you watch. The opener kicks off in Mexico City on June 11 and the last group-stage match is on June 27, with the Round of 32 starting June 28.

For the full match schedule, all 104 fixtures are listed in your local timezone with watchability ratings. Our watchability report breaks down which fan regions get prime-time matches and which face overnight kickoffs across the knockout stage. To track only the teams or stages you care about, build a custom calendar you can drop into Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, or Outlook.