The 2026 World Cup is the biggest in the tournament’s history, with 48 nations spread across 12 groups ahead of a knockout stage that will run all the way to the final on 19 July. The expanded format means more matches, more nations, and a group stage unlike anything the competition has produced before.

​The 2026 World Cup is the biggest in the tournament’s history, with 48 nations spread across 12 groups ahead of a knockout stage that will run all the way to the final on 19 July. The expanded format means more matches, more nations, and a group stage unlike anything the competition has produced before.