World Cup
Football's global championship; the 2026 edition is the first 48-team format, hosted across USA, Mexico, and Canada.
Last refreshed: 1 April 2026
Will FIFA resolve the Iran fixture dispute and the EU ticket complaint before the opening match?
Latest on World Cup
- How many teams are at the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
- 48 teams, up from 32 in previous editions. The format was approved in 2017 and first applied in 2026.
- Where is the 2026 World Cup being held?
- Across 16 cities in three countries: the United States, Mexico, and Canada. It is the first World Cup co-hosted by three nations.
- Why did the FIFA 2026 ticket website crash?
- FIFA's fourth and final sales window on 1 April crashed on launch. Fans were routed into wrong queues with waits over 90 minutes.Source: WFAA Dallas
- What is the Amnesty International report on the 2026 World Cup?
- Amnesty's 'Humanity Must Win' report on 31 March 2026 upgraded tournament risk to medium-to-high and found only 4 of 16 host cities have human rights plans.Source: Amnesty International
- Which country has won the most World Cups?
- Brazil, with five titles (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002).
- Will Iran play at the 2026 World Cup in the USA?
- Unresolved as of 1 April 2026. Iran's Sports Ministry called for full withdrawal; the FFIRI favours boycotting only US venues. A FIFA Congress on 30 April in Vancouver may force a decision.
- Which nations are making their World Cup debut in 2026?
- Four nations: Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan. Curaçao, with a population of roughly 160,000, is the smallest nation ever to qualify.Source: FIFA
Background
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first edition to feature **48 teams instead of 32, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada across 16 cities and 104 matches**. The expanded field delivered four debut nations on 31 March 2026: Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan.
The same afternoon, Italy confirmed their third consecutive absence, and Iraq qualified through fully closed airspace with FIFA's logistical help. On 1 April, FIFA's final ticket sales window crashed on launch, with fans routed into wrong queues and waiting over 90 minutes.
The World Cup was founded in 1930 in Uruguay, where the hosts won the inaugural tournament. It expanded from 16 to 24 teams in 1982, then to 32 in 1998. The 48-team format was approved by FIFA Congress in 2017, with the stated aim of broadening global access. Brazil remains the only five-time champion. The 2026 edition is the first hosted across three countries and the first to use a new group-stage format of 12 groups of four.
The 2026 tournament faces simultaneous legal and reputational pressure. Football Supporters Europe and Euroconsumers filed a formal EU Article 102 competition complaint against FIFA's ticketing practices on 24 March. Amnesty International upgraded tournament risk to medium-to-high, noting only 4 of 16 host cities have published human rights plans, and that Dallas, Houston, and Miami have signed ICE collaboration agreements with local law enforcement.
Iran's participation in US-hosted group fixtures also remains unresolved ahead of the 30 April FIFA Congress in Vancouver.
