The 2026 FIFA World Cup is weeks away, and if you still don't have tickets, you're almost certainly not getting them. But you can still watch every single game — here's how, and here's what makes this tournament unlike any before it.
This is the 23rd edition of the men's World Cup, and it's breaking the mold twice over. For the first time, three nations — the United States, Canada, and Mexico — are co-hosting. And for the first time, the field has expanded from 32 to 48 teams, pushing the match total to 104 across the full tournament. That's not a scheduling quirk. It fundamentally reshapes who gets to compete and how long the tournament runs.
Dates, venues, and the teams opening the show
The tournament runs from June 11 to July 19 — five and a half weeks of football across 16 stadiums. The opener lands at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, where Mexico face South Africa. The same day, Republic of Korea take on the Czech Republic in Guadalajara. The final is scheduled for MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.
US host venues include AT&T Stadium (Dallas), Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta), Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City), NRG Stadium (Houston), Levi's Stadium (San Francisco Bay Area), SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles), Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia), Lumen Field (Seattle), Gillette Stadium (Boston area), and Hard Rock Stadium (Miami). Mexico contributes Estadio Azteca, Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, and Estadio Akron in Guadalajara. Canada hosts at BC Place in Vancouver and BMO Field in Toronto.
How to watch — and why ticket prices got political
In the US, Fox holds English-language broadcast rights. Most games air on Fox or FS1, with all 104 matches available via FOX One, the network's streaming platform. Tubi gets two games: the opener in Mexico City and the US side's first match in LA. Spanish-language viewers are covered by Telemundo and Peacock. Canadian rights sit with Bell Media.
If you're outside North America, check your local rights holders — arrangements vary significantly by territory.
On the ticket front: the officially recommended route is FIFA's own ticketing platform, which also offers hospitality packages through official partners. The FBI has flagged fraudulent sites impersonating official vendors, so anything off the beaten path carries real risk.
Pricing itself has become a controversy. FIFA introduced demand-based pricing for the first time at a men's World Cup — think airline-style fluctuations depending on match, venue, and demand. The backlash was sharp enough that officials in New York, New Jersey, and California launched investigations. The expanded 48-team format means more games to sell, but not necessarily more affordable ones.
- US English TV: Fox, FS1, FOX One (streaming — all 104 matches), Tubi (two games)
- US Spanish TV: Telemundo, Peacock
- US Spanish radio: Fútbol de Primera
- Canada: Bell Media
- Tickets: FIFA's official ticketing platform only — third-party purchases carry fraud risk
The 48-team format means more exposure for smaller nations and more group-stage football to sit through before things get interesting. Whether that's a feature or a flaw depends on your patience. Either way, the World Cup starts June 11 — and 104 matches later, someone lifts the trophy at MetLife on July 19.
