The 2026 World Cup will feature 48 nations divided into 12 groups for the first time in the tournament's history. Co-hosts Mexico, USA and Canada are the top seeds in Groups A, B and D respectively. Scotland are in Group C with Brazil, Morocco and Haiti, while England are in Group L with Croatia, Ghana and Panama.
The top two sides in each group will qualify for the first-ever round of 32, along with the eight best third-place teams. A total of 104 matches will be played, 40 more than in the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are expected to play on this stage for the last time.
The tournament began at Mexico City's Azteca Stadium, site of Diego Maradona's famous 1986 goals against England and two classic finals. Mexico and Canada will each host 13 games, while the United States will host 78 matches. From the quarter-finals onwards, all matches will be in the US, with the final at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium.
England's new golden generation, defending champions Argentina, France's depth and Spain's young side are among the contenders. The debate over who will lift the trophy is already heating up.
