New york: The 2026 FIFA World Cup is poised to make history as the largest tournament ever, featuring an unprecedented 48 teams and spanning across three North American countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Scheduled from June 11 to July 19, 2026, the tournament will include 104 matches, showcasing international football talent on a grander scale than ever before.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, the tournament will introduce a new format, with the 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four. The top two teams from each group, alongside the eight best third-place teams, will advance to the Round of 32, marking the beginning of a single-elimination stage. The event will be hosted at 16 venues across the three countries, with the final match taking place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19, 2026.

The group stage of the tournament is set to kick off on June 11 in Mexico City, with host nation Mexico facing South Africa. Matches will continue daily, with group fixtures scheduled until June 27. The knockout stage will commence on June 28 with the Round of 32, followed by the Round of 16 starting on July 4. Quarter-final matches are scheduled for July 9 and 10, leading into the semi-finals on July 14 and 15. The tournament will conclude with the third-place playoff on July 18 and the highly anticipated World Cup Final on July 19.

The finalized groups for the tournament are as follows: Group A includes Mexico, South Africa, Korea Republic, and Czechia; Group B features Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, and Bosnia and Herzegovina; Group C consists of Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, and Scotland; Group D includes the United States, Paraguay, Australia, and Trkiye; Group E comprises Germany, Cura§ao, C´te d'Ivoire, and Ecuador; Group F features Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, and Sweden; Group G consists of Belgium, Egypt, Iran, and New Zealand; Group H includes Spain, Cabo Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay; Group I features France, Senegal, Norway, and Iraq; Group J comprises Argentina, Algeria, Austria, and Jordan; Group K includes Portugal, Uzbekistan, Colombia, and Congo DR; and Group L consists of England, Croatia, Ghana, and Panama.

The schedule promises a robust display of football, with matches taking place across iconic cities and stadiums. Fans around the world are eagerly anticipating the expanded format and are hopeful it will bring more thrilling moments and opportunities for underdog teams to excel on the world stage.