World Cup 2026: Complete Guide to Groups, Fixtures & Teams

The definitive pre-tournament guide for UK fans. Covers every group, key fixtures, standout teams and what the expanded 48-team format means for following the tournament this summer. No existing WC2026 content on site.

The World Cup 2026 groups are set, the fixtures are out, and the biggest tournament in football is less than two months away. 48 teams. 104 matches. 39 days across three countries. For UK fans, it's a summer that starts with late kick-offs and ends with a nail-biting final on Sunday 19 July. Here is everything you need to know before it begins.

What is the 2026 World Cup format?

The 2026 World Cup format is the biggest shake-up in nearly 30 years. The tournament runs from 11 June to 19 July 2026, hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico. This is the first-ever three-nation World Cup, and the first staged in North America since 1994.

48 teams are split into 12 groups of four. The top two in each group qualify for a brand new round of 32, alongside the eight best third-placed teams. From there, it’s straight knockouts all the way to the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

How many teams are in the 2026 World Cup?

There are 48 teams in the 2026 World Cup, the highest in tournament history. The three hosts qualified automatically, and the final playoff winners were only decided at the end of March.

Plenty of familiar names didn’t make the cut this year. Italy missed out on a third consecutive tournament after losing a playoff final to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties, becoming the first former champion to miss three World Cups in a row. Wales, Cameroon, Denmark, Serbia and Poland are all at home this summer after failing to qualify. 

Although a few countries are missing out, the expansion has opened the door for four nations that have never qualified for the World Cup. Curaçao, Cape Verde, Jordan and Uzbekistan will all make their tournament debuts this summer. June can’t come soon enough. 

World Cup 2026 groups explained

Here are the 12 groups in full.

For the 2026 World Cup, FIFA has put the top four-ranked teams into opposite sides of the bracket. Spain, Argentina, France, and England can meet only in the semi-finals or the final, and only if they win their groups. That said, England's path through Group L opens up nicely if they can top it, so fingers crossed.

Key fixtures to watch across the World Cup 2026 schedule

The first must-watch game is the opener, with Mexico facing South Africa at Estadio Azteca on 11 June. From there, a handful of early group games stand out. 

Brazil vs Morocco on 13 June is our best pick of the early matches. Morocco reached the semi-finals in 2022, and Brazil hasn’t won a World Cup trophy in over 20 years, so both teams have something to prove. France vs Norway is the other one to circle on your calendars. It's Erling Haaland's first World Cup, and he runs straight into Kylian Mbappé on 26 June. 

Scotland is at the World Cup for the first time since 1998. They open against Haiti before facing Brazil in a group game that the Tartan Army has been waiting decades for. England are next up on 17 June against Croatia in Dallas. The last time the two sides went up against each other was in the 2018 semi-final that Croatia won in extra time, so it’s England’s chance to get some much-needed payback. 

Which UK time slots will the matches air?

UK fans should expect matches to air at times ranging from late afternoon to the early hours, including Mexico, the Pacific time zones, and the US East Coast. 

Across the World Cup fixtures, early games tend to start around 5pm UK time. Mid-afternoon ET games land around 8pm UK. The late slots, often at 10pm ET, will be shown around 3am in the UK.

England vs Croatia on 17 June is a 9pm UK kick-off, which is sofa-friendly viewing for a midweek evening. The final on 19 July should start at around 8pm UK time too. Anyone following Argentina, the US or the West Coast fixtures should be ready for some late nights.

How to build your Match Bingo World Cup card

Every goal, corner and red card during the tournament fills another square on your card. Match Bingo runs live on World Cup matches and on classic replays in between. Whether it’s Scotland's return, England's run or the chaos of a format nobody has seen before, there’s never been a better summer to play.

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