11 July Marks Start of FIFA World Cup in USA, Canada and Mexico with New Format and Tiebreaker Rules

Am 11. Juli startet die WM in den USA, Kanada und Mexiko. Der WM-Modus bietet einige Neuerungen, darunter auch für die Punktgleichen.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will begin on June 11, 2026, with Mexico facing South Africa at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, according to the official match schedule released by FIFA and reported by USA TODAY. The tournament will span 39 days, concluding with the final on July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Expanded Format and Group Stage Rules

The 2026 World Cup features an expanded field of 48 teams, up from 32 in previous editions, organized into 12 groups of four teams each. Each team plays three group-stage matches, one against every other team in its group. The top two teams from each group automatically advance to the knockout stage.

Knockout Stage and Third-Place Qualifiers

A key innovation in the 2026 format is that, in addition to the 12 group winners and 12 runners-up, the eight best third-placed teams will also advance to the round of 32. This means 32 teams will progress from the group stage, compared to 16 in previous tournaments since 1998. The specific matchups in the round of 32 will be determined by which groups the eight qualifying third-place teams come from.

Tiebreaker Procedures for Equal Points

Tournament Context and Qualification

Host Nations and Opening Matches

Current Status and Outlook

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first to be co-hosted by three nations, with matches held across 16 cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. With less than two months until kickoff, the field is set, including first-time qualifiers Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan. Defending champions Argentina will aim for back-to-back titles.