World Cup 2026 Frequently Asked Questions

The tournament opens on June 11, 2026 in Mexico City at the Estadio Azteca. The Final is on July 19, 2026 at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ (82,500 capacity). Total duration: 39 days.

48 national teams — up from 32 in 2022. They are split into 12 groups of 4. Top 2 from each group advance automatically (24 teams), plus the 8 best third-place finishers, giving 32 teams in the Round of 32.

Vancouver (BC Place, 54,500) and Toronto (BMO Field, 45,736) are the two Canadian host cities. Together they host 13 matches including Canada's three group stage games. BC Place hosts Canada vs Brazil (Jun 13) and Canada vs Colombia (Jun 18). BMO Field hosts Canada vs Morocco (Jun 23).

Broadcast rights are held by TSN / CTV (English) and RDS / TVA Sports (French). CTV will air Canada matches and the Final free over the air. TSN Direct streaming costs $19.99/month. International matches can also be followed via FIFA+ (free, some markets restricted).

Yes. Sports betting was legalized across Canada via Bill C-218 (August 2021). Ontario operates the most open market with private licensed operators. Licensed Canadian sportsbooks include DraftKings, BetMGM, FanDuel, bet365 and PointsBet. Must be 19+ in most provinces (18+ in Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec).

Brazil leads at +400, followed by France (+450) and Argentina (+500, defending champions). Germany, Spain and England cluster at +550. USA as co-hosts sit at +600. Canada is +1800. See our full odds page for all 48 teams.

Brazil are overwhelming favourites to top Group B. Canada's realistic path: draw with Colombia, beat Morocco, and take a point against Brazil. The 8 best third-place records also advance — so even finishing third in Group B could be enough. Canada probability of advancing: approximately 28% per simulation models March 2026.

Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich) is Canada's most recognizable player — world-class left back. Jonathan David (Lille) is the main striker and finished as Ligue 1 top scorer in 2024/25. Tajon Buchanan (Inter Milan) provides pace on the wing. Full Canada guide →

The Final takes place on July 19, 2026 at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey (serving New York City). Capacity: 82,500 — making it the largest World Cup Final venue since the Azteca in 1986. The third-place match is on July 18 at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami.

Canada hosts 13 matches total: group stage matches across BC Place (Vancouver) and BMO Field (Toronto), plus Round of 32 fixtures. This does not include Canada's own matches which count as home games.

FIFA has not confirmed the final prize pool for 2026 but has indicated it will exceed the $440 million USD distributed in 2022. The 2022 winner (Argentina) received $42 million. With 104 matches vs 64 in 2022 and a larger revenue base, 2026 prize money is expected to exceed $500 million total.

Yes — significantly. 2022 had 32 teams in 8 groups; 2026 has 48 teams in 12 groups. The knockout structure adds a new round: Round of 32 (32 teams) before the Round of 16. This means the tournament has 104 matches (vs 64) and runs 39 days (vs 29). Each team plays a minimum of 3 group games as before.