Canada
First World Cup appearance at home soil. Vancouver (BC Place, 54,500) and Toronto (BMO Field, 45,000) host Group Stage and Round of 16 matches.
June 11 — July 19, 2026
FIFA World Cup 2026
The largest World Cup in history. 48 teams. 104 matches. Three nations — Canada, USA and Mexico. Vancouver and Toronto host matches for the first time ever.
48
Nations
104
Matches
16
Stadiums
3
Host Nations
Host Nations
Three Nations, One Trophy
For the first time in history, the World Cup is co-hosted by three countries across two continents.
United States
11 host cities including the final venue — MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey (capacity 82,500). Previous host in 1994 with a record 3.6M attendance.
Mexico
Third time hosting the World Cup (1970, 1986, 2026) — a unique record. Azteca Stadium in Mexico City is the only stadium to host two World Cup Finals (1970 and 1986).
Group Stage
12 Groups, 48 Nations
The expanded format gives 16 more nations a chance at World Cup glory. Each group winner and runner-up advance automatically.
AGroup A
USA+600
Saudi Arabia+900
Australia+1200
South Korea+1400
BGroup B
Brazil+400
Uruguay+700
Colombia+900
Canada+1800CGroup C
Germany+550
Netherlands+700
Belgium+900
Sweden+1100DGroup D
France+450
Portugal+650
Morocco+1000
Senegal+1400EGroup E
Argentina+500
Mexico+2200
Ecuador+1800
Japan+1200FGroup F
Spain+550
Italy+700
Croatia+1000
Algeria+1600GGroup G
England+600
Nigeria+1500
Poland+1300
Denmark+800HGroup H
Portugal+600
Cameroon+2000
Tunisia+1800
Switzerland+900IGroup I
Netherlands+550
Ghana+1600
Serbia+1400
Austria+1100JGroup J
Brazil+400
Chile+1400
Peru+1600
Ivory Coast+1800
KGroup K
Germany+500
Scotland+1400
Turkey+1100
Kazakhstan+3000LGroup L
France+450
Burkina Faso+2500
Greece+1600
New Zealand+2200
Betting Odds
World Cup 2026 Title Favourites
Averaged odds from top Canadian sportsbooks — DraftKings, BetMGM, FanDuel. Updated March 2026.
Win probability chart
🇨🇦 Host Nation
Canada at the World Cup 2026
Canada qualified for just one World Cup before 2022 — in 1986, where they lost all three matches and did not score a goal. In 2022, they returned after 36 years, finishing 3rd in CONCACAF qualifying. As a host nation in 2026, they receive automatic qualification and will play at BC Place in Vancouver in front of a home crowd for the first time in 40 years.
Key players to watch: Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich), Jonathan David (Lille, top scorer in Ligue 1), and goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau (LA Galaxy). The squad average age is 24.8 — one of the youngest in the tournament.
Canada Full Guide →2
World Cup appearances (1986, 2022)
2
Host cities (Vancouver, Toronto)
13
Matches in Canada
99.5k
Combined stadium capacity
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 13 | Canada vs TBD | BC Place, Vancouver |
| Jun 18 | Canada vs TBD | BC Place, Vancouver |
| Jun 23 | Canada vs TBD | BMO Field, Toronto |
Venues
16 Stadiums Across 3 Nations
From BC Place in Vancouver to the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City — the largest collection of World Cup venues ever assembled.
Key Dates
World Cup 2026 Schedule Overview
Jun 11
Opening Match
Mexico City, Azteca Stadium. Tournament kicks off with the traditional host-nation opener.
Jun 13
Canada's First Match
BC Place, Vancouver. Canada play their opening Group Stage match at home for the first time since 1987 (Confederations).
Jun 23–Jul 3
Round of 32
Top 2 from each group + 8 best 3rd-place teams. 32 teams advance from the group stage.
Jul 4–9
Round of 16
16 teams remain. Matches spread across all three nations.
Jul 11–12
Quarter-Finals
8 teams. USA stadiums host all quarter-final matches.
Jul 14–15
Semi-Finals
AT&T Stadium (Dallas) and Rose Bowl (Los Angeles) host the final four.
Jul 18
Third-Place Match
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami.
Jul 19
🏆 FINAL
MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey. Capacity: 82,500.
History & Records
Past World Cup Champions
| Nation | Titles | Last Win | Host Years | 2026 Odds | Group 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil |
🏆 5 | 2002 | 1950 | +400 | B |
| Germany |
🏆 4 | 2014 | 1974, 2006 | +550 | C |
| Italy |
🏆 4 | 2006 | 1934, 1990 | +700 | F |
| Argentina |
🏆 3 | 2022 | 1978 | +500 | E |
| France |
🏆 2 | 2018 | 1998 | +450 | D |
| Spain |
🏆 1 | 2010 | — | +550 | F |
| England |
🏆 1 | 1966 | 1966 | +600 | G |
| USA |
🏆 0 | — | 1994, 2026 | +600 | A |
| Canada |
0 | — | 2026 | +1800 | B |
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the 2026 FIFA World Cup start?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup opens on June 11, 2026 in Mexico City. The tournament runs until July 19, 2026, when the Final takes place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey (82,500 capacity). Total duration: 39 days.
Which Canadian cities host World Cup 2026 matches?
Two Canadian cities host matches: Vancouver (BC Place, 54,500 seats) and Toronto (BMO Field, 45,000 seats). Vancouver hosts the Canada group matches plus Round of 16 games. Toronto hosts additional group stage fixtures. Together they stage 13 matches.
How many teams play in the 2026 World Cup?
48 teams compete in 2026, up from 32 in previous tournaments. They are split into 12 groups of 4 teams. The top 2 from each group advance automatically (24 teams), plus the 8 best third-place finishers — giving 32 teams in the Round of 32.
How can I watch the 2026 World Cup in Canada?
Canadian broadcast rights are primarily held by TSN and CTV (English) and RDS and TVA Sports (French). All matches will be available with a Canadian cable or streaming subscription. Free over-the-air coverage is expected on CTV for selected matches, as in 2022.
Does Canada have a realistic chance of winning?
Canada's current odds are around +1800 — roughly a 3% implied probability. Reaching the Round of 16 is a realistic goal. The squad has genuine quality: Alphonso Davies plays for Bayern Munich, Jonathan David finished top scorer in Ligue 1 in 2024/25. Home crowd advantage at BC Place is real, as seen in other host nation runs (France 1998, South Korea 2002, Germany 2006). Winning the tournament would be the biggest upset in its 96-year history.
Who are the favourites to win the 2026 World Cup?
Brazil (+400) leads the markets, followed by France (+450) and Argentina (+500). Germany, Spain and England cluster around +550–+600. USA, as a co-host with strong CONCACAF form, sits at +600. Portugal, with Rúben Neves and Bernardo Silva as the new generation post-Ronaldo, is at +650.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup: what makes it different
The 2026 FIFA World Cup breaks from every previous edition in three ways. First, it is the first tournament with 48 teams instead of 32, adding 16 nations and 40 extra matches. Second, three nations co-host across 16 cities — the most geographically spread tournament ever staged. Third, it returns to North America exactly 32 years after the famously well-attended 1994 edition, which drew 3.6 million spectators across 52 matches.
Canada as a host nation
Canada last appeared in a World Cup in 1986, where they played three Group Stage matches, lost all three, and scored zero goals. The 2022 Qatar World Cup changed the narrative: Canada qualified for the first time in 36 years, took a lead against Belgium in their opening match (lost 1-0), beat Morocco on points before elimination, and showed a generation of players built in Europe's top leagues. In 2026, automatic qualification as a host nation removes the pressure of qualifying; the goal is reaching the Round of 16 in front of a home crowd. Full Canada World Cup guide →
The format change: what 48 teams means
The expanded format was approved by FIFA in 2016 and first implemented in 2026. Each confederation gets more spots: CONMEBOL keeps its traditional 6, UEFA goes from 13 to 16, CAF (Africa) moves from 5 to 9, AFC (Asia) from 5 to 8. The practical effect is that nations like Canada, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia and Morocco — who qualified for 2022 — now face a wider field in 2026. The group stage plays out as before; the change starts at the Round of 32, which replaces the traditional Round of 16 as the first knockout round.
📊 All 12 Groups & Odds
⚽ 48 National Teams
🏜 16 Stadiums Guide
📅 Full Match Schedule
🇨🇦 Canada Host Guide
⭐ Betting Odds & Tips
Which stadiums should Canadian fans target?
For Canadians travelling to matches, BC Place in Vancouver is the most accessible. It hosted the 2015 Women's World Cup Final and is familiar to MLS fans as home of the Vancouver Whitecaps. BMO Field in Toronto was expanded to 45,000 for this tournament and hosts the Canada group matches viewable from downtown Toronto hotels. For those crossing into the USA, Seattle's Lumen Field, San Francisco's Levi's Stadium and Seattle's facilities are closest to the BC border. MetLife Stadium in New Jersey hosts the Final — flights from Vancouver to Newark run direct with Air Canada. See all 16 stadiums →