ALBUM'26
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Guide

The 2026 World Cup guide

The biggest World Cup ever-48 teams, three host nations, twelve groups. Here's how it works, and a preview of every group.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first to feature 48 teams, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States across 16 cities. It's a longer, wider tournament than any before-and there's a lot more to predict.

The format

  • 48 teams, 12 groups of four (A through L). Each team plays the other three in its group.
  • The top two of every group advance straight to the knockouts-24 teams in total.
  • Plus the eight best third-placed teams. With twelve groups, the eight strongest sides finishing third also go through, filling out a 32-team knockout bracket.
  • Then it's straight knockout-round of 32, round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final. One defeat and you're out.

The host nations

For the first time, three countries share hosting duties: Canada, Mexico and the United States. Mexico becomes the first nation to host (part of) three men's World Cups. All three hosts qualify automatically and are seeded into the group stage.

Why the third-placed teams matter

The eight-best-thirds rule is the single most interesting wrinkle to predict. A strong team drawn into a tough group can still reach the knockouts in third-so finishing order within a group isn't the whole story. When you build your album, you'll pick which eight of the twelve third-placed teams advance.

The groups

Twelve groups, forty-eight teams. Tap into any group below for the line-up and a preview, then lock your finishing order in the builder.

Group A
๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ
Hosts Mexico headline a wide-open opener against South Korea, the Czech Republic and South Africa.
Group B
๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ถ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฆ
Switzerland's experience meets host nation Canada, with Bosnia and Qatar chasing the upset.
Group C
๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡น
Brazil are favourites, but Morocco are the tournament's most credible dark horse.
Group D
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡พ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท
Host nation USA open against Paraguay in a balanced group with Tรผrkiye lurking.
Group E
๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ผ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡จ
Germany are clear favourites; Ecuador and Ivory Coast scrap for second behind a debutant story.
Group F
๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฑ๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ช
One of the deepest groups: the Netherlands lead, but Japan and Sweden both bite.
Group G
๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟ
Belgium are favourites at the end of a golden era, with Salah's Egypt the chief threat.
Group H
๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ป๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡พ
Tournament favourites Spain headline; Uruguay are the obvious second, with two upset specialists behind.
Group I
๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ด๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ถ
Arguably the group of death: France, Senegal and Haaland's Norway all want two spots.
Group J
๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ด
Holders Argentina cruise the group; Austria and Algeria duel for second behind debutants Jordan.
Group K
๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ด๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฉ
Ronaldo's likely last World Cup: Portugal lead, Colombia push, two debutant-era stories behind.
Group L
๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฆ
England are strong favourites to close out the draw, with Croatia the obvious threat.

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