The 2026 FIFA World Cup marks a historic moment for the beautiful game. For the first time, there would be three host countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Also, this World Cup will be the first to feature 48 nations.
The United States will be the major host. According to the FIFA website, 78 out of the 104 matches will be played across 11 venues in the US. This includes all matches from the quarterfinals onward.
With the World Cup next year, expert guide Kate Richardson looks into the USA preparations and gives insights into the new structure of the tournament.
How are the preparations for the championship going?
The 2026 World Cup preparations are progressing steadily across multiple fronts, such as a task force. However, our focus is on symbols, branding, sponsorships, and fan festivals. Here’s what to know.
Symbols
When you try to picture previous World Cup symbols, you think of the ball and themes. A good example is the Jabulani ball from the 2010 World Cup in South Africa alongside Wavin’ Flag and Waka Waka (Official theme songs).
At the moment, the 2026 World Cup ball and themes song have not been announced. We can expect them in the months leading up to the global spectacle.
Branding
The FIFA World Cup 2026 has unveiled its official brand. It features the tournament year and FIFA World Cup trophy. Gianni Infantino and FIFA have also launched the “WE ARE 26” campaign, with the goal of promoting inclusivity and diversity among the host countries.
The tournament has already secured several major sponsorship deals. Below are the details of sponsors according to their tiers.
TIER 1 – Partners
- Aramco
- Coca-Cola
- Qatar Airways
- Adidas
- Kia
- Hyundai
- Visa
- Lenovo
TIER 2 – Sponsors
- Budweiser
- McDonald’s
- Verizon
- Unilever
- Frito-Lay (Lay’s)
- Mengniu Dairy
- Bank of America
TIER 3 – Supporters
- The Home Depot
- Valvoline
- Rock-It-Cargo
Suppliers
FIFA Fan Festivals
While specific details about FIFA’s Fan Festivals are yet to be announced, these events are expected to be organized across host cities.
According to Martin Jacques, “The World Cup is not just a great global sporting event, it is also inscribed with much deeper cultural and political importance.”
At fan festivals, spectators get to experience live match broadcasts and cultural activities. Those who also enjoy gambling on World Cup fixtures can take advantage of MightyTips platform reviews and place bets remotely at trusted sites. You can bet on the outcome of matches or outright wager on the World Cup winner.
Thanks to the expansion from 32 to 48 teams, we are going to experience the largest World Cup in history. The teams will be split into 12 groups of four nations. The top two teams in each group will advance to the Round of 32.
The eight best third-placed countries will join them, making 32 teams. The knockout stages follow the previous format, with the games going into extra time and possibly penalties if there’s a full-time draw.
U.S. World Cup 2026: Venues
As stated earlier, 11 stadiums in the United States will host 78 of the 104 matches. These venues offer rich histories and modern amenities. The table below details the stadiums and important details of the 2026 World Cup Venues.
These will host the FIFA Club World Cup in the summer of 2025. During this period, soccer fans will have a feeling of the World Cup experience.
Teams at 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States
The joint host countries are guaranteed spots. Here’s a list of teams that have qualified based on their confederations;
- Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) — New Zealand
- Asian Football Confederation (AFC) – Japan and Iran
- South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) – Argentina (Defending Champions)
The expanded 48-team format provides more opportunities for nations to participate, with specific allocation across confederations:
- UEFA (Europe): 16 slots
- CAF (Africa): 9 automatic slots plus 1 playoff slot
- AFC (Asia): 8 automatic slots plus 1 playoff slot
- CONMEBOL (South America): 6 automatic slots plus 1 playoff slot
- CONCACAF (North America): 3 additional slots (besides hosts) plus 2 playoff slots
- OFC (Oceania): 1 guaranteed slot
After the confederation qualifiers, there would be an intercontinental playoff for the last two spots. These playoffs are typically held as a round-robin or knockout tournament. A total of 6 nations will battle it out to join the 46 confirmed teams.
Match schedule
The tournament will run for 38 days, from June 11 to July 19, 2026. This makes it the longest World Cup, as previous editions didn’t exceed 30-31 days.
The quarterfinals to the final will be played in the US. FIFA structured it this way to minimize the impact of travel on teams. Also, it will be easier for fans to journey through the U.S., cheering their country to victory.
Conclusion
The World Cup is a dream for players and fans alike.
Leroy Sané expressed this, saying, “It would be a dream to play in the World Cup.”
The US plans to make it one of the greatest dreams to come true, as their preparations demonstrate a world-class tournament commitment.
With great stadiums and a strong partnership in place, we can expect the largest World Cup to be a spectacle, bigger than the Qatar 2022 edition. Mexico and Canada will also ensure the tournament is one that fans don’t forget in the years to come.The article was provided by Kate Richardson
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