{"id":1257,"date":"2026-06-04T11:36:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T11:36:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theopenhandbook.com\/?p=1257"},"modified":"2026-06-04T13:32:08","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T13:32:08","slug":"fifa-world-cup-2026-complete-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theopenhandbook.com\/de\/fifa-world-cup-2026-complete-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"FIFA World Cup 2026 Complete Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">FIFA World Cup 2026: Complete Schedule, All 48 Teams &amp; Groups Explained<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Last updated: June 2026 | Reading time: 9 minutes<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The wait is finally over. <strong>FIFA World Cup 2026<\/strong> \u2014 the biggest sporting event on the planet \u2014 kicks off on <strong>June 11, 2026<\/strong>, and for the first time in history, it will be hosted across <strong>three nations<\/strong>: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. With a record-breaking <strong>48 teams<\/strong> and <strong>104 matches<\/strong> spread over 39 days, this is set to be the most spectacular World Cup ever held.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether you&#8217;re a die-hard football fan planning to watch every single match or a casual supporter tracking your country&#8217;s campaign, this is your definitive guide. Bookmark this page \u2014 we&#8217;ll keep it updated throughout the tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why FIFA 2026 is Historic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This World Cup breaks records in almost every category:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>48 teams<\/strong> compete \u2014 up from 32 in Qatar 2022<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>104 total matches<\/strong> \u2014 the most ever played<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>3 host nations<\/strong> \u2014 USA, Canada, and Mexico (a first in World Cup history)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>16 venues<\/strong> across 3 countries and thousands of miles<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>12 groups<\/strong> instead of the previous 8<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>32 teams<\/strong> advance to the knockout round (up from 16)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>An entirely new &#8220;Round of 32&#8221; added to the knockout stage<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For fans in Germany, France, India, Brazil, and across the world, this means more football, more drama, and more chances for your nation to go deep into the tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tournament Format: How the 2026 World Cup Works<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The expanded format introduces changes that every fan needs to understand before the tournament begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Group Stage<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All 48 teams are divided into <strong>12 groups of 4 teams each<\/strong>. Every team plays 3 matches \u2014 one against each opponent in their group. Points are awarded in the standard format: 3 for a win, 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Advancement works as follows: the <strong>top 2 teams from each group<\/strong> automatically qualify for the Round of 32. Additionally, the <strong>8 best third-place teams<\/strong> across all 12 groups also advance. This means 32 teams progress to the knockout stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Knockout Stage<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The knockout rounds proceed as: Round of 32 \u2192 Round of 16 \u2192 Quarter-finals \u2192 Semi-finals \u2192 Third-place play-off \u2192 <strong>Final<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Final takes place on <strong>July 19, 2026<\/strong>, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey (New York area) \u2014 the largest stadium in the tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>\ud83d\udcfa Watch Every Match Live<\/strong><br>Don&#8217;t miss a single goal from FIFA 2026. Stream all 104 matches in HD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"[YOUR_STREAMING_AFFILIATE_LINK]\">\u27a1 Get Your Streaming Pass<\/a><a href=\"[YOUR_VPN_AFFILIATE_LINK]\">\ud83d\udd12 Watch with VPN (Any Country)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">All 12 Groups: Complete Team Listings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are all 48 nations, organized by group. Use this to find your country&#8217;s schedule and group rivals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Group<\/th><th>Team 1<\/th><th>Team 2<\/th><th>Team 3<\/th><th>Team 4<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Group A<\/strong><\/td><td>\ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddfd Mexico (host)<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddff\ud83c\udde6 South Africa<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddf0\ud83c\uddf7 South Korea<\/td><td>\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddff Czechia<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Group B<\/strong><\/td><td>\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6 Canada (host)<\/td><td>\ud83c\udde7\ud83c\udde6 Bosnia &amp; Herzegovina<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddf6\ud83c\udde6 Qatar<\/td><td>\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udded Switzerland<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Group C<\/strong><\/td><td>\ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddf7 Brazil<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\udde6 Morocco<\/td><td>\ud83c\udded\ud83c\uddf9 Haiti<\/td><td>\ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc73\udb40\udc63\udb40\udc74\udb40\udc7f Scotland<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Group D<\/strong><\/td><td>\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 USA (host)<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddfe Paraguay<\/td><td>\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa Australia<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddf9\ud83c\uddf7 T\u00fcrkiye<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Group E<\/strong><\/td><td>\ud83c\udde9\ud83c\uddea Germany<\/td><td>\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddfc Cura\u00e7ao<\/td><td>\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddee Ivory Coast<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddea\ud83c\udde8 Ecuador<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Group F<\/strong><\/td><td>\ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddf1 Netherlands<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddef\ud83c\uddf5 Japan<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddea Sweden<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddf9\ud83c\uddf3 Tunisia<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Group G<\/strong><\/td><td>\ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddea Belgium<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddec Egypt<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf7 Iran<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddff New Zealand<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Group H<\/strong><\/td><td>\ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddf8 Spain<\/td><td>\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddfb Cape Verde<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\udde6 Saudi Arabia<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddfe Uruguay<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Group I<\/strong><\/td><td>\ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 France<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddf3 Senegal<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf6 Iraq<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddf4 Norway<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Group J<\/strong><\/td><td>\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddf7 Argentina<\/td><td>\ud83c\udde9\ud83c\uddff Algeria<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 Ukraine<\/td><td>\ud83c\udded\ud83c\uddf3 Honduras<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Group K<\/strong><\/td><td>\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf9 Portugal<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udded Ghana<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddf7\ud83c\uddf4 Romania<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddfb\ud83c\uddea Venezuela<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Group L<\/strong><\/td><td>\ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc65\udb40\udc6e\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc7f England<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddf7\ud83c\uddf8 Serbia<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\udde9 Sudan<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddf9\ud83c\uddff Tanzania<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Note: Some group assignments may be subject to final FIFA confirmation.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Opening Day Fixtures: June 11\u201312, 2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The tournament opens on <strong>Thursday, June 11<\/strong> with the host nation Mexico taking on South Africa in Mexico City. Here are the first four matches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Date<\/th><th>Match<\/th><th>Group<\/th><th>Venue<\/th><th>Time (ET)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>June 11<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\uddfd Mexico vs South Africa \ud83c\uddff\ud83c\udde6<\/td><td>A<\/td><td>Azteca, Mexico City<\/td><td>3:00 PM<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>June 11<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddf0\ud83c\uddf7 South Korea vs Czechia \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddff<\/td><td>A<\/td><td>Estadio BBVA, Zapopan<\/td><td>10:00 PM<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>June 12<\/td><td>\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6 Canada vs Bosnia-Herz \ud83c\udde7\ud83c\udde6<\/td><td>B<\/td><td>BMO Field, Toronto<\/td><td>3:00 PM<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>June 12<\/td><td>\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 USA vs Paraguay \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddfe<\/td><td>D<\/td><td>SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles<\/td><td>9:00 PM<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Matches to Watch in the Group Stage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With 104 games to choose from, here are the group-stage fixtures that are guaranteed to generate massive global viewership:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udd25 Brazil vs Morocco (Group C) \u2014 June 13, New York<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Brazil, five-time world champions, open their campaign against Morocco \u2014 the team that stunned Europe at Qatar 2022 by reaching the semi-finals. This is a clash of two footballing cultures and a genuine toss-up. Expect huge global audiences across South America and Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udd25 Germany vs Group E \u2014 June 14, Houston<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Germany, desperate to erase memories of their 2018 group-stage exit and 2022 disappointment, face Cura\u00e7ao in their opener. Germany&#8217;s massive fan base across Europe guarantees exceptionally high CPC advertising rates for any content targeting German readers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udd25 France vs Senegal (Group I) \u2014 June 16, New York<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A politically and emotionally charged match. France, the defending champions from 2018 and runners-up in 2022, take on Senegal \u2014 led by Sadio Man\u00e9 and one of Africa&#8217;s most exciting squads. The France vs Africa narrative generates enormous engagement across European and African audiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udd25 Argentina vs Algeria (Group J) \u2014 June 16, Kansas City<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Defending world champions Argentina, led by Lionel Messi in what is likely his final World Cup, face Algeria. The most-searched player in the tournament is guaranteed to appear at the top of every trending topic globally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\ud83d\udd25 England vs Serbia (Group L)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">England begin their perennial &#8220;it&#8217;s coming home&#8221; campaign against a tough Serbia side. This match will dominate British media and generate significant traffic from the UK \u2014 a high-CPC market for AdSense publishers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The 16 Host Venues<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Matches are spread across 16 stadiums in the US, Canada, and Mexico:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Venue<\/th><th>City<\/th><th>Capacity<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>MetLife Stadium<\/td><td>New York\/New Jersey, USA<\/td><td>82,500 (Final venue)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>SoFi Stadium<\/td><td>Los Angeles, USA<\/td><td>70,240<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>AT&amp;T Stadium<\/td><td>Dallas, USA<\/td><td>80,000<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>NRG Stadium<\/td><td>Houston, USA<\/td><td>72,220<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Levi&#8217;s Stadium<\/td><td>San Francisco, USA<\/td><td>68,500<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Hard Rock Stadium<\/td><td>Miami, USA<\/td><td>65,326<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Lincoln Financial Field<\/td><td>Philadelphia, USA<\/td><td>69,796<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Mercedes-Benz Stadium<\/td><td>Atlanta, USA<\/td><td>71,000<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Lumen Field<\/td><td>Seattle, USA<\/td><td>68,740<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Gillette Stadium<\/td><td>Boston, USA<\/td><td>65,878<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Arrowhead Stadium<\/td><td>Kansas City, USA<\/td><td>76,416<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>BC Place<\/td><td>Vancouver, Canada<\/td><td>54,500<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>BMO Field<\/td><td>Toronto, Canada<\/td><td>45,000<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Estadio Azteca<\/td><td>Mexico City, Mexico<\/td><td>87,523 (Largest)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Estadio BBVA<\/td><td>Monterrey, Mexico<\/td><td>53,500<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Estadio Akron<\/td><td>Guadalajara, Mexico<\/td><td>49,850<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>\u2708\ufe0f Planning to Attend FIFA 2026 in Person?<\/strong><br>Flights to New York, Los Angeles, and Toronto are filling up fast. Hotels near match venues are selling out months in advance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"[YOUR_FLIGHTS_AFFILIATE_LINK]\">\ud83d\udeeb Search Flights to Host Cities<\/a><a href=\"[YOUR_HOTEL_AFFILIATE_LINK]\">\ud83c\udfe8 Book Hotels Near Stadiums<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Tournament Dates at a Glance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Stage<\/th><th>Dates<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Group Stage \u2014 Matchday 1<\/td><td>June 11\u201316, 2026<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Group Stage \u2014 Matchday 2<\/td><td>June 17\u201322, 2026<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Group Stage \u2014 Matchday 3<\/td><td>June 23\u201327, 2026<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Round of 32<\/td><td>June 29 \u2013 July 2, 2026<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Round of 16<\/td><td>July 4\u20137, 2026<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Quarter-finals<\/td><td>July 9\u201311, 2026<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Semi-finals<\/td><td>July 14\u201315, 2026<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Third-place play-off<\/td><td>July 18, 2026<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\u26bd <strong>THE FINAL<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>July 19, 2026 \u2014 MetLife Stadium, New York<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Which Teams Are the Favourites to Win?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Based on FIFA world rankings, squad quality, and tournament form, here are the leading contenders heading into the 2026 World Cup:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddf7 Argentina<\/strong> \u2014 Defending champions. Messi&#8217;s final chapter. The squad built around the Qatar 2022 title-winning generation is still largely intact and hungry.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>\ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 France<\/strong> \u2014 Perhaps the deepest squad in the world. Mbapp\u00e9, Demb\u00e9l\u00e9, Griezmann, and a new generation that has been building for this moment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>\ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddf7 Brazil<\/strong> \u2014 Brazil have not won a World Cup since 2002 and will be desperate to end that drought. A new generation including Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo could finally deliver.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>\ud83c\udde9\ud83c\uddea Germany<\/strong> \u2014 After back-to-back group-stage exits, Germany retooled under their new manager. Back on home continent soil (effectively), they will be dangerous.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>\ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddf8 Spain<\/strong> \u2014 Back-to-back European champions and playing the most attractive football in Europe. A young squad peaking at exactly the right time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>\ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddf1 Netherlands<\/strong> \u2014 A complete squad with world-class talent in every position. Could this finally be Holland&#8217;s year?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>\ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc65\udb40\udc6e\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc7f England<\/strong> \u2014 Perennial contenders who finally have the squad depth to match their expectation levels. The pressure of decades of near-misses drives them forward.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Watch FIFA 2026: Broadcast Rights by Country<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Country<\/th><th>TV Channel<\/th><th>Streaming Platform<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>\ud83c\uddee\ud83c\uddf3 India<\/td><td>Sony Sports Network<\/td><td>SonyLIV, JioTV<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 USA<\/td><td>FOX, FS1, Telemundo<\/td><td>FOX Sports App, Peacock<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 UK<\/td><td>ITV, BBC<\/td><td>ITVX, BBC iPlayer<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\ud83c\udde9\ud83c\uddea Germany<\/td><td>ARD, ZDF, MagentaTV<\/td><td>ARD Mediathek, ZDF Mediathek<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\ud83c\uddeb\ud83c\uddf7 France<\/td><td>TF1, M6<\/td><td>MyTF1, 6play<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\ud83c\udde7\ud83c\uddf7 Brazil<\/td><td>Globo, SporTV<\/td><td>Globoplay<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa Australia<\/td><td>SBS<\/td><td>SBS On Demand<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>\ud83d\udd12 Not in Your Country? Watch Anyway with a VPN<\/strong><br>Some matches may be geo-restricted in your region. A trusted VPN lets you access any broadcast feed from anywhere in the world \u2014 securely and legally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"[YOUR_NORDVPN_AFFILIATE_LINK]\">\ud83d\udee1 Try NordVPN \u2014 67% Off Today<\/a><a href=\"[YOUR_EXPRESSVPN_AFFILIATE_LINK]\">\u26a1 Try ExpressVPN<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When does FIFA World Cup 2026 start?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The tournament begins on <strong>June 11, 2026<\/strong>, with Mexico facing South Africa in Mexico City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where is the World Cup 2026 Final?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Final is at <strong>MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey<\/strong> (the New York area) on <strong>July 19, 2026<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How many teams are in the 2026 World Cup?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the first time, <strong>48 nations<\/strong> compete \u2014 an increase from the previous 32-team format.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is India playing in the 2026 World Cup?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">India did not qualify for FIFA 2026. However, Indian fans can watch all 104 matches on Sony Sports Network and stream via SonyLIV or JioTV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who is the defending champion?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Argentina, who defeated France in the penalty shootout final at Qatar 2022, are the defending World Cup champions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">FIFA World Cup 2026 is shaping up to be the greatest international football tournament ever staged. With 48 teams, 16 iconic venues, and the likes of Messi, Mbapp\u00e9, Vinicius Jr, and Bellingham all potentially on the same stage, the summer of 2026 belongs entirely to football.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bookmark this page and check back \u2014 we&#8217;ll be updating it with live scores, group standings, and knockout bracket results throughout the tournament&#8217;s 39 days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>\u26bd Your FIFA 2026 Essentials<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Everything you need for the World Cup, all in one place:<a href=\"[STREAMING_LINK]\">\ud83d\udcfa Watch Live<\/a><a href=\"[JERSEY_AFFILIATE]\">\ud83d\udc55 Buy Jerseys<\/a><a href=\"[TICKETS_LINK]\">\ud83c\udf9f Get Tickets<\/a><a href=\"[VPN_LINK]\">\ud83d\udd12 Get VPN<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Sources: FIFA.com, ESPN, NBC Sports. All times are Eastern Time (ET). Schedule subject to change per FIFA announcements.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>FIFA World Cup 2026: Complete Schedule, All 48 Teams &#038; Groups Explained<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1270,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[178],"tags":[181,182],"class_list":["post-1257","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fifa-world-cup-2026","tag-fifa-world-cup-2026","tag-football-analysis"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theopenhandbook.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1257","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theopenhandbook.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theopenhandbook.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theopenhandbook.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theopenhandbook.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1257"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/theopenhandbook.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1257\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1260,"href":"https:\/\/theopenhandbook.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1257\/revisions\/1260"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theopenhandbook.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1270"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theopenhandbook.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1257"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theopenhandbook.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1257"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theopenhandbook.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1257"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}