World Cup 2026 FAQ

It ran from Thursday 11 June to Sunday 19 July 2026: 39 days from the opening match to the final.

In three host nations: the United States (11 cities), Canada (2 cities) and Mexico (3 cities), 16 host cities in total.

48 teams, up from the 32 used between 1998 and 2022. They were drawn into 12 groups of four.

Each team plays three group matches. The top two from every group plus the eight best third-placed teams advance to a Round of 32. From there it's straight knockout: R32, R16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, third-place playoff and final. 104 matches in total.

Points first, then goal difference, then goals scored. If still tied: head-to-head points → head-to-head goal difference → head-to-head goals → fair-play points → drawing of lots.

The final was played on Sunday 19 July 2026 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, near New York City. Spain beat Argentina 1–0 after extra time to win their second World Cup.

Yes. VAR (Video Assistant Referee) was introduced at the 2018 World Cup and is used to review goals, penalties, direct red cards and cases of mistaken identity.

Each team can make up to five substitutions across three on-field windows, plus a separate concussion substitution if needed. In knockout matches that go to extra time, a sixth substitution is permitted in extra time.

Broadcast rights vary by country. We list the official free-to-air and pay-TV broadcaster in your country on our How to Watch page. Many matches are also shown on streaming services.

Three: Maple the moose (Canada), Zayu the jaguar (Mexico) and Clutch the bald eagle (United States) — one per host nation. They were unveiled in September 2025.

No. The predictions are statistical estimates from a public model (explained on our Model accuracy page), generated for editorial and entertainment purposes. They are not betting advice.

No. Mundialoop is an independent, free, ad-supported site. Data comes from public sources. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.

Sixteen cities across three countries. In the United States: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle. In Canada: Toronto and Vancouver. In Mexico: Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey.

The tournament opened on 11 June 2026 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, where Mexico beat South Africa 2–0. The Azteca became the first stadium to host matches at three different World Cups (1970, 1986 and 2026).

FIFA set a record prize pool of US$655 million for 2026, up from US$440 million in 2022. Champions Spain received US$50 million, runners-up Argentina US$33 million, third-placed England US$29 million and fourth-placed France US$27 million. Quarter-finalists earned US$19 million, round-of-16 teams US$15 million, round-of-32 teams US$11 million and group-stage exits US$9 million, plus US$1.5 million per team for preparation. See our Prize money page for the full table.

The three hosts — the United States, Canada and Mexico — qualified automatically. The remaining 45 places were decided through each confederation's qualifying competition, with the final two spots settled by a six-team intercontinental play-off tournament.

26 players, as in 2022. All 48 teams named a full 26-player squad, which helped them cope with a longer competition that added a round of 32 to the knockout stage.

Group matches can end level, but every knockout tie must produce a winner. If the score is level after 90 minutes, two 15-minute periods of extra time are played; if it is still level, the match is decided by a penalty shoot-out. Teams may use a sixth substitute during extra time.

The 2026 World Cup used VAR (Video Assistant Referee) to review goals, penalties, direct red cards and mistaken identity, goal-line technology to confirm whether the ball had crossed the line, and semi-automated offside technology to help officials make faster, more accurate offside calls.

The top two teams in each of the 12 groups, plus the eight best third-placed teams, advanced to a Round of 32. Each qualifying position was mapped to a predetermined slot in the bracket, which then ran as single elimination through the Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final. Our Bracket page shows the complete 2026 bracket with every result.

Since September 2026 every national-team prediction comes from one statistical model: a goal-based team-strength model combined with an Elo rating that accounts for venue, altitude and travel, blended with market prices when a reliable line exists. During the 2026 World Cup, an Elo and Poisson model simulated the real bracket thousands of times. The percentages are estimates for editorial and entertainment purposes, not betting advice. Our model accuracy page explains the method and how it performs.

Yes. Every page is free to read without an account; you only need a free account to play the Pool. The site is supported by display advertising, which keeps the scores, predictions, guides and tools open to everyone. We sell no tickets, merchandise or data.

The Pool is our free prediction game. You forecast match results, earn points for accuracy, and climb a global leaderboard — or create a private mini-league to play against friends and family. It's free to join with an account, and it's just for fun and bragging rights.

Yes. Match times across the site are shown in your local time zone by default, with a toggle so you can switch how times are displayed. With venues spread across North American time zones, this makes it easy to see exactly when each match starts where you are.