Will Antoine Griezmann make it to the 2026 World Cup with France? We analyze statistics, current events, and his role with Les Bleus on their way to the most important tournament on the planet.
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WHEN DOES THE 2026 WORLD CUP START AND HOW MANY MATCHES WILL IT HAVE?
The 2026 World Cup promises to be the most epic of all time. For the first time, it will be co-hosted by three countries: the United States, Mexico, and Canada. And yes, it will also be the longest and with the most matches in history. If you're wondering when the 2026 World Cup starts and how many matches it will have, we'll tell you everything in detail, including interesting facts, statistics, and what this change means for the football we love.
Official Schedule and Host Countries
The 2026 World Cup will kick off on Thursday, June 11, 2026, and the final will be played on Sunday, July 19, 2026. Yes, more than a month of pure football excitement, perfect to enjoy with mate, tacos, or hamburgers, depending on which country you're in or who you're supporting.
It will be the first time in history that three countries host a World Cup: the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Between the three of them, they will host the 104 matches that will be played in 16 host cities. To give you an idea: the U.S. will have 11 venues, Mexico 3, and Canada 2. The opening match will be at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, an iconic venue that previously hosted the tournament in 1970 and 1986.
Confirmed Host Cities
Mexico: Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey
United States: New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, San Francisco, Atlanta, Seattle, Houston, Boston, Philadelphia, Kansas City
Canada: Toronto, Vancouver
More teams, more matches
This will be the first World Cup with 48 teams (yes, you read that right), and that's why the number of matches has increased from 64 to 104. FIFA decided to expand the format to ensure greater global representation and, let's be honest, more excitement and drama.
The teams will be divided into 12 groups of 4, instead of the traditional 8 groups. The top two teams from each group and the 8 best third-placed teams will advance to a round of 32, a completely new format. This will give more smaller teams a real chance to advance.
This will be the new format
12 groups of 4 teams
32 teams advance to the direct elimination phase
New round of 16 finals
Total: 104 matches (previously 64)
Estimated duration: 39 days
To put it in context, in Russia In 2018 and Qatar 2022 we saw 64 matches. In the 2026 World Cup, there will be 40 more matches. More opportunities to see your idols in action, more goals, more stories, and more confetti in the stands.
The record for most goals in a World Cup is held by France 1998 with 171 goals. With 104 matches, it's very likely that this number will fall short. It's estimated that we could see more than 200 goals if the average is maintained or improved.
And pay attention: this format is also designed to avoid suspicious draws on the final matchday of the group stage, because everyone will play their third match at the same time, as in recent World Cups.
Fun Facts and What's to Come
The 2026 World Cup isn't just bigger in terms of matches and countries; it also comes with facts that will leave you speechless. Did you know that the Azteca Stadium will be the first to host three World Cups? Or that a global audience of more than 6 billion viewers is expected during the tournament? Yes, 6 billion.
The infrastructure will also be record-breaking. In the U.S. alone, investment in stadiums, transportation, and logistics exceeds $10 billion. Cities are investing heavily in sports tourism.
Other facts to surprise you
An average attendance of 75,000 people per match is expected
There will be more than 1,200 hours of live broadcasting
The trophy will tour the three host countries before the tournament
The United States will host the most matches, more than 60% of the total
An economic impact of more than $14 billion is estimated
In addition, FIFA It plans to introduce artificial intelligence tools to improve VAR, avoid human error, and expedite controversial decisions. Another World Cup with cutting-edge technology.
And as the icing on the cake: expanding the number of female representatives on coaching staffs and organizing committees is being considered to promote inclusion in the beautiful game.
So, if you're wondering when the 2026 World Cup starts and how many matches it will have, the answer is clear: it starts on June 11, will have 104 matches, and will be a true continental celebration that you can't miss.
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