It has been confirmed that the 2026 World Cup will see 104 games played, up from the original 80, as 12 groups of four teams in each will be the format.

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Following the FIFA Council meeting ahead of the 73rd FIFA Congress in Kigali, Rwanda, it was agreed that the number of games for the 2026 World Cup would increase and the format would change from the previous format of 16 groups of three teams.

[ MORE: Live USMNT, USWNT games en Espanol en Peacock ]

The top two teams from each group will go through, with the eight best third-place teams also advancing to the Round of 32.

Below is everything you need to know for the 2026 World Cup in North America.

Latest 2026 World Cup news

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How will 2026 World Cup actually work?

Where will the 2026 World Cup take place?

The 2026 World Cup will take place in three North American countries: the United States, Mexico, and Canada. This will be the first time that the tournament is hosted by three different nations and it will be the very first time that the event will be contested in Canada. There will be a total of 16 venues used as host cities for the 2026 World Cup. The U.S. will have 11, Canada will have 2, and Mexico will have 3.

Additionally, the 2026 World Cup will debut an expanded format featuring 48 teams–as opposed to 32–split into 12 groups of 4.

RELATED: 2026 World Cup venues selected: Which cities will host in USA, Canada, Mexico?

2026 World Cup host cities

USA (11)

Atlanta – Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Boston – Gillette Stadium
Dallas – AT&T Stadium
Houston – NRG Stadium
Kansas City – Arrowhead Stadium
Los Angeles – SoFi Stadium
Miami – Hard Rock Stadium
New York/New Jersey – MetLife Stadium
Philadelphia – Lincoln Financial Field
San Francisco – Levi’s Stadium
Seattle – Lumen Field

Canada (2)

Toronto – BMO Field
Vancouver – BC Place

Mexico (3)

Guadalajara – Estadio Akron
Mexico City – Estadio Azteca
Monterrey – Estadio BBVA

When is the 2026 World Cup?

The 2026 World Cup is scheduled to take place from June 8 through July 3.

RELATED: World Cup 2022 results, analysis, highlights

How to watch the 2026 World Cup:

*All times are listed as ET

• When: June 8 through July 3, 2026
• Location: USA, Canada, Mexico
• TV channel in English: Fox
• TV channels en Español: Telemundo, Universo, Peacock

 Follow along with ProSoccerTalk for the latest news, storylines, and updates surrounding the 2026 World Cup!

The 2022 World Cup takes place on Sunday, November 20, and runs through Sunday, December 18 in Qatar featuring 64 matches contested by 32 nations in 8 stadiums over the course of 29 days.

This will be the very first time that a World Cup is being contested in the Middle East but that’s not all that will be new at this year’s tournament.

For the first time in history, the Men’s tournament will have female referees. There will be a total of six: 3 officials and 3 assistants. The officials are Stéphanie Frappart (France), Salima Mukansanga (Rwanda), and Yoshimi Yamashita (Japan). Neuza Back (Brazil), Karen Díaz Medina (Mexico), and Kathryn Nesbitt (USA) are the assistants.

Additionally, this will be the first World Cup where teams will be allowed to make 5 substitutions and have 26-player squads. Previously, teams were only allowed to make 3 substitutions and have 23-player squads. Teams will also have the opportunity to make an additional concussion substitution if needed.

RELATED: World Cup 2022 rankings – Who are the favorites?

What are the overtime and penalty kick rules at the World Cup?

If a game is tied after 90 minutes of play, there will be a five minute break and then the match will go into overtime where an extra 30 minutes of time will be given. The time will be divided into two 15-minute periods.

If the score is still tied after extra time is given, the two teams will go into a penalty kick shootout to determine the winner. If there is still a tie at the end of the shootout, teams will be given additional rounds of one kick each until the tie is broken.

RELATED: World Cup 2022 schedule – groups, calendar, match schedule, brackets, dates

How to watch the 2022 World Cup:

*All times are listed as ET

• When: November 20, 2022 – December 18, 2022
• Group stage game kick-off times: 5 am, 8 am, 11 am, and 2 pm
• Location: Qatar
• TV channel in English: Fox
• TV channels en Español: Telemundo, Universo, Peacock

RELATED: World Cup 2022 Group B: England, USA, Iran, Wales schedule, fixtures, rankings

2022 World Cup U.S. Group Stage Schedule:

• U.S. vs. Wales – Monday, November 21 at 2 PM ET
• U.S. vs. England – Friday, November 25 at 2 PM ET
• U.S. vs Iran – Tuesday, November 29 at 2 PM ET

2022 World Cup Mexico Group Stage Schedule:

• Mexico vs. Poland – Tuesday, November 22 at 11 AM ET
• Mexico vs Argentina – Saturday, November 26 at 2 PM ET
• Mexico  vs Saudi Arabia – Wednesday, November 30 at 2 PM ET

RELATED: World Cup 2022 odds: Favorites, underdogs, group stage winners

Copa Mundial en Español – Peacock

 Follow along with ProSoccerTalk for the latest news, storylines, and updates surrounding the 2022 World Cup!