Co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States across 16 host cities, the 2026 edition was the largest FIFA World Cupâ„¢ in history. The expanded format included 48 participating nations and 104 matches played over 39 days.
Tri-Nation Host Venues
Matches were staged across 16 world-class stadiums. Mexico City’s historic Estadio Azteca hosted the tournament’s opening match, while Canadian fixtures in Toronto and Vancouver saw strong home crowds throughout the group stage.
The tournament transitioned to 12 groups of four teams. The top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-place finishers, advanced to a newly introduced Round of 32 knockout stage.
Global Representation
The expansion provided increased qualification slots across all six continental confederations. Emerging football nations, including Cabo Verde and Curaçao, earned historic group stage appearances.
Stadium capacity crowds across North American venues set record-breaking attendance figures for the tournament, highlighting strong fan support throughout all three host countries.
