Last updated: June 22, 2026
How the 2026 FIFA World Cup Tournament Works
The 2026 World Cup is the largest in history — 48 teams, 104 matches, 16 venues across three countries, and a Final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. If you're new to the format, here's everything you need to follow the tournament from start to finish.
Format at a glance
48
12 groups of 4
72
32
104
June 11 – July 19
Phase 1: The Group Stage
The tournament begins with 48 teams split into 12 groups of 4. Each team plays the other 3 teams in their group once, earning 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw, and 0 for a loss.
At the end of the group stage, the top 2 teams from each group advance automatically — that's 24 teams. The best 8 third-place finishers across all 12 groups also advance, bringing the total to 32 teams in the knockout stage.
Phase 2: The Round of 32 (New for 2026)
This is the new round introduced for 2026. In previous tournaments, the round after the group stage was a Round of 16. Now there's an extra knockout round first. 32 teams enter, 16 advance. One match, no second chances.
MetLife Stadium hosts a Round of 32 match on June 30, 2026.
Phase 3: The Round of 16
16 teams remain. Same format — single elimination, with extra time and penalties if level after 90 minutes. This is where the tournament starts to feel like a global event. Travel demand, bar watch parties, and media coverage all intensify.
MetLife hosts a Round of 16 match on July 5, 2026.
Phase 4: Quarterfinals & Semifinals
8 teams → 4 → 2. The quarterfinals and semifinals are the matches that define the tournament narrative. By this point, every match is a major event and watch parties across NYC will be packed regardless of which teams are playing.
Phase 5: The Final
The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final takes place on July 19, 2026 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. It's the biggest single sporting event in the world, and it's happening in New York's backyard.
Tickets are available through Ticketmaster. If you don't have a ticket, the NYC fan zones and hundreds of bars and venues will screen it live.
The 12 Groups for 2026
Browse each group for team guides and NYC fan bar recommendations:
Mexico, South Korea, South Africa
Group BCanada, Switzerland, Qatar
Group CBrazil, Morocco, Scotland
Group DUnited States, Paraguay, Australia
Group EGermany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast
Group FNetherlands, Japan, Tunisia
Group GBelgium, Iran, Egypt
Group HSpain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia
Group IFrance, Senegal, Norway
Group JArgentina, Austria, Algeria
Group KPortugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan
Group LEngland, Croatia, Ghana
How extra time and penalties work
In knockout matches, if teams are level after 90 minutes of regular time, they play two additional 15-minute periods (extra time). If still level after 120 minutes total, the match goes to a penalty shootout — 5 kicks each, then sudden death if needed.
The MetLife Stadium matches
- Brazil vs Morocco — June 13 (Group C)
- France vs Senegal — June 16 (Group I)
- Norway vs Senegal — June 22 (Group I)
- Ecuador vs Germany — June 25 (Group E)
- Panama vs England — June 27 (Group L)
- Round of 32 — June 30
- Round of 16 — July 5
- World Cup Final — July 19
World Cup Tickets
Hotels in New York City
Book your NYC hotel for the World Cup. Compare prices and locations.