The World Cup, explained from scratch
Never followed football? Perfect. The World Cup is the biggest sporting event on the planet — once every four years, the best national teams in the world play one tournament to decide a single champion. Here is the whole thing in five minutes, no jargon.
Why 2026 is the biggest one ever
Two things make this World Cup a first. It is the first to be co-hosted by three countries at once — the United States, Canada, and Mexico are splitting it between them. And it is the first with 48 teams, up from 32 last time. More countries, more cities, more games — by a wide margin the largest World Cup that has ever been staged.
Where the games are
The matches are spread across 16 cities in three countries — a single tournament running the length of North America, from Vancouver in the northwest to Miami in the southeast. Here is a rough map, grouped by country.
Opening match & the Final
United States
Hosts the most games — 11 cities, coast to coast — and the final.
- New York / New JerseyMetLife StadiumHosts the Final
- Los AngelesSoFi Stadium
- DallasAT&T Stadium
- San Francisco Bay AreaLevi's Stadium
- AtlantaMercedes-Benz Stadium
- MiamiHard Rock Stadium
- SeattleLumen Field
- HoustonNRG Stadium
- Kansas CityArrowhead Stadium
- BostonGillette Stadium
- PhiladelphiaLincoln Financial Field
Mexico
The first nation to host (a part of) three World Cups — opens the tournament.
- Mexico CityEstadio AztecaOpening match
- GuadalajaraEstadio Akron
- MonterreyEstadio BBVA
Canada
Co-hosting a World Cup for the very first time.
- TorontoBMO Field
- VancouverBC Place
How it works
It is a funnel. A big field gets cut down, round by round, until one team is left standing.
- 48teams qualify
National teams from around the world — the most ever in a World Cup.
- 12groups of 4
Everyone is sorted into a small group and plays the other three once.
- 32advance
The best finishers in each group move on. The rest go home.
- 1champion
A single-elimination bracket — lose once and you are out — down to the final.
The first part (the groups) is a gentle round-robin — a team can lose and still survive. The second part (the knockouts) is sudden death: lose one game and your tournament is over. That is where the drama lives.
When it happens
The whole thing runs for about five weeks, across June and July 2026.
- June 11, 2026Opening match
Kicks off in Mexico City at the Estadio Azteca.
- June 2026Group stage
Three-plus weeks of games every day as the 48 teams play their groups.
- Early July 2026Knockout rounds
Round of 32 → 16 → quarter-finals → semi-finals. Win or go home.
- July 19, 2026The Final
One match for the trophy, at MetLife Stadium near New York City.
Okay — where do I start?
You do not need to know anything yet. Pick a team to root for and the rest of the app follows along with you.