2026 World Cup Guide: Full Schedule, Groups, Favorites, & Best Players

The 2026 World Cup will soon take center stage, starting on June 11 — and this tournament is the biggest version yet. With 48 teams, 12 groups, and 104 matches across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, soccer is about to have its moment in North America.

Our 2026 World Cup guide covers everything you need to know before the tournament starts, and will keep you updated with game predictions, player picks, and more throughout.

Find the 2026 World Cup schedule, key dates, groups, favorites to win, top players to watch, and how the World Cup group stage works for teams to advance. 

Get all of our expert 2026 World Cup predictions and expert picks throughout the World Cup here!

Throughout the World Cup, you can make your predictions on PrizePicks — from player goals to teams to win and total goals. There’s no better way to cash in on your soccer knowledge and add excitement to every goal during the World Cup.

Make your 2026 World Cup predictions on PrizePicks now!

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2026 World Cup: What You Need To Know

Here are the key facts to know ahead of the 2026 World Cup, including the schedule, when the World Cup starts, the Final, and more.

When Does the 2026 World Cup Start?

The 2026 World Cup starts on Thursday, June 11, 2026, with an opening match at Mexico City Stadium in Mexico City at 3 p.m. ET, with Mexico vs. South Africa.

When is the first 2026 World Cup game?

The first 2026 World Cup game is on June 11, 2026, at 3 p.m. ET, when Mexico opens Group A play vs. South Africa — a massive stage to kick off the first 48-team World Cup.

How long is the 2026 World Cup?

The 2026 World Cup runs from June 11 through July 19, giving fans group-stage games for more than two weeks, followed by knockout drama until the World Cup Final on July 19 at 3 p.m. ET.

When does the 2026 World Cup Group Stage start?

The World Cup Group Stage starts on June 11 with Mexico vs. South Africa.

Before the 2026 World Cup gets underway, tap into our expert World Cup Group predictions for every group on PrizePicks Playbook, including favorites and teams most likely to advance. 

When Does the 2026 World Cup Knockout Stage Start?

The World Cup Knockout Stage will start on June 28 at 3 p.m. ET with the first Round of 32 game. The top 32 teams will advance from the Group Stage into the 32-team Knockout Stage, 

Group Stage play will conclude on June 27, with a Group J double-header at 10 p.m. ET.

When is the 2026 World Cup Final?

The 2026 World Cup Final will take place on Sunday, July 19, at 3 p.m. ET. The 104th and final match of the tournament will take place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, home to the New York Giants and Jets.

2026 World Cup Schedule & Key Dates

Here is the 2026 World Cup schedule for every stage, from the group stage to the Final on July 19, 2026.

2026 World Cup Schedule By Group: Game-by-Game

The 2026 World Cup Group Stage is where every team’s path starts to take shape, with each group playing three matches that can decide who advances and who’s heading home early.

The group stage is a round-robin, which means every team will play every other team in their group once between June 11-27.

Use the game-by-game schedule below to track every matchup, spot the biggest group-stage swings, and know which results matter most before making your World Cup picks on PrizePicks.

Make your World Cup Group Stage predictions for teams to win or qualify on PrizePicks

2026 World Cup Group A Schedule

These are the key matches in Group A that may have an outsized impact on the group winner:

• June 11: Mexico vs. South Africa – Mexico City, Mexico – 3 p.m. ET
• June 11: South Korea vs. Czechia – Mexico City, Mexico – 10 p.m. ET
• June 18: Mexico vs. South Korea – Guadalajara, Mexico – 9 p.m. ET

2026 World Cup Group B Schedule

Here are the key matches in Group B that may have an outsized impact on the group winner:

• June 12: Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina – Toronto, Canada – 3 p.m. ET
• June 24: Switzerland vs. Canada – Vancouver, Canada – 3 p.m. ET

2026 World Cup Group C Schedule

Here are the key matches in Group C that may have an outsized impact on the group winner:

• June 13: Brazil vs. Morocco – East Rutherford, New Jersey – 6 p.m. ET
• June 19: Scotland vs. Morocco – Foxborough, Massachusetts – 6 p.m. ET

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2026 World Cup Group D Schedule

Here are the key matches in Group D that may have an outsized impact on the group winner:

• June 12: USA vs. Paraguay – Los Angeles, Calif. – 9 p.m. ET
• June 19: USA vs. Australia – Seattle, Wash. – 3 p.m. ET
• June 25: Türkiye vs. USA – Los Angeles, Calif. – 10 p.m. ET

2026 World Cup Group E Schedule

Here are the key matches in Group E that may have an outsized impact on the group winner:

• June 25: Ecuador vs. Germany – East Rutherford, New Jersey – 4 p.m. ET

2026 World Cup Group F Schedule

Here are the key matches in Group F that may have an outsized impact on the group winner:

• June 14: Netherlands vs. Japan – Arlington, Texas – 4 p.m. ET
• June 20: Netherlands vs. Sweden – Houston – 1 p.m. ET
• June 25: Japan vs. Sweden – Arlington, Texas – 7 p.m. ET

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2026 World Cup Group G Schedule

Here are the key matches in Group G that may have an outsized impact on the group winner:

• June 15: Iran vs. New Zealand – Los Angeles – 9 p.m. ET
• June 15: Belgium vs. Egypt – Seattle – 3 p.m. ET
• June 26: Egypt vs. Iran – Seattle – 11 p.m. ET

2026 World Cup Group H Schedule

2026 World Cup Group I Schedule

Here are the key matches in Group I that may have an outsized impact on the group winner:

• June 16 – France vs. Senegal – East Rutherford, New Jersey – 3 p.m. ET
• June 26 – Norway vs. France – Foxborough, Mass. – 3 p.m. ET

2026 World Cup Group J Schedule

Here are the key matches in Group J that may have an outsized impact on the group winner:

• June 22: Argentina vs. Austria – Dallas – 1 p.m. ET
• June 27: Algeria vs. Austria – Kansas City, Mo., 10 p.m. ET

2026 World Cup Group K Schedule

Here are the key matches in Group K that may have an outsized impact on the group winner:

• June 27: Colombia vs. Portugal – Miami – 7:30 p.m. ET

2026 World Cup Group L Schedule

Here are the key matches in Group L that may have an outsized impact on the group winner:

• June 17: England vs. Croatia – Dallas – 4 p.m. ET
• June 23: England vs. Ghana – Foxborough – 4 p.m. ET
• June 27: Croatia vs. Ghana – Philadelphia – 5 p.m. ET

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2026 World Cup Groups: Teams, Predictions to Win

There are 12 groups in the 2026 World Cup — Group A through Group L. Each group has four teams, making up the full 48-team field. 

After playing a round robin, the top two teams from each group will automatically advance to the knockout stage. The top eight third-place teams will also earn a spot in the knockout stage.

The group draw matters because it shapes every team’s path. A cleaner group can help a favorite build momentum, while a tougher group can put pressure on contenders right away.

Here are the teams in each group, plus our World Cup group stage predictions and preview for each group.

How Does the 2026 World Cup Group Stage Work?

For the first time ever, the 2026 World Cup Group Stage has 12 groups of four teams. Each team plays three matches, earning three points for a win, one point for a draw, and zero points for a loss.

The top two teams from each group automatically advance to the knockout stage. The eight best third-place teams also move on, creating a 32-team knockout bracket.

That makes every result in every game matter. Even if a team does not win its group, goal difference, goals scored, and final matchday results across other groups can decide who survives and who goes home after June 27.

Can third-place teams advance in the 2026 World Cup?

Yes. The eight best third-place teams across all 12 groups advance to the knockout stage.

How many teams make the 2026 World Cup Knockout Stage?

A total of 32 teams make the knockout stage: 24 automatic qualifiers from the top two spots in each group, plus the eight best third-place teams.

2026 World Cup Favorites to Win: France, Spain Lead the Way

The 2026 World Cup favorites to win the tournament are a lot of the usual suspects in the global soccer landscape. However, the expanded 48-team format makes the path much more interesting, with more opportunities for underdogs to shake up the outcomes.

Winning the tournament is now more difficult than ever after the group stage, with five total knockout rounds. In addition, teams are playing in three countries across North America, creating some concerns around travel and fatigue later in the tournament.

Teams like France, Spain, England, and Brazil are at the top, alongside 2022 World Cup champion Argentina, which will seek to be the first repeat champion since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.

Popular long-shot winners include Morocco, Japan, and Colombia, in addition to host nations USA and Mexico. The last host nation to win the World Cup was Mexico in 1998. 

Here is the full list of payouts for each team to win the 2026 World Cup, prior to the group stage, on PrizePicks Team Picks — where you can pick the World Cup winner to earn real money if you’re right.

The lower the payout multiplier, the higher the chance of the outcome occurring, according to user picks.

Payouts are live as of writing, but are subject to change.

• Spain: Yes 5x ($100 pays out $500) | No 1.16x
• France: Yes 5.26x | No 1.14x
• England: Yes 7.14x | No 1.08x
• Brazil: Yes 8.33x | No 1.06x
• Argentina: Yes 8.33x | No 1.06x
• Portugal: Yes 8.33x | No 1.06x
• Germany: Yes 11.11x | No 1.03x
• Netherlands: Yes 16.66x | No 1.02x
• Norway: Yes 22.22x

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Best Players in the 2026 World Cup: Lamine Yamal, Vini Jr. Lead New Guard of Stars

While everyone may be excited to see Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the World Cup — including a potential Round of 16 matchup, both are well past their prime. The 2026 World Cup brings us an exciting class of new world class soccer stars to get familiar with. 

The top players to watch in the 2026 World Cup include France’s Kylian Mbappé, Norway’s Erling Haaland, England’s Jude Bellingham, Brazil’s Vini Jr., and Spain’s Lamine Yamal — just to name a few.

During the 2026 World Cup, you can make picks on player stats like goals, shots, and more to win cash on PrizePicks if you’re right. Sign up on PrizePicks with promo code PLAYBOOK to get $50 instantly in Lineups to make your picks. 

Below, we’ll give you the best World Cup players to watch in the 2026 World Cup on every team, so you know what to look for in every World Cup match on PrizePicks.

The Best Players on Every 2026 World Cup Team

• Algeria: Riyad Mahrez, Houssem Aouar
• Argentina: Lionel Messi, Julián Álvarez, Lautaro Martínez
• Australia: Nestory Irankunda, Cristian Volpato
• Austria: David Alaba, Marcel Sabitzer, Konrad Laimer
• Belgium: Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Jeremy Doku
• Bosnia and Herzegovina: Edin Džeko, Amar Dedić
• Brazil: Vinícius Júnior, Neymar, Raphinha
• Cabo Verde: Ryan Mendes, Garry Rodrigues
• Canada: Alphonso Davies, Jonathan David, Tajon Buchanan
• Colombia: Luis Díaz, James Rodríguez, Jhon Arias
• Congo DR: Yoane Wissa, Chancel Mbemba
• Côte d’Ivoire: Simon Adingra, Franck Kessié
• Croatia: Luka Modrić, Joško Gvardiol, Mateo Kovačić
• Curaçao: Juninho Bacuna, Tahith Chong
• Czechia: Patrik Schick, Tomáš Souček
• Ecuador: Moisés Caicedo, Piero Hincapié, Willian Pacho
• Egypt: Mohamed Salah, Omar Marmoush
• England: Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka
• France: Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise
• Germany: Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, Joshua Kimmich
• Ghana: Mohammed Kudus, Antoine Semenyo
• Haiti: Duckens Nazon, Frantzdy Pierrot
• Iran: Mehdi Taremi, Saman Ghoddos
• Iraq: Ali Al-Hamadi, Zidane Iqbal
• Japan: Takefusa Kubo, Wataru Endo, Ritsu Doan
• Jordan: Mousa Al-Taamari, Ali Olwan
• Korea Republic: Son Heung-min, Kim Min-jae, Lee Kang-in
• Mexico: Santiago Giménez, Edson Álvarez, Guillermo Ochoa
• Morocco: Achraf Hakimi, Brahim Díaz, Yassine Bounou
• Netherlands: Cody Gakpo, Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch
• New Zealand: Chris Wood, Sarpreet Singh
• Norway: Erling Haaland, Martin Ødegaard, Alexander Sørloth
• Panama: Adalberto Carrasquilla, José Fajardo
• Paraguay: Julio Enciso, Miguel Almirón
• Portugal: Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha
• Qatar: Akram Afif, Almoez Ali
• Saudi Arabia: Salem Al-Dawsari, Firas Al-Buraikan
• Scotland: Scott McTominay, Andy Robertson
• Senegal: Sadio Mané, Nicolas Jackson, Pape Matar Sarr
• South Africa: Teboho Mokoena, Lyle Foster
• Spain: Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Rodri
• Sweden: Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyökeres, Anthony Elanga
• Switzerland: Granit Xhaka, Manuel Akanji, Breel Embolo
• Tunisia: Ellyes Skhiri, Hannibal Mejbri
• Türkiye: Arda Güler, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Kenan Yıldız
• Uruguay: Federico Valverde, Darwin Núñez, Ronald Araújo
• USA: Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams
• Uzbekistan: Eldor Shomurodov, Abbosbek Fayzullaev

How to Make World Cup Picks on PrizePicks

You can make 2026 World Cup picks in 44 states on PrizePicks to earn real money if you’re right — including Group winners, games, totals, player stats, and more. 

New users on PrizePicks for the 2026 World Cup can use promo code PLAYBOOK to get $50 instantly in Lineups when you play your first $5 Lineup.

Make World Cup Picks on PrizePicks Player Picks

On PrizePicks Player Picks — available in 36 states, just pick 2-6 players, predict More or Less on their stats, and earn up to 2000x your money if you’re right.

The more picks in your Lineup, the more you can win if you’re right!

Player stats available on PrizePicks for the World Cup include:

• Goals
• Assists
• Goal + Assist
• Shots / Shots on Target
• Goalie Saves
• Tackles
• Fouls Drawn
• Cards
• Passes Attempted
• …and more

‍Make World Cup picks on goals, assists, and player stats on PrizePicks

Make World Cup Predictions on PrizePicks Team Picks

With Team Picks — a sports prediction market, you can make picks on game winners, spreads, and World Cup futures through every stage of the World Cup.

On PrizePicks Team Picks, you can make real-money predictions on the World Cup in 35 states — including California, Texas, and Florida. Just pick Yes or No on teams to win games, go over/under total goals, win the World Cup, and more.

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Team Picks markets for the World Cup include:

•  Game Winners
• Spreads
• Total Goals
• World Cup Winner
• Group Winners
• To Qualify for the Knockout Stage
• Golden Boot Winner
• + hundreds of other World Cup markets.

Make your World Cup predictions on winners, total goals, and futures on PrizePicks Team Picks

‍Note: 2026 World Cup schedules, PrizePicks markets, payouts, player availability, and projected lineups are subject to change. Check back throughout the tournament for updated predictions and picks.