Las Vegas enters the World Cup

The 2026 World Cup will mark a turning point in football history, featuring 48 teams for the first time and being held jointly in Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

Although the groups have not yet been determined, it has been confirmed that the World Cup draw will take place on December 5, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The venue will be the Sphere, a venue with a capacity of 17,500 people, advanced technology, and a wraparound LED screen.

The draw will determine the 12 groups of four teams that will make up the first round. Once the groups are determined, the official schedule will be announced, including the venues and times for each match in the initial phase.

According to TUDN, the Sphere was chosen as the venue for its modern infrastructure and Las Vegas' ability to host international events, even though it is not part of the tournament's match venues.

Participating teams

By the day of the draw, the CONMEBOL and African Confederation of Nations qualifiers will already be concluded. Several European qualifiers will also be determined, with only the remaining teams remaining through the UEFA playoffs and the international playoff.

Mexico, the United States, and Canada will participate as hosts. In addition, 10 other teams have already secured their spots: Argentina, Brazil, and Ecuador from South America; Japan, South Korea, Australia, Iran, Jordan, and Uzbekistan from Asia; and New Zealand from Oceania.

Jordan and Uzbekistan will be debuting teams at a World Cup.

The World Cup will be held from June 11 to July 19, 2026. The opening match will be played at the Estadio Ciudad de México, formerly known as the Estadio Azteca. The final will be played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New York.

The venues will be divided among the three host countries as follows: Dallas, Kansas City, Houston, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Miami, Boston, and New York in the United States; Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey in Mexico; and Toronto and Vancouver in Canada.

Ticket sales

FIFA also announced that ticket sales for the 2026 World Cup will begin on September 10.

To participate in the first phase of the ticket purchase, fans must register with a FIFA ID and then enter a lottery to determine who will receive the tickets.

There will be several sales phases until the competition is completed.