100 World Cup 2026 questions answered: What to know about soccer, USMNT, tickets and more

The Athletic has live coverage of the latest news for the 2026 World Cup. 

After years of planning, the World Cup is very nearly upon us.

This summer’s tournament in North America will almost certainly be the most-viewed sports event ever, watched by millions (or more likely billions) of fans across the world.

But it also offers a huge opportunity to attract a whole new audience, particularly across the United States, where soccer has long been on the rise but still does not dominate the sporting landscape as it does in so many other countries.

This will be a World Cup watched by diehards and those who have never engaged with the sport before. With that in mind, we have compiled this article as a guide to everything you could possibly want to know about the tournament, from the most basic questions for those who have never watched the sport to far more intricate details about how teams play, the politics of this tournament, the ticketing situation and much more.

If you are a keen fan, you might want to skip the first section entirely — you can use the tabs along the bottom to jump to the part(s) that most interest you. The sections in this article are:

• Beginners’ World Cup questions
• The on-field action
• Off-field organization
• Tickets and cost
• Politics
• Media, entertainment and prize money
• The U.S. men’s national team

This article has been written by 24 of our journalists, based in North America and Europe, and we hope it will help guide you through what to expect this summer.

The Athletic has launched a World Cup WhatsApp Channel. Click here to join.

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Beginners’ World Cup questions

What is the World Cup? 

The most beloved soccer tournament out there, pitting the best men’s national teams from across the globe against each other for a month(ish) every four years.

Jack Lang

How many teams are there? 

Welcome to the expanded 48-team World Cup, up from 32 nations since the last expansion in 1998.

Critics of soccer’s world governing body, FIFA, have described it as a way to earn more money and power, but Gianni Infantino, its president, told the World Economic Forum in January, “We had to open it to the world. And it’s the minimum we could do — to open (it) to more African countries, more Asian countries, because we want football to be strong everywhere.”

Eduardo Tansley

When does it start and how long does it take? 

It all kicks off at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on June 11, when Mexico, one of the three hosts, faces South Africa.

From then on, we can settle in for a summer of soccer, culminating in the final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, home of  NFL franchises the New York Giants and New York Jets. That’s 39 days and 104 games from start to finish, although there will be some rest days.

Eduardo Tansley

How big is the World Cup? 

It is huge, by whichever metric you measure it.

When Argentina beat France on penalties in the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar, FIFA said it had a total global reach of 1.42 billion viewers.

Its data for the most recent men’s World Cup in Qatar also claimed there were five billion views globally for a match at some point during the tournament, with each semifinal drawing a worldwide audience of more than 300 million.

The men’s World Cup’s closest rival for global viewership is the Summer Olympic Games.

The 2024 Paris Olympics was watched by a global audience of around five billion, according to the International Olympic Committee.

The Super Bowl is undoubtedly the main sporting event in the United States, but its scale pales in comparison to the World Cup. Soccer is a truly global sport, whereas the NFL’s audience is primarily from the U.S.

Last year’s Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, according to data collector Nielsen, was the most-watched TV event in America’s history to that point, averaging 127.7 million viewers and peaking with an audience of just under 138 million during the second quarter.

In its current budget cycle (2023-26), FIFA expects to generate record revenues of $13billion (£11.4bn), and this summer’s World Cup will undeniably be the single biggest influence on that number.

Daniel Sheldon

Why is the World Cup only every four years? 

The World Cup came into being after the success of the Olympic football tournaments of the 1920s. FIFA opted to follow the same schedule with its own competition and the tradition continues to this day. There are solid practical reasons — it leaves time for continental competitions and the long qualifying process — but the scarcity factor is also important. The World Cup is special in part because players and fans know they will have to wait a long time for the next one.

Jack Lang

Should I be calling it ‘soccer’ or ‘football’?

To the vast majority of people around the globe, it’s football. In the U.S. and Canada, it’s soccer. And you know what? That’s fine! People can have different names for things.

Jack Lang

How long does a game last — and what else do I need to know about how it works? 

A game lasts 90 minutes — two halves of 45, with a 15-minute half-time break. At the end of each half, the referee usually — although not always — tacks on some ‘additional time’ to make up for stoppages in play. Goals, video-assistant replay calls, injuries… the more of these there are, the longer the game will go. At the last World Cup, in 2022, it was common for the clock to run past 100 minutes. We have returned to more sensible waters: expect between three and eight extra minutes at the end of the 90.

Draws are possible in the group stage. When it comes to the knockout phases, though, games that are level at the final whistle go to extra time — two additional periods of 15 minutes each. If the scores are still level after that, the match is decided by a penalty shootout — best of five, with alternating sudden-death shots as the very last tiebreaker.

Jack Lang

What are the key soccer terms I need to know? 

How long have you got? Let’s keep this relatively simple for now. Positions on the pitch are split into four categories — goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders and forwards. They are organized into a variety of 11-player formations, the most common being 4-3-3, 4-4-2 and 3-4-3.

Goalkeepers aren’t counted in the formation number. Anyone who scores a goal is the goalscorer, while anyone who sets them up provides an assist.

Then you’ve got your referee, who officiates the game on the pitch, assistant referees who run the lines (mostly checking for offside, which is when an attacker is deemed to be beyond the second-last player of the opposition team when the ball is played) and the VAR (video assistant referee) checking incidents from various television angles.

Tim Spiers

Are Manchester United and Barcelona playing at the World Cup?

No! (And if you ask a snobby soccer fan that question, they might roll their eyes or laugh you out of the room.)

The World Cup is a competition for national teams, whereas Manchester United and Barcelona are professional clubs — soccer equivalents of the Dallas Cowboys or Los Angeles Lakers. Just as Luka Doncic plays for the Lakers and for Slovenia internationally, Kylian Mbappe plays for Spanish club Real Madrid most of the year and for his country, France, at the World Cup.

Henry Bushnell

How many players are there on a roster? 

A roster, or squad, was made up of a minimum of 23 players and a maximum of 26 players at the Qatar 2022 World Cup and should be the same again.

Some players on the roster might not get a game, but squad depth can become crucial, especially with injuries and knockout games that go to extra time.

Eduardo Tansley

I’ve heard of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Are they still good? 

From the 2007-08 to 2022-23 seasons, Messi and Ronaldo were almost unequivocally the best and most famous footballers in the world. During those 16 years, they won 13 Ballons d’Or (the award for the best player that year) between them, with Messi winning eight and Ronaldo five.

They’re both still exceptional footballers, but aged 38 and 41, they’re no longer the unbeatable forces they once were, hence why they moved from elite European clubs to play in the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. They remain, probably more by reputation and status in Ronaldo’s case, central to their national team’s hopes at the World Cup.

Tim Spiers

Is the U.S. going to win it? 

I hate to be the bearer of bad news here, but it’s unlikely. That said, the outlook is much more positive than it was a few months ago.

Jack Lang

Are Americans excited about the World Cup?

Some are. There’s been unprecedented demand for tickets. There are tens of millions of soccer fans in the U.S., including immigrants and the children of immigrants who can’t wait to watch their homeland play a World Cup in the country they now call home.

Many Americans, though, won’t plug in until the week of the tournament, if at all. There’s a lot going on in the U.S.; lots of everyday concerns; lots of entertainment options. World Cup fever hasn’t exactly gripped the nation — yet.

Henry Bushnell

Why aren’t some of the world’s biggest nations taking part? 

Eight of the world’s 10 biggest nations by population will not feature in this expanded 48-team tournament.

The absentees include Russia — who hosted the 2018 edition but have been banned from the sport since the country’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 — along with India and China, the world’s two most populous nations.

The most notable absence from this tournament is arguably Nigeria, Africa’s biggest country by population. They have been at six previous World Cups but failed to qualify this time.

Colin Millar

Does this World Cup include women’s teams? 

No. Women and men compete separately. The next Women’s World Cup takes place in Brazil in 2027.

Jack Lang

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The on-field action

What do the groups look like? 

The draw for the World Cup took place in December at Washington, D.C.’s Kennedy Center. It featured the Village People, a peace prize for President Donald Trump and, somewhere amid the “carnival of cringe“, some football administration broke out.

The result was 12 groups of four teams (with a few gaps to be filled — more on that in a second).

John Stanton

Wait, we don’t know the full schedule yet?

Not yet. We know 42 of the 48 teams that will compete — the remaining six will be confirmed by the end of March.

There are two sets of play-offs still to happen. The first will determine the four remaining European teams that will make it to the tournament (Italy are involved in these).

The other is FIFA’s intercontinental play-off, which will take place in Mexico. Six teams are involved, with two places up for grabs. Could one of them be… New Caledonia?

John Stanton

Which groups are the strongest and weakest? 

Assuming Iraq win their play-off, Group I looks to contain the strongest nations statistically — with France, Senegal and Norway also battling it out for a place in the knockouts. Group F is not far behind, with the Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia and (potentially) Ukraine being a closely contested fight that is high on quality.

This is calculated using FIFA’s world rankings as a measure of a nation’s strength. By this logic, Group E has the lowest average rating. It contains four-time world champions Germany, but Curacao, Ivory Coast and Ecuador are at the weaker end of the scale.

The same goes for Group G, with Belgium edging Egypt as the favourites but the group is lacking the highest quality — propped up by New Zealand and Iran.

Mark Carey

How does the group stage work?

With 48 teams competing, they’re split into 12 groups of four. Each team plays its three group opponents, and the top two finishers progress automatically. Then the eight best third-placed teams also progress to the new round of 32.

Over just three games, points will be tight and after points, tiebreakers will be goal difference, then goals scored, and if that’s not enough, things could even be decided by “team conduct scores”, measuring yellow and red cards. The last-resort tiebreaker is world rankings.

Eduardo Tansley

Who are the favourites right now?

Many people see Spain as the frontrunners. They were crowned European champions in 2024 and have maintained the momentum over the 18 months since, playing a technical, measured brand of football that suits the rhythms of a big tournament. Plus, in Barcelona’s 18-year-old winger Lamine Yamal, they have a player who can settle big matches single-handedly.

Few teams can match the firepower and squad depth of France, World Cup winners in 2018 and runners-up four years later. Their campaign will have a valedictory tone to it — coach Didier Deschamps, in place since 2012, will stand down when it is complete — but they will fully expect to go deep once again.

Holders Argentina will likely be strong again but there are asterisks: a questionable defence, a star player in Lionel Messi who will turn 39 during the tournament. The same is true of World Cup perennials Brazil, who lack elite full-backs and are still adapting to life under Italian Carlo Ancelotti after a series of false starts.

England might be more realistic contenders. Perfect in qualifying and now led by a proven winner in German coach Thomas Tuchel, they won’t be anyone’s idea of a pushover.

Jack Lang

Are any of the teams World Cup first-timers?

At least four countries will be making their World Cup debuts — Cape Verde, Curacao, Uzbekistan and Jordan. But there might be more: the last week of March sees a clutch of play-offs, from which Albania, Kosovo, New Caledonia and Suriname could all qualify for the first time too.

Nick Miller

Who are the best players at this World Cup?

Not many people would disagree with France’s Kylian Mbappe being the most talented player at the tournament, with Lamine Yamal (Spain), Erling Haaland (Norway) and Vinicius Junior (Brazil) not far behind. This was our recent attempt at ranking the top 100 players at the tournament.

Tim Spiers

Are any of the world’s best players missing out? 

The African qualifying stage threw up some major surprises, none more so than Cameroon and Nigeria crashing out. That means Bryan Mbeumo and Victor Osimhen, two of the continent’s best players, will not be in North America this summer.

After finishing second in their qualifying group, Italy must progress through two play-off rounds in March to book their place at the World Cup, so Gianluigi Donnarumma — voted the world’s best goalkeeper at the Ballon d’Or awards — could miss out for the third time running. High-profile strikers Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak, representing Sweden, are also in the play-offs, but Isak is recovering from ankle and leg surgery, with no public timeline on his return.

Jude Bellingham is sidelined with a hamstring injury and is a doubt for England’s March friendlies, but he should have time to prove his fitness before Thomas Tuchel selects his World Cup squad. And to increase the USMNT’s chances of success, Mauricio Pochettino will hope standout performer Antonee Robinson, who missed a large chunk of the league season at Fulham with a knee injury, can reach full fitness before the tournament.

Elias Burke

Which young players could be breakout stars?

From Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal (Spain) to Chelsea’s Estevao (Brazil), many of the world’s most talented teenagers are already well-established at prestigious European clubs.

Others will be desperate to make an impression on the biggest stage this summer. Yan Diomande is a lightning-quick winger with a thumping shot who can step up for the Ivory Coast, while Nico Paz is creative and full of confidence, with the magic feet to lighten the load on Lionel Messi as Argentina look to defend their crown. Keep an eye out for 17-year-old Gilberto Mora too, who has already taken Mexican football by storm.

Thom Harris

How can I find out more about all of the teams? 

Why did the USMNT not need to qualify? What is Mexico’s World Cup pedigree? How does each team play? Who is their MVP?

Whatever you want to know about the nations that have made it, we have you covered in our World Cup team guides.

John Stanton

When will the rosters be announced? 

Teams are usually required to submit their rosters, also called squad lists, around two weeks before the opening match. But this is simply an administrative point for FIFA, and nations can and will announce them beforehand. Depending on when their domestic campaigns end, we should see squads revealed in May.

Eduardo Tansley

Which are the must-watch group games? 

Brazil versus Morocco in New Jersey (June 13) immediately jumped off the page when the draw was announced. Let’s hope Brazil rediscovers its samba-inspired football. Or will Morocco’s fluid and modern attacking tactics humble the five-time world champions?

But the most anticipated group-stage match is Colombia versus Portugal in Miami, a major U.S. hub for Colombian expats. Expect a sea of yellow at Hard Rock Stadium in a game that could decide Group K on June 27.

Other notable games include:

• France vs Senegal — June 16
• Norway vs France — June 26
• Uruguay vs Spain — June 26

Felipe Cardenas

Who are some fun teams to root for if I don’t have an allegiance? 

One of the first-timers would be a good choice, but it would be quite an achievement if any of them got further than the first round, so brace yourself for a brief stint of support. Scotland’s fans will be among the most enthusiastic if you want to join them, or maybe Senegal or Morocco. If you want a non-obvious team full of exciting attackers, and can wait until the final European play-offs, then Turkey might be a good bet… even if they haven’t quite qualified yet.

Nick Miller

How many points will get a team out of the group?

Four points are likely to be enough to advance to the knockout stage (even if as one of the eight-best third-placed teams) and three could well be enough too. Two points will be cutting it fine but won’t necessarily mean elimination and it is possible a team could go through with just one point. This is because if the group winners are victorious in all three of their games, second place wins two of their matches and the other two teams draw in their showdown, the third-placed side would finish with one point. If this scenario occurred in more than four groups, at least one team would advance with one point.

Will Jeanes

Why did the World Cup expand?

A cynic would say that more teams means more money for FIFA, the game’s governing body. But FIFA would say that it’s because it saw how much joy it generates in the participating nations and… nah, it’s about money. By jumping from 32 to 48 teams, they added 40 more games to flog to the world. In its defence, FIFA will say it is a non-profit and it shares the World Cup loot with its members. However, this explains why nobody in football ever tells FIFA “enough now”.

Matt Slater

What impact will expansion to 48 teams have on the tournament?

Well, this is the first time for all of us, so we don’t really know. Some think it will dilute the quality of the tournament and worry about the need to let eight third-placed teams advance to the knockout rounds to make the bracket work. But others seem happy with the prospect of all those extra games and another week of World Cup fever.

Matt Slater

Have the changes to the format been popular? 

The short answer is “see above”. The slightly longer answer is that nobody is shocked when sports events get bigger — they can’t help it. The proof of the pudding will be in the eating. If there are swathes of empty seats in the group stages or TV audiences get bored in the middle weeks, FIFA will notice. The concern is that it will decide the tournament is not big enough and push on to 64.

Matt Slater

What records can Messi break?

Lionel Messi has already played the most games in the World Cup’s history with 26, and could become the tournament’s outright all-time highest scorer if he nets four times this summer (he trails former Germany striker Miroslav Klose by three). The Argentinian could also become the first captain to win the World Cup twice following victory in Qatar in 2022, and if he finds the net in all three of Argentina’s group games, he will break the record for scoring in the most consecutive matches at the competition — he is on four in a row, with the record of six jointly held by France’s Just Fontaine (all in 1958) and Brazil’s Jairzinho (all in 1970).

Will Jeanes

Is this going to be anyone’s final hurrah?

Considerable improvements in sports science mean we are having to redefine what ‘retirement age’ is in football, so this isn’t a straightforward question to answer, but Cristiano Ronaldo (41), Lionel Messi (39 in June), Croatia’s Luka Modric (40) and Belgium’s injury-prone midfielder Kevin De Bruyne (34) are certainly in the autumn of their careers.

Mohamed Salah of Egypt will be 34 when the tournament comes around, while Colombia’s James Rodriguez will be 35 when it ends. One person definitely saying goodbye is France manager Didier Deschamps, who won the tournament in 2018 and is leaving the job this summer.

Tim Spiers

Which of the co-hosts is most likely to make a run?

The consensus is that World Cups are better events when the hosts perform well. South Korea’s excellent run to the last four in 2002 imbued that tournament with joy and life. The excitement of Russian fans, buoyed by their side’s unexpected progress to the quarterfinals, was a feature of the 2018 World Cup.

Having three hosts, on paper, increases the chances of a similar success story.

Mexico may struggle to go deep. Theirs is an ageing side and fan sentiment is not hugely positive. El Tri has a habit of being eliminated in the first knockout round; it would be a surprise if Mexico made it much further than that this year.

Canada, not a traditional powerhouse, has been growing in confidence. Coach Jesse Marsch has a settled side and results — barring a disappointing Gold Cup exit at the hands of Guatemala — have been positive. Its chances, though, may be contingent on which European nation lands in the same group. Italy would present a stiff challenge.

That leaves the USMNT. While unlikely to win the thing, recent form has been encouraging — and should have fans dreaming of a run in the knockout stages.

Jack Lang

How have host nations performed historically — and how much of an advantage is it?

A game of two halves. Divide the 22 World Cups into two, and while five of the first 11 were won by the hosts (Uruguay 1930, Italy 1934, England 1966, Germany 1974, Argentina 1978), it’s only happened in one of the second 11 (France 1998). This shift owes to various factors: better preparation from travelling teams, less questionable officiating, tournaments with more teams, and the simple fact the World Cup is more regularly hosted by nations who are not footballing superpowers, with Qatar in 2022 the most extreme example.

Michael Cox

How have defending champions performed historically?

Only two countries have won back-to-back World Cups: Italy in 1934 and 1938, then Brazil in 1958 and 1962. Notably, recent winners have a truly terrible record in the following edition. 1998 winners France, 2006 winners Italy, 2010 winners Spain and 2014 winners Germany were all knocked out in the group stage the next time out. 2002 winners Brazil reached the quarterfinals in 2006, and 2018 winners France only lost the final on penalties in Qatar four years ago. But history suggests Argentina have a tough task retaining their crown.

Michael Cox

What happened in previous World Cups in Mexico and the U.S.?

In Mexico, both Pele in 1970 and Diego Maradona in 1986 lifted World Cup trophies at the famed Estadio Azteca. The 2026 final will not be played at the Azteca, but Mexico will make history as the only country to host games at three World Cup tournaments.

USA 94 was FIFA’s first attempt to award hosting duties to a country where football was not the nation’s most popular sport. The tournament featured many memorable moments, like Bulgaria’s run to the semifinals, the fateful own goal by Colombia’s Andres Escobar and Roberto Baggio’s missed penalty kick that sealed Italy’s defeat by Brazil in the final.

Felipe Cardenas

How much has soccer grown in the U.S. since the 1994 World Cup?

A ton.

Its popularity is tough to quantify because it’s fragmented. Fandom spreads across a wide variety of teams and competitions — from the English Premier League to Spanish giants, from Mexican teams to MLS, and so on. In the American sports hierarchy, therefore, no single soccer league can compare to Major League Baseball or even the National Hockey League. But when you blend all soccer together, by many estimates, it’s now the country’s third-most popular sport (behind American football and basketball).

That, of course, was not the case in 1994, when there was no professional league and hardly any soccer on TV. Now, you can watch almost any league, anywhere. MLS, in its 31st season, has 30 teams. Most have their own soccer-specific stadiums and world-class facilities. The NWSL, America’s third attempt at a women’s professional league, is also stable and growing. The sport is more visible and mainstream than ever before.

Henry Bushnell

How will this World Cup impact soccer in America?

It will certainly provide a boost, economically and intangibly. It will spur grassroots funding and inspire kids to take up the sport. But will it reshape the landscape? Will it be “transformational,” as people at MLS and U.S. Soccer like to say?

Probably not quite — unless the U.S. team captures the entire country’s imagination and makes an unprecedented run.

Henry Bushnell

Will all these teams be playing warm-up games before the tournament?

All teams should play warm-up games to help build momentum for the tournament. The last two international windows before the World Cup come in March and June. FIFA allows preparation matches up to five days before a team’s opening game, but they can’t be held in World Cup venues or against World Cup group opposition.

Hosts Canada will have a send-off in Montreal as they play the Republic of Ireland on June 5, while the USMNT’s final preparation match is against Germany on June 6 in Chicago.

Mexico is yet to reveal its June window games, but will play Iceland, Portugal and Belgium in March.

England will face New Zealand on June 6 and Costa Rica on June 10 during a preparation camp in South Florida.

Eduardo Tansley

Where do the referees come from and how are they chosen?

Officials for the tournament come from all over the world. For the 2022 tournament, 36 referees were among the 129 officials chosen from 29 different nations.

Numbers for this year’s tournament are yet to be confirmed, but with 16 more teams and 40 more matches, an increase in referees is likely too.

Those appointed for the tournament are selected based on their quality and performances delivered at FIFA tournaments, as well as other domestic and international competitions.

Colin Millar

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Off-field organization

Where are the matches being played?

In 16 cities, split across the three host countries.

Eleven are in the U.S.: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle.

Three are in Mexico: Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey.

And two are in Canada: Toronto and Vancouver.

John Stanton

Why are there three host nations? 

Given this World Cup will be the first to feature a 48-team format, that was a key factor nations had to account for when launching their bids as far back as 2017.

By banding together, the U.S., Canada and Mexico guaranteed themselves and FIFA the infrastructure necessary to host such a massive affair. It also meant a first men’s World Cup for Canada and a historic third edition for Mexico. Each host nation won, in its own way.

By 2018, this “United” bid topped Morocco in a vote among FIFA’s member associations.

Melanie Anzidei

Is heat going to be an issue?

It might be, but only for teams who get a little unlucky with the venues that the draw has handed them.

In Arlington, Kansas City, Houston, Atlanta, Miami and Monterrey, temperatures in June and July can reach highs of 90F and above (more than 30C).

But in other venues, the climate is likely to be much more comfortable, and more akin to European summers, while other stadiums such as the ones in Los Angeles and Vancouver have roofs, some fixed and some retractable, meaning that outside conditions are not necessarily a factor.

Steve Madeley

Is altitude going to affect the players?

In a word, yes. Guadalajara and especially Mexico City are both far enough above sea level to impact athletic performance and recovery. Sprinting will be more difficult. So will maintaining intensity for 90 minutes.

“As a coach or as a conditioning specialist, I would definitely try to do something about it, to try and acclimatise the players,” altitude specialist Francois Billaut told The Athletic last year. “Otherwise, I can guarantee you there will be consequences.”

Jack Lang

Is anything being done to offset the carbon footprint? 

FIFA has a specific sustainability strategy for the World Cup but there is no mention of offsetting the emissions it generates. However, offsetting is controversial and there is no firm evidence it is effective in reducing emissions overall.

Its strategy centres on actions that it hopes will lessen the impact of the tournament, but FIFA does say it wants to “develop and implement a programme to support and contribute to climate action projects”, and “raise awareness of environmental topics”.

Matt Woosnam

How were the host cities decided?

The host nations included a list of 23 ‘candidate host cities’ when presenting their World Cup bid to FIFA. This was whittled down from a larger list of 45 cities that originally applied to become hosts.

Over several years, these cities were visited by their respective soccer federations as well as FIFA, who weighed, first, which cities to choose, and later which cities would host which matches. How could we forget the race between Dallas and New York City to host the final?

Melanie Anzidei

How much are teams going to be traveling?

A lot! (Breaking news: North America is big!)

Most won’t be traveling cross-country. FIFA designed the World Cup schedule to keep many teams confined to one region (Western, Central or Eastern). But still, the continent is massive. Everyone will be traveling hundreds of miles in the group stage. England, for example, will have pre-tournament friendlies in Florida, then head to a base camp in Kansas City, and play its group games in Texas, Massachusetts and New Jersey. Assuming it returns to the base camp between games, including the initial flight from London to Florida, players could log nearly 10,000 miles on airplanes before the knockout rounds.

Or, in other words, a bit more than they did in 2022, when the World Cup was played entirely in and around one Qatari city, Doha.

Henry Bushnell

Where are all the teams staying and training?

For several years leading up to the tournament, FIFA has been negotiating to secure access to leading training venues across the three countries. It then created a brochure, linking five-star hotels with pristine training bases, and nations had a chance to select their favorites. Where more than one nation selected the same base, preference was accorded based on whichever team had more games in proximity to the base and, if still a tie, it then went via world ranking.

That was the case in Kansas City, where World Cup holders Argentina secured their top choice of Sporting Kansas City facilities, but the geographical location of KC (an easy flight to most destinations) and a charm offensive from stakeholders has led to England, the Netherlands and Algeria following suit. Teams are scattered all over North America: the USMNT will be at Great Park, Irvine in California, while Brazil are one of four teams around New York and New Jersey, and some teams, such as four-time world champions Germany, will even be stationed outside of any World Cup host cities, as they have chosen North Carolina’s facilities in Winston-Salem.

We’re tracking all the base-camp choices here.

Adam Crafton

Were any stadiums built specifically for the World Cup? 

Nope. Some, such as Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, were renovated. Toronto’s BMO Field underwent a major expansion, adding 17,756 seats. But all 11 U.S. venues are NFL stadiums that host American football and other events annually. All 16 stadiums would exist with or without the World Cup.

Henry Bushnell

A World Cup at NFL stadiums? Will they play on artificial turf? 

Eight of the 16 stadiums — seven in the U.S., plus BC Place in Canada — have artificial turf. But all, including the four with roofs, will install “hybrid” natural grass fields for the World Cup. Here’s how.

Henry Bushnell

Will the pitches be OK, unlike at previous tournaments in the U.S.? 

FIFA is confident they will be. It spent millions of dollars developing a plan. Stadiums have spent millions on irrigation and ventilation systems that will allow them to build and maintain grass pitches, which will look and feel like the very best permanent pitches in Europe — or so they say.

In the past, for friendlies or at tournaments such as the 2024 Copa America, problems would arise when strips of grass were laid over artificial turf or directly on an NFL stadium’s floor, sometimes within a week of the game. But in 2026, the plan is much more extensive.

Henry Bushnell

How many foreign fans will travel to the three host countries?

Millions.

Or at least that’s what organizers expect. People love the World Cup. Some save up for years to attend it. Even if they can’t get tickets, they’ll want to come.

With respect to the U.S. specifically, however, there is understandable skepticism that millions of people will A) want to travel to a country whose government has been hostile to immigrants and foreigners, B) be able to afford the trip, and C) be able to get a visa.

That latter point is a prickly one. For fans from countries who don’t qualify for America’s Visa Waiver Program, it’s not easy to get a B1/B2 visitor visa, which is necessary to enter the country. The U.S. Department of State denies millions of applicants annually. The State Department has set up a “FIFA pass” system to get ticket holders an expedited interview, but government officials have explicitly clarified that an expedited interview does not increase your chances of acceptance.

Henry Bushnell

Will the U.S. be a transportation nightmare for fans? 

Quite possibly!

Many U.S. cities are allergic to public transportation and dependent on cars. Some stadiums are inconveniently located. And some of their parking lots will be blocked off for hospitality, fan activations or security purposes throughout the World Cup.

Cities with downtown stadiums and strong public transit, such as Seattle, should be OK. But others — Miami, Los Angeles, etc. — could be chaos.

Henry Bushnell

Will security be an issue, like it was at the 2024 Copa America?

Security remains one of the biggest issues heading into the tournament and has been a focus of conversations for several years, whether it’s with regard to federal funding for security, who will be involved in keeping fans “safe,” or discussions over whether organizers are prepared for the expected influx of fans in North America.

Copa America is organized by CONMEBOL (the governing body of South American soccer), rather than FIFA. Those around FIFA in 2024 stressed that distinction, pointing to the large security perimeters typical at World Cups. This, they say, goes a long way to preventing those Copa America scenes from repeating. Let’s hope so.

Melanie Anzidei

How much money will FIFA make from the World Cup?

A lot. FIFA’s finances run on four-year cycles, with the World Cup very much its tentpole. Football’s governing body loses money in three years out of four and then, in World Cup years, makes it all back and more.

The Qatar World Cup was the main driver behind FIFA’s record $5.8billion revenue in 2022, and this summer is expected to make the organization even more. FIFA has budgeted for $8.9bn revenue this year, most of it from the upcoming tournament.

Sales of TV broadcast rights should raise $3.9bn, but it is FIFA’s second-highest 2026 earner that has attracted the most interest to date. Hospitality rights and ticket sales are expected to garner $3bn this year.

Chris Weatherspoon

Will the host cities make a bunch of money too?

Nope! Many are just trying to break even. (And some are frustrated.)

FIFA takes almost all of the aforementioned revenue. It argues that cities benefit indirectly from the tourists who come for the World Cup and spend at local establishments. (Some economists, though, dispute FIFA’s logic and math.)

Henry Bushnell

Which cities have the best games?

Some cities were immediate winners – or losers – following December’s World Cup draw. New York and Los Angeles drew some of the biggest nations, making them promising places to travel to for fans interested in catching multiple teams in one fixed location.

MetLife Stadium will host one of the biggest group-stage matches (Ecuador-Germany on June 25), and LA will host the USMNT’s opening match against Panama on June 12. Further south, Miami secured some of the biggest Latin American nations (Brazil, Uruguay and Colombia), and will feature Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal against Colombia on June 27.

Melanie Anzidei

Why are there so few games in Mexico and Canada? 

Way back in 2017, when the three co-hosts were devising their bid, they agreed that the U.S. would host 75 per cent of the matches — including all quarterfinals, both semifinals and the final — and Canada and Mexico would split the rest.

Why would Canada and Mexico agree to that deal? Well, because the U.S. had leverage. It was perfectly capable of bidding for and hosting the tournament itself, alone, if it wished.

Henry Bushnell

Why don’t Washington, D.C., and Chicago — the U.S. capital and its third-biggest city — have games? 

Chicago essentially said no thanks. It heard FIFA’s “demands,” saw lots of taxpayer risk, and didn’t want to bear the financial burden.

D.C., on the other hand, was perfectly happy to host… but didn’t have a suitable stadium. (The longer version of that answer is here.)

Henry Bushnell

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Tickets and cost

Can I still buy tickets and how much do they cost? 

Yes — but you might have to settle for a less appealing game, or pay a small fortune.

FIFA’s three lotteries have come and gone. Your last chance to buy tickets straight from the source is a “last-minute sales phase” that begins in April. All remaining tickets will be available on a “first-come, first-served basis,” FIFA says. What we don’t know is how many tickets remain, or whether any remain for the World Cup’s most attractive games.

None of those matches — the latter stages, or group fixtures involving Mexico, Argentina, England or other sought-after teams — were available when FIFA launched a surprise sales window in late February. FIFA won’t say why, or whether those games will be available in the spring.

If your game of choice is sold out, your only hope is resale sites — either FIFA’s, which is closed until April, or unaffiliated sites like SeatGeek and StubHub.

As for prices, they were this much in October. They then rose in November and again in December. Now, they’re at the mercy of supply and demand, plus resale fees. On the secondary market, a single ticket will cost you hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of dollars.

Henry Bushnell

Why have ticket prices been so controversial? 

Because they’re far more expensive than tickets to any previous World Cup or any other soccer tournament, ever.

To longtime supporters, therefore, they’re “extortionate” and a “betrayal” of loyalty. FIFA’s counterargument is that, even at the “despicable” prices, there’s still overwhelming demand.

The deeper answer, then, is that FIFA applied American practices to a global event. In the U.S., sports are entertainment that must be bought and consumed; teams, or bodies such as FIFA, are seen as businesses with a right to sell their product. Whereas elsewhere around the world, sports are viewed through a very different lens.

Henry Bushnell

How do the prices compare to other sports tickets in the U.S.? 

They’re similar to NFL ticket prices. And this has been part of FIFA’s justification all along. “The pricing model adopted for FIFA World Cup 26 reflects the existing market practice for major entertainment and sporting events within our hosts on a daily basis,” a FIFA spokesman told The Athletic in a December statement.

How they compare to soccer ticket prices worldwide, though, is a different story.

Henry Bushnell

Have match tickets found their way into the hands of ‘real fans’? 

Some have. FIFA allocates 16 per cent of tickets for each match to the two participating teams, and they funnel most of these tickets to their loyal supporters.

Plenty of the other 84 per cent, however, are likely in the hands of rich Americans with no sustained interest in soccer.

The exact breakdown, of course, is impossible to gauge. But there are understandable fears that FIFA’s prices and process will affect in-stadium atmospheres.

Henry Bushnell

Will all the games be sold out? 

Organizers believe they will be.

Outsiders are skeptical that 60,000 people would really pay hundreds of dollars to see Cape Verde vs. Saudi Arabia, or Austria vs. Jordan. And the sudden availability of tickets to those matches, plus dozens of others, last week suggests FIFA president Infantino’s claim that “every match is already sold out” is false.

But still, the point stands: most stadiums should be full.

Henry Bushnell

Is parking going to cost a ton of money, too?

Yes. Everything will.

Parking costs $99 at minimum, and $300 at maximum, after FIFA hiked prices on its official site. But that’s only a small fraction of this World Cup’s broader price tag.

For fans, the cost will extend to lodging (hotel prices and Airbnb prices are huge), airfare, food and more. America, in general, is very expensive. In the U.S., there are relatively few laws to prevent price-gouging around mega events. The 2026 World Cup, therefore, will be the “most expensive World Cup ever, by far, in every sense,” as Rafael Baqueiro, a Mexico supporter in Toronto who heads a multi-national World Cup fan group, told The Athletic.

Henry Bushnell

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Politics

What is President Donald Trump’s role in all of this? 

It was during President Trump’s first term that the joint North American bid beat competition from Morocco to secure hosting rights for this World Cup and he likes to remind everyone of this fact pretty often in set-piece speeches and claim credit for getting the bid over the line. The truth behind that is rather more complicated.

Since his return to power, Trump has convened a White House Task Force to assist with logistics and security planning for the World Cup, while he has also pushed $625m in federal security funding through Congress to help host cities with the costs of the tournament.

Beyond that, the role of Trump has largely been to drive a huge amount of fascination or exasperation towards FIFA, depending on one’s politics.

His extraordinarily cosy relationship with FIFA president Infantino has seen FIFA open an office in Trump Tower in New York City and Trump received a newly concocted Peace Prize at the World Cup draw, where Infantino also arranged for Trump’s favorite singer — Andrea Bocelli — to perform, and for the Village People to close the ceremony with the adopted Trump anthem of Y.M.C.A.

Oh, and FIFA also scrapped extensive negotiations with venues in Las Vegas because Trump suggested the event should be at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., a venue he and his allies have taken over during his second term. Expect more of this as the tournament approaches.

Adam Crafton

Who is Infantino and what should we expect from him during the World Cup? 

Infantino is a 55-year-old Swiss-Italian sports administrator who became the most powerful figure in world football when he was elected to the FIFA presidency in February 2016.

Infantino’s supporters laud him as a progressive, modern leader who has brought reform to FIFA, which was engulfed in a series of corruption crises before he succeeded Sepp Blatter as president. He has also become a regular and visible presence at global summits, but critics warn that FIFA could be politically compromised by Infantino’s close relationships with various world leaders, not least President Trump.

Oliver Kay

Why are Infantino and Trump so close?

Trump has described Infantino as a “great friend” — and those who speak on the FIFA president’s behalf say that, for the good of the game, it is extremely important for him to have good relationships with world leaders — and particularly with leaders of nations who are hosting big tournaments.

But Infantino’s critics accuse him of being too close to Trump — just as he was previously accused of being too close to Russian president Vladimir Putin around the 2018 World Cup and to the Emir of Qatar around the 2022 tournament. Human rights campaign group FairSquare has written to FIFA’s ethics committee to accuse Infantino of breaking the organization’s own impartiality rules by publicly endorsing the U.S. president and awarding him the newly created “FIFA Peace Prize” at the World Cup draw in December.

Oliver Kay

What are relations like between the three host countries?

Where do we begin?

Since returning to the White House, Trump has sought to impose tariffs on neighboring Canada and Mexico, as well as making references to possibly annexing Canada. His barbs against former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, referring to him as a “governor” (implying Canada to be subservient to the U.S.) did not go down well.

Also controversial was his insistence that the Gulf of Mexico be renamed as the Gulf of America.

At NBA and NHL games in February 2025, as well as the 4 Nations Face-Off, the U.S. national anthem was booed by Canadian fans.

Canadian prime minister Mark Carney has worn standing up to Trump as a badge of honor, most notably at Davos recently, before later telling his own parliament that “there is almost nothing normal in the U.S. now and that’s the truth.”

In a news conference in the Oval Office in November, Trump also said he would be prepared to launch “strikes” in 2026 World Cup co-hosts Mexico due to concerns about drug trafficking.

Infantino’s closeness with Trump has also raised eyebrows in both football and diplomatic circles in Canada and Mexico, with the FIFA president spending far more time with the U.S. president than either Carney or Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum. The three leaders were briefly brought together during the World Cup draw, but Infantino’s decision to give Trump the Peace Prize ensured the U.S. president claimed the headlines.

Adam Crafton

Will any players, coaches or officials have trouble getting U.S. visas? 

FIFA, government officials and experts are confident that anyone actually participating in the World Cup, in some official capacity, will be fine.

The biggest unknown is how those assurances will apply to people from Iran, Haiti, Senegal and the Ivory Coast — the four participating countries subject to Trump’s so-called travel ban.

The ban carves out an exemption for “any athlete or member of an athletic team, including the coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup,” but the exemption isn’t all-encompassing or ironclad. A few Iranian delegates, for example, were denied visas for December’s World Cup draw. (When asked why, Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House’s World Cup task force, said that “every visa decision is a national security decision.”)

Now, in light of the U.S. military attack that killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and others, there are heightened questions surrounding Iranian participation.

Henry Bushnell

What is the situation with Iran, given the U.S. military action there?

Since the American and Israeli assault began on February 28, questions have swirled around Iran’s World Cup participation. Will they boycott? Would the U.S. government even let them come?

Just about everyone, from FIFA officials to experts on Iranian politics, says the answers are not yet known and depend on a variety of factors that remain unsettled.

Iranian football federation president Mehdi Taj reportedly told local media that, “after this attack, we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope,” but he acknowledged that the country’s “sports chiefs” would ultimately decide. And there’s no firm timeline for that decision.

A World Cup host bombing a World Cup participant a few months before the tournament is an unprecedented situation. No qualified team has withdrawn from a men’s World Cup since 1950. If Iran did, FIFA would have broad discretion to pick a replacement team or adjust the competition accordingly.

Henry Bushnell

Is Trump still threatening to move games out of Democrat cities?

No. And frankly, it was never a realistic threat.

Heck, it wasn’t even Trump’s idea — until a reporter raised the possibility and pushed it toward the president in September. Suddenly, it became a story… but Trump didn’t have the authority to move games. Nobody at FIFA or local host committees took it seriously. The threat, therefore, faded and hasn’t resurfaced in 2026.

Henry Bushnell

How will the U.S. team interact with Trump?

That’s a big unknown. The team’s Argentine coach, Mauricio Pochettino, met Trump at December’s World Cup draw, and seems to be a fan. Its star, Christian Pulisic, did the “Trump dance” to celebrate a goal soon after Trump’s November 2024 election. But other players are less fond and have criticized Trump in the past.

In general, over the past few years, the team and U.S. Soccer as a whole have shied away from politics and sensitive subjects as much as possible. Pulisic tried to reason that his dance was “not a political dance, it was just for fun.” Players, though, might be forced into tricky, awkward situations around the World Cup — if Trump seeks to associate himself with the team, which he hasn’t yet done.

Henry Bushnell

Will ICE impact the World Cup?

According to Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement), it will form a “key part” of the security operations around the World Cup. Lyons confirmed this while testifying before a panel at the House of Representatives following the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by U.S. federal agents in Minneapolis in January. Lyons said ICE’s role would focus on homeland security investigations, which often assist at major sports events, but much of the public scrutiny of ICE has been about the division dedicated to enforcement and removal. Lyons was not prepared to commit to pausing ICE operations when asked if he would do so by Nellie Pou, a Democrat who represents New Jersey’s 9th district.

Pou said: “You realize that if they feel they are going to be wrongfully incarcerated, or wrongfully pulled out, that is going to hurt this entire process? I hope you realize that.”

FIFA is already aware of the sensitivities. The Athletic revealed last year that FIFA received 145 reports relating to human rights concerns at the Club World Cup in the U.S., and the highest number related to fans expressing concerns about U.S. government policies or their enforcement. These complaints included alleged sightings of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials and ICE officials at stadiums during the tournament.

In a statement to The Athletic, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson said that despite the reports made to FIFA, neither ICE nor CBP conducted enforcement, describing it as “another case of fear-mongering.”

Adam Crafton

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Media, entertainment and prize money

What can we expect from the opening ceremony?

Nostalgia. The opening ceremony will be hosted at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on June 11. The country will soon be able to say it hosted more World Cups than any nation (1970, 1986, 2026), with Estadio Azteca each time setting the stage for the opening match. It will become the first stadium to host three opening games.

Not much has been said yet about the entertainment line-up, but Mexico City is sure to make the most of this historic moment. The stadium, after all, has been undergoing major renovations to prepare for the World Cup.

Melanie Anzidei

What’s this about a half-time show during the final?

The World Cup will have its inaugural half-time show, taking inspiration from the NFL. It’s an unusual concept for international football, with Copa America’s halftime show in 2024 drawing mixed reviews.

Last year, Coldplay’s Chris Martin curated a 15-minute set featuring J Balvin and others at the Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium. The stage was set in upper-level seating, to both limit time between halves and protect the pitch. It was seen as a test run for 2026.

While the broadcast was far more entertaining than the in-person experience, that may be the perfect balance for FIFA.

Melanie Anzidei

How can I watch the World Cup in the U.S.?

On television, the U.S. audience can watch games on Fox, as well as Telemundo and Universo for Spanish-language broadcasts.

Games will also be available on the streaming services Fubo, Peacock, Sling TV and YouTube TV.

Eduardo Tansley

How can I watch the World Cup in the UK?

The tournament will be free-to-air across the BBC and ITV. According to The Guardian, ITV have secured a studio in Brooklyn with views of the Manhattan skyline for its coverage and has lined up pundits Gary Neville, Roy Keane and Ian Wright.

The BBC broadcast will be from Salford, in the United Kingdom, until at least the quarterfinals.

Eduardo Tansley

I heard something about watching the World Cup on TikTok. What’s that about?

This is true, partially.

FIFA announced in January that it was partnering with the video-based social media platform for the World Cup to add “relatable perspectives” and behind-the-scenes action.

Part of this is allowing chosen creators to livestream parts of games, though how much that actually is and who will be able to share it is not known yet.

What we do know, however, is that World Cup content on TikTok will be prevalent as FIFA tries to harness the app’s reach through “curated clips” and “special content”, also giving the partnered creators access to training sessions and press conferences.

Jessica Hopkins

What ball are they going to be using?

Adidas unveiled the 2026 World Cup ball at a swanky event in Brooklyn last year. The ‘Trionda,’ which stands for three (tri) waves (onda), is the most technologically advanced ball Adidas has made, building on the connected ball technology first used for its ‘Al Rihla’ ball at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The technology is designed to send precise ball data to the video assistant referee (VAR) system in real time.

Melanie Anzidei

Will there be big public watch parties/fan zones?

Yes — but, we advise you to keep an eye on any given city’s plans, as they could change overnight.

Take New York/New Jersey. On February 19, the region’s massive, 39-day FIFA Fan Fest at Liberty State Park was unceremoniously scrapped for smaller celebrations throughout New Jersey, in addition to already-planned fests across New York City.

Each city’s plans are different, of course. Boston’s will be at City Hall Plaza. Kansas City’s fan fest will be hosted in the grounds of the city’s National WWI Museum and Memorial. Philadelphia will host theirs at Lemon Hill. The list goes on.

Melanie Anzidei

Is America going to turn the World Cup into a 250th birthday party?

Let’s call it a birthday party 250 years in the making. The U.S. has certainly leveraged the timing of the World Cup, even referencing its 250th birthday when making its initial pitch to FIFA as a host nation. There will be celebrations across the country — dubbed the “America 250” initiative, with its own task force. While every city is likely to take part in the festivities, especially around July 4, places such as Philadelphia, where the Constitution was signed, have been vocal about leaning in more heavily than others.

Melanie Anzidei

Is there an official song of the tournament?

If you guessed Darude’s “Sandstorm,” I’m sure you’re in good company. We couldn’t escape it at FIFA’s Club World Cup last summer.

However, the tournament’s official song is “Desire.” You may remember Robbie Williams and Laura Pausini performing the song at the Club World Cup final — how could we forget that giant, golden, inflatable trophy? More recently, Williams and Nicole Scherzinger performed it at the World Cup draw in Washington, D.C.

Time will tell if “Desire” will ever become as iconic as “Sandstorm” – or if another new song will catch on as the unofficial sound of the tournament.

Melanie Anzidei

Is there a mascot?

Not just one: three, representing each of the host countries. Meet Maple the Moose (Canada), Zayu the Jaguar (Mexico), and Clutch the Bald Eagle (U.S.). In their typically understated way, FIFA declared they are “a celebration as bold and boundary-breaking as the tournament itself”, which seems a bit much for three cartoon characters, but there you go.

Nick Miller

What is the trophy like?

The current World Cup trophy was designed by an Italian called Silvio Gazzaniga and was first awarded to West Germany in 1974. It is made from 18 karat gold (although not all solid gold, it has a hollow centre), weighs 6.142kg and is 36cm tall. It depicts two men raising their arms to the sky, both in celebration of victory but also holding up a globe. In theory, only those who have won it and a very specific list of dignitaries are allowed to touch it… which is why people were so annoyed when Salt Bae got his hands on it four years ago.

Nick Miller

Who will present the trophy to the winners?

To be confirmed. But we can look back through the Infantino years for clues.

At the 2018 tournament in Russia, the Russian president Vladimir Putin, as well as the French president Emmanuel Macron and Croatian president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, were all on a podium for the formalities, recognizing their positions as leaders of the host country and of the two competing nations in the final.

Infantino alone handed the prize to France captain Hugo Lloris.

At the 2022 tournament in Qatar, a World Cup that was often described as a vanity project for the Qatari state had a symbolic closing, as Infantino and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim jointly handed the World Cup to Argentina captain Lionel Messi. Infantino also clapped along as the Qataris dressed Messi in a black bisht, a cloak popular in the Arab world, ensuring that both Qatar and Messi had their photo finish.

At the Club World Cup final last summer, played at MetLife Stadium (which will also host this year’s World Cup final), President Trump awarded individual prizes to players including Chelsea’s Robert Sanchez and an entertainingly non-plussed Cole Palmer, before posing for photos with the match officials and handing out the winners’ and losers’ medals to Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain. Trump then jointly handed the trophy to Chelsea captain Reece James (possibly only jointly because the prize was so physically heavy) and then stayed in the thick of the celebrations.

Trump is expected to have a role once again at the World Cup final — it remains to be seen whether FIFA also involve the Mexican president and Canadian prime minister in the awarding of the World Cup at what is, after all, a joint tournament between three countries.

Adam Crafton

How much money do teams get for winning? 

In December, FIFA released its record-breaking financial package for the World Cup, with a 50 per cent increase on the amount competing nations will share compared to the last tournament in Qatar.

In total, $655m in prize money will be distributed between the 48 nations this summer.

The winners will receive a $50m payout, while the runners-up will get $33m.

There is plenty at stake financially in the third and fourth-place play-off too, with the winning federation pocketing $29m and $27m going to the fourth-placed side.

The nations that finish between fifth and eighth will each get $19m prize money, while $15m will go to those who finish between ninth and 16th place.

Countries that finish the tournament ranked between 17th and 32nd will each receive $11m, while the 16 teams between 33rd and 48th place will each get $9m.

Every team will also receive $1.5m to cover their preparation costs. It means each participating member association is guaranteed at least $10.5m for qualifying.

Greg O’Keeffe

Is FIFA really introducing mid-half commercial breaks (disguised as ‘hydration breaks’)?

Well, according to FIFA, they’re for “player welfare.” But yes, for the first time, every World Cup game will pause for three minutes midway through each half, regardless of the weather. And yes, broadcasters will be allowed to cut away to commercials, according to multiple sources (including one at FIFA).

Henry Bushnell

Who sponsors the World Cup?

FIFA has different tiers of sponsors. Its tier-one partners, whose branding will be visible at every FIFA event and tournament, includes Aramco, Adidas, Coca-Cola, Hyundai/Kia, Visa, Qatar Airways and Lenovo.

However, it has a tier of sponsors that are specific to the 2026 World Cup, with global companies such as Anheuser-Busch (Michelob Ultra/Budweiser), Bank of America, Frito-Lay, Hisense, McDonald’s, Mengniu Dairy, Unilever and Verizon all doing deals for this summer’s tournament.

It then has a ‘supporters’ tier, which includes Airbnb, DoorDash, Marriott Bonvoy, and, among other brands, The Home Depot.

Daniel Sheldon

What sort of celebrities will be involved in the World Cup? 

Remember Lionel Messi’s early MLS appearances in Miami and Los Angeles that attracted droves of celebs in 2023? We expect that same energy and much more this summer.

You may have caught, for example, Telemundo’s World Cup push with Owen Wilson and Sofia Vergara during Super Bowl commercials (the broadcaster is the U.S. Spanish-language rights holder). Two years ago, celebs Kevin Hart and Kim Kardashian were part of the broadcasts that unveiled where matches would be played in 2026. That’s just a very small sampling.

Celebs will certainly be all over the World Cup, especially while it remains en vogue.

Melanie Anzidei

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USMNT

How is the U.S. shaping up?

It looked rough for a while, but the U.S. actually started to find form in the fall friendlies under Mauricio Pochettino, going unbeaten in five straight games, all against World Cup competition, and seem to have a clear identity, strong competition in the squad and a bit of belief.

Paul Tenorio

Is this the best/most talented USMNT ever?

There’s a lot of debate around this question. This team has players who have done more earlier in their careers than any other U.S. national team, but this cycle has been about transitioning potential into production. Are they there yet? That’s a definite no. Is this team better than the 2002 World Cup team, for example? It needs to advance deeper in the tournament to prove it. On talent alone? It’s a stronger middle of the roster, but it’s a toss-up at the top and bottom end of the team.

Paul Tenorio

Who will the star players be for the U.S.?

It always starts with Christian Pulisic for the Americans. The Milan winger has proven throughout his career to be at his best on the biggest stages, and there will be no bigger platform in his career than a home World Cup. Getting Pulisic as involved as possible is priority No. 1 for the U.S. Outside of their most talented player, however, keep an eye on forward Folarin Balogun and outside backs Antonee Robinson and Sergino Dest. When those three are at their best, they are game-changers.

Paul Tenorio

Who’s the coach, and do fans like him? Is he doing a good job?

The U.S. swung for the fences when they hired Mauricio Pochettino, the former Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea manager. It took a while for the former Argentina international to influence this group, but he has them humming now. That seems to have convinced a fanbase that believes this is a “golden generation” of American soccer players that needed a proven coach to maximize their potential. Ultimately, though, winning friendlies in the fall won’t matter. Pochettino will be judged on the World Cup alone.

Paul Tenorio

Where is the U.S. playing its matches?

The U.S. opens against Paraguay in Los Angeles, then heads up to Seattle to play Australia before returning to Los Angeles to close out the group. If it wins the group, it will head up to the Bay Area for its first knockout game. If it finishes second, the Americans will head to Dallas. Third place likely means a trip to the Midwest or East Coast.

Paul Tenorio

What are realistic expectations for the U.S.?

There is no doubt the U.S. got a favorable draw for this tournament. While there isn’t much separating the quality of the U.S., Paraguay and Australia — and whichever team emerges from the European play-off — the Americans avoided the most dangerous outcomes in the other pots. That means progressing from the group stage is a bare minimum for this tournament. It’s fair to expect this team to win the group, or finish second, and win the first knockout game. After that, it’s all about how the chips fall. Getting past the round of 16 would be an unequivocal success.

Paul Tenorio

I haven’t paid attention since the parent-coach ‘blackmail’ saga. How did that turn out?

The U.S. team has moved on past that drama on multiple levels. First, the former coach Gregg Berhalter was fired after the Americans failed to get out of the group stage in the 2024 Copa América. Gio Reyna, meanwhile, has been unable to stay healthy and has to fight his way into the 2026 squad. Interestingly, Berhalter’s son, Sebastian Berhalter, may end up making this 2026 World Cup team.

Paul Tenorio

Does the U.S. play any games before the World Cup starts?

Yes, the U.S. plays friendlies against Belgium and Portugal in March in Atlanta, then has games against Senegal and Germany on May 31 in Charlotte and June 6 in Chicago.

Paul Tenorio