The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be the most ambitious tournament in World Cup history. The expansion to 48 teams, all of them setting up base camps in a host cities in Mexico, Canada and the United States, has brought an unprecedented scale to the competition in this year’s event.
The action kicks off June 11 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Here’s the full bracket so far.
TV coverage will be spread across various networks and streaming platforms, but DIRECTV is your hub for watching each and every match. Don’t have DIRECTV yet? Sign up today and get ready for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
FIFA World Cup 2026™ Brackets – Group Play
Twelve groups of four teams each make up the group play round in the FIFA World Cup. These groups are selected based on their FIFA rankings. The top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-place finishers, will advance to the knockout stage. The expanded format introduces a new Round of 32 and increases the tournament to 104 total matches.
Here’s the breakdown of groups heading into the tournament:
Group A
As a host country, Mexico gets pole position in group A.
| Position | Team |
| A1 | Mexico |
| A2 | South Africa |
| A3 | South Korea |
| A4 | Czech Republic |
Group B
Canada gets the top spot in Group B as it serves as a host country.
| Position | Team |
| B1 | Canada |
| B2 | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| B3 | Qatar |
| B4 | Switzerland |
Group C
Brazil, a quarterfinalist in the 2022 World Cup, is among the world’s best entering the tournament, but they get a strong Morocco team that finished fourth in that same World Cup.
| Position | Team |
| C1 | Brazil |
| C2 | Morocco |
| C3 | Haiti |
| C4 | Scotland |
Group D
The US gets the #1 spot in Group D as host country.
| Position | Team |
| D1 | United States |
| D2 | Paraguay |
| D3 | Australia |
| D4 | Turkey |
Group E
Germany didn’t make it out of group play last time around which will be more than enough motivation to return to the knockout stages.
| Position | Team |
| E1 | Germany |
| E2 | Curaçao |
| E3 | Ivory Coast |
| E4 | Ecuador |
Group F
The Netherlands made it to the quarterfinals in 2022 and will have to contend with a Japan team that reached the round of 16.
| Position | Team |
| F1 | Netherlands |
| F2 | Japan |
| F3 | Sweden |
| F4 | Tunisia |
Group G
Belgium sits in the top 10 of the FIFA World Rankings, but an exit in the Group Stage last World Cup looms.
| Position | Team |
| G1 | Belgium |
| G2 | Egypt |
| G3 | Iran |
| G4 | New Zealand |
Group H
Spain is the number one team in the world and the near unanimous favorite. Tough draw, rest of Group H!
| Position | Team |
| H1 | Spain |
| H2 | Cape Verde |
| H3 | Saudi Arabia |
| H4 | Uruguay |
Group I
France has reached two straight World Cup Finals, losing one and winning the other.
| Position | Team |
| I1 | France |
| I2 | Senegal |
| I3 | Iraq |
| I4 | Norway |
Group J
The defending champion, Argentina, doesn’t carry the same juice as Spain or even France, but group stage is their chance to show they should.
| Position | Team |
| J1 | Argentina |
| J2 | Algeria |
| J3 | Austria |
| J4 | Jordan |
Group K
Portugal enters as a dark-horse contender after reaching the quarterfinals in 2022
| Position | Team |
| K1 | Portugal |
| K2 | Congo DR |
| K3 | Uzbekistan |
| K4 | Colombia |
Group L
The world’s fourth overall team, England is a favorite to make a deep run in this year’s tournament. They draw a Croatia team that won the third-place game in the 2022 World Cup.
| Position | Team |
| L1 | England |
| L2 | Croatia |
| L3 | Ghana |
| L4 | Panama |
Who are the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Host Cities?
Sixteen host cities across the Americas are ready for soccer’s greatest event. There are 11 venues in the US, three in Mexico and two in Canada.
For the tournament, the stadiums will use alternate names in lieu of their sponsored ones.
| City | Official Stadium Name | World Cup Name |
| Arlington, Texas | AT&T Stadium | Dallas Stadium |
| Mexico City, Mexico | Estadio Azteca | Mexico City Stadium |
| East Rutherford, New Jersey | MetLife Stadium | New York New Jersey Stadium |
| Atlanta, Georgia | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta Stadium |
| Kansas City, Missouri | GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium | Kansas City Stadium |
| Houston, Texas | NRG Stadium | Houston Stadium |
| Santa Clara, California | Levi’s Stadium | San Francisco Bay Area Stadium |
| Inglewood, California | SoFi Stadium | Los Angeles Stadium |
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Lincoln Financial Field | Philadelphia Stadium |
| Seattle, Washington | Lumen Field | Seattle Stadium |
| Foxborough, Massachusetts | Gillette Stadium | Boston Stadium |
| Miami Gardens, Florida | Hard Rock Stadium | Miami Stadium |
| Vancouver, Canada | BC Place | BC Place Vancouver |
| Guadalupe, Mexico | Estadio BBVA | Estadio Monterrey |
| Guadalajara, Mexico | Estadio Akron | Estadio Guadalajara |
| Toronto, Canada | BMO Field | Toronto Stadium |
When is the FIFA World Cup 2026™?
The FIFA World Cup begins June 11 when Mexico hosts South Africa at Estadio Azteca. Fans can catch the action on FOX, Telemundo (Ch. 406) and Peacock (in Spanish).
The FIFA World Cup 2026 opens with more than two weeks of match play between the 12 groups of four teams. They will be competing for a shot in the knockout rounds and ultimately a trip to the World Cup final on July 19.
| Matchday | Date |
| Group stage | |
| Matchday 1 | June 11–17, 2026 |
| Matchday 2 | June 18–23, 2026 |
| Matchday 3 | June 24–27, 2026 |
| Knockout Stage | |
| Round of 32 | June 28 – July 3, 2026 |
| Round of 16 | July 4–7, 2026 |
| Quarterfinals | July 9–11, 2026 |
| Semifinals | July 14–15, 2026 |
| Match for third place | July 18, 2026 |
| Final | July 19, 2026 |
How to Watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™
No matter the host city or whether it’s the group stage, round of 32 or the championship final, DIRECTV is the place to catch all of the World Cup action.
- FOX – Find your local FOX network
- Telemundo – Channel 406
- Peacock (Spanish) – Connect to your DIRECTV Account
Watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™ on DIRECTV
Catch all of the action on the pitches of the Americas with DIRECTV. Get started today!
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Frequently asked questions
How do teams qualify for the World Cup?
Who are the favorites to win the FIFA World Cup 2026™?
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