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The FIFA World Cup season will be upon us in June 2026. If you’ve never been a huge football fan, but feel like joining in the excitement this time, we’ve compiled a list so you’re not totally lost.
What is the FIFA World Cup?
The FIFA World Cup is the biggest sporting event that’s held every four years, where national teams (not club teams) compete to be crowned world champions—the best of the best.
When is FIFA World Cup?
The World Cup runs from 11 June to 19 July 2026 with the final taking place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It’s jointly hosted by 3 countries spanning 16 cities: 11 in the United States, 3 in Mexico, and 2 in Canada. It’s the first time the World Cup has been hosted by three nations simultaneously.
How does the tournament work?
There are 48 teams, and they will be divided into 12 groups of four. Each team will play three matches in the group stage. The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout rounds, along with the eight best third-place teams. From there, teams will battle to be crowned the world champion.
It’s also a historic year because this is the first World Cup to feature 48 teams, instead of the usual 32. This means football fans will get more stories and drama, literally.
Who are the first-timers on the World Stage?
With the lineup increased to 48 teams, some of the newcomers include teams from Cabo Verde, Curacao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan.
Who are the big players in FIFA this year?
If football makes you think of names like David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry, Ronaldinho, and Ronaldo Nazario, you need help. Here are some of the big names making waves today.
The current superstar lineup
Kylian Mbappe– Playing for the French squad, he’s known as the most lethal striker in the world.
Jude Bellingham– Playing as the midfield for the English team, he’s one of the biggest name in European football.
Vinicius Junior– Playing as a forward for Brazil, he’ll be leading the charge under head coach Carlo Ancelotti’s newly fortified system.
Erling Haaland– Playing for Norway, he’s known as one of the most prolific and dominant strikers, and for his explosive pace.
Mohamed Salah– Known as the Egyptian King, Salah is one of football’s greatest forwards in the world.
The three legends are playing their final World Cup
Lionel Messi (Argentina)– He’ll be playing his final World Cup and carries the ultimate weight and expectation for the reigning champions.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)– Ronaldo has confirmed that he’ll be retiring at age 41 and it will be his final World Cup appearance this year.
Luka Modric (Croatia)– Modric also planned to retire this year and make his last dance at FIFA 2026.
The two up-and-coming players leading a new generation of legends
Lamine Yamal- The 18-year-old teenager (pic above) from Spain is already one of the best players on the field. He played a pivotal role in Spain’s Euro 2024 victory, scoring in the semifinal against France, while also helping Barcelona clinch La Liga and reach the Champions League semifinals.
Florian Wirtz- Wirtz hasn’t had the smoothest ride at Anfield, but the highly creative midfielder is central to Germany’s World Cup hopes.
Who is favoured to win?
The contenders are Spain, France, and Argentina. Spain has a dynamic young squad led by Lamine Yamal. Meanwhile, France reclaimed the FIFA No. 1 ranking in April led by Kylian Mbappe. Argentina is the defending champion.
Unfortunately, four-time champion Italy failed to qualify for the tournament. Recently, they lost to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a penalty shootout during the UEFA qualification playoffs. It unsurprisingly shocked many football fans. In total, Italy has missed three consecutive FIFA World Cups. It’s unofficially dubbed as the World Cup Curse by Italy’s main daily Corriere della Sera, and has prompted calls to rebuild the country’s football team.
What is the official 2026 FIFA World Cup song?
This year, the official FIFA World Cup song is Dai Dai, a collaboration by Colombian songstress Shakira and Nigerian Afrobeats artist Burna Boy. The high-energy track’s title translates to ‘’come on, come on’’ in Italian. The anthem was officially released on 14 May 2026. The song also marks Shakira’s long-awaited return to the World Cup stage, 16 years after her iconic 2010 anthem ‘’Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).’’
Don’t skip the Opening Ceremonies
The Opening Ceremonies are a music festival in their own right. This year, performers like Katy Perry, Future, Lisa from Blackpink, Anitta, Rema, and Tyla will open at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
The Canada ceremony in Toronto features Alanis Morissette, Michael Buble, and Alessia Cara. Meanwhile, Belinda, J Balvin, and Los Angeles Azules will open in Mexico City.
For the finals, Madonna, Shakira, and BTS will be headlining at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
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