Fifa

The FSA has joined Football Supporters Europe (FSE) in demanding the sales process is stopped so fans’ groups can hold talks with Fifa over its pricing policy.

“We back Football Supporters Europe in calling for a halt in ticket sales and we are calling on the Football Association to work with fellow FAs to directly challenge these disgraceful prices,” the FSA said in a statement.

“We call on all national associations to stand up for your supporters, without whom there would be no professional game.”

Fifa has yet to comment on the criticism, while both the FA and the Scottish FA have yet to comment on the ticket prices.

BBC Sport has been told the FA is aware that England fans are angry, and is planning to pass on those concerns to Fifa.

There is a Fifa Council meeting in Doha next week, and FA chair Debbie Hewitt will be present. Last month she said she was opposed to dynamic ticket pricing, and has vowed it will not be used at Euro 2028, which the UK and Ireland is hosting.

With the Home Nations FAs hoping to host the 2035 Women’s World Cup, they – and the UK government – may be wary of upsetting Fifa.

Privately, Fifa insiders say while tickets will seem expensive to many, the governing body has a duty to set prices with the US market in mind, grow the game around the world, and to use its revenues to develop men’s, women’s and youth football.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino has also promised to achieve record revenues, and the most lucrative sports event in history will do no harm to his re-election hopes in 2027.

The huge increase in the price of tickets was revealed on Thursday when Fifa released allocation details for the official supporters’ groups of each country.

At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, group stage fixtures all had set prices of £68.50, £164.50 or £219.

But for England v Croatia and Scotland v Brazil next year, tickets cost around £198, £373 or £523.

The cost ramps up considerably in the latter stages.

Quarter-finals for all teams are £507, £757 and £1,073, with the semi-finals £686, £1,819 and £2,363.

The cheapest tickets for the final are £3,119, seven times more expensive than in Qatar.

There are no concessions across any of its tickets for children or other groups.

Next year’s World Cup, the first time 48 nations will be taking part, takes place from Thursday, 11 June to Sunday, 19 July, with the draw made last Friday.

While Colombia v Portugal has been the most popular match so far, Fifa says that is followed by Brazil v Morocco (New Jersey, 13 June), Mexico v South Korea (Guadalajara, 18 June), Ecuador v Germany (New Jersey, 25 June), and Scotland v Brazil (Miami, 24 June).

According to Fifa, the most requests for tickets have come from the three host nations, followed by Colombia, England, Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina, Scotland, Germany, Australia, France and Panama.

After finishing on top of their group in the opening round of the 2025 FIFA Arab Cup, Palestine will look to continue their historic run when they face Saudi Arabia at Lusail Stadium on Thursday.

The Palestinian side also defied the odds to reach the knockout stages of the AFC Asian Cup for the first time earlier this year.

Having already beaten hosts and favourites Qatar, who were subsequently eliminated at the group stage, Palestine must now overcome a Saudi Arabia side that produced a shock at the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup when they defeated the eventual champions, Argentina.

About 30 minutes into Friday’s World Cup draw at the Kennedy Center, a landmark that Donald Trump would like to rename for himself, the president was called on stage to receive an award from FIFA chief Gianni Infantino.

The so-called FIFA Peace Prize didn’t exist five weeks ago. And when Infantino created it, there were never any candidates for the award beyond Trump, who has campaigned hard but unsuccessfully for a Nobel Peace Prize. That made Friday’s presentation feel awkward and uncomfortable for just about everyone other than Infantino and Trump.

“You definitely deserve the first FIFA Peace Prize for your action, for what you have obtained in your way,” Infantino said as Trump grabbed his medal and draped it around his own neck.

“This is truly one of the great honors of my life,” Trump said.

President Trump receives the FIFA Peace Prize from FIFA president Gianni Infantino during the 2026 World Cup draw at the Kennedy Center on Friday.

(Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images)

For the two men the exchange was just the latest in a strange bromance that has deepened in equally beneficial ways as June’s World Cup has drawn closer.

“It’s two massive egos stroking each other,” said a former U.S. Soccer official, who asked that their name not be used to avoid possible reprisal. “I assume Infantino’s ulterior motive is to get the most possible support from the government and make sure Trump, despite some unhelpful comments, does nothing to interfere with the tournament.

“For Trump, the opportunity to claim credit for hosting the world’s biggest sporting event in front of worldwide audience is irresistible.”

A FIFA spokesperson said Infantino must maintain collaborative relationships with host countries and noted he has forged strong bonds with Trump along with the leaders of Mexico and Canada.

“As per the FIFA Statutes, ‘the President shall seek to maintain and develop good relations between and among FIFA, the confederations, member associations, political bodies and international organisations,’” the FIFA statement read. “Furthermore, the FIFA President must maintain good relationships with leaders of host countries to ensure a successful event for all.”

For FIFA and Infantino, a longtime soccer executive who used his connections and smarts to climb to the top of the world’s most popular sport, the partnership is meant to win the president’s backing for, and limit his meddling in, what could be the most lucrative World Cup ever.

In recent months Infantino, who had a front-row seat at the president’s inauguration in January, has invited Trump to present players from Club World Cup champion Chelsea with their winners medals — one of which Trump pocketed — followed the president to Egypt in October for a summit to finalize a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, and rented space in Trump’s Manhattan office building.

Infantino has also been a frequent guest at the White House and Mar-a-Lago, and was able to greet Trump on the Kennedy Center stage Friday only because he abruptly moved the World Cup draw from Las Vegas to Washington, D.C., at Trump’s request, erasing months of planning.

For Trump, America’s sports fan in chief, the relationship means a role in history’s largest, most complex sporting event and the attention and acclaim that comes with that.

At the same time, Trump’s mercurial management style and his penchant for breaking with allies means Infantino can take nothing for granted. As a result, says David Goldblatt, a British sportswriter and a visiting professor at Pitzer College in Claremont, Infantino’s actions have been shrewd, if occasionally humbling.

Chelsea’s Reece James and Robert Sanchez are joined by President Trump as they celebrate their FIFA Club World Cup win on July 13.

(Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)

Confronted with a powerful yet unpredictable leader in a country that’s about to host a World Cup that could produce revenues of more than $9 billion, the FIFA president, a former Trump critic, has chosen to put those differences aside and appeal to Trump’s love of tributes and baubles rather than risking his wrath.

“This is a different world,” Goldblatt said of Infantino’s fears that Trump could harm the World Cup if he chooses. “This is not how states and heads of state used to operate.”

Infantino, 55, became head of FIFA, world soccer’s governing body, in 2016, when he was elected to replace the scandal-ridden Sepp Blatter in a vote floor-managed by Sunil Gulati, then president of the U.S. Soccer Federation. At the time Infantino, who was born in Switzerland to Italian immigrant parents, was seen as a progressive reformer who would take the hidebound and conservative organization, the most influential and powerful governing body in global sports, in a different direction.

And he has delivered on some of that, growing the fields for both the men’s and women’s World Cups, increasing the prize money for the women’s tournament, expanding other competitions such as the Club World Cup and nearly quadrupling FIFA’s cash reserves. At the same time, he has also become comfortable forming alliances with autocrats.

During the run-up to the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Infantino developed such a close relationship with Vladimir Putin he was called to the Kremlin after the tournament to accept the Order of Friendship medal, one of Russia’s highest awards. That friendship has apparently endured: On Friday, the investigative news outlet Follow the Money reported FIFA has ordered multiple European clubs to pay transfer fees of up to $30 million to Russian teams despite international sanctions and banking restrictions imposed on the country following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

Ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Infantino moved to the emirate, renting a house and enrolling two of his children in local schools. He dismissed well-documented human rights abuses as Western hypocrisy and, on the eve of tournament, sided with the country’s leaders by prohibiting team captains from wearing rainbow-colored armbands and banning longtime sponsor Budweiser from selling beer at World Cup venues.

During Trump’s first administration, Infantino strongly criticized the Muslim ban the president tried to enact, fearing the possible effect it would have on international sports. This time around Infantino has all but ignored Trump’s decision to limit citizens of 19 countries — including World Cup qualifiers Haiti and Iran — from entering the U.S., something that will have a very real impact on next summer’s tournament.

“Infantino is intoxicated by the elite circles of power, status and wealth, into which he has been elevated,” Goldblatt said. “Now he’s king of the universe and has been moving in pretty exalted circles. How does he cope in that world?”

FIFA President Gianni Infantino, right, smiles while clasping hands to greet Russian President Vladimir Putin on July 14, 2018, at the close of the World Cup in Russia.

(Yuri Kadobnov / Associated Press)

Infantino’s shift has caused concern and unease among many global soccer officials, who worry that he has abandoned FIFA’s mandated political neutrality. Delegates from UEFA, the governing body for European soccer for which Infantino used to work, walked out of May’s FIFA Congress in Paraguay after Infantino arrived hours late, delayed by a trip to the Middle East with Trump.

The FIFA president’s “private political interests does the game no service,” the delegates said.

Or maybe it does, says Adam Beissel, as associate professor of sports leadership and management at Miami University in Ohio and the author of several books and studies of FIFA’s inner workings.

“Maybe it was all worth it to get the federal subsidies for the World Cup, to get the sort of support to host an event that’s going to generate $9 billion of revenue,” he said.

By all accounts the friendship between Trump and Infantino is genuine, if ultimately transactional. Trump calls the FIFA leader “Johnny” and “my boy,” while Infantino has blindsided his own staff by announcing the creation of the FIFA Peace Prize, and presenting it to a president whose administration continues to bomb alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and threatens military action against Venezuela.

The FIFA president would surely like it if Trump stopped threatening to pull World Cup games out of blue cities — an impossibility this close to the tournament, yet a threat Trump delights in making nonetheless — and eased his travel ban for visitors who would like to attend the World Cup.

But at this point he’d probably settle for the president simply allowing the show to go on. And if the cost of that is a trophy for Trump, that’s a price Infantino seems willing to pay.

With less than six months to go until the FIFA World Cup 2026, the schedule for the 39-day tournament co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States has been released.

Widely considered the most famous sporting event in the world, the 2026 edition of the FIFA World Cup will be its biggest ever, with 48 nations participating instead of the usual 32 and with 104 matches to be played in the 16 venues across the three host nations.

Argentina will look to defend the trophy they lifted under their iconic captain, Lionel Messi, at Qatar 2022, while Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan will make their debut at the finals.

The tournament will begin in Mexico and wrap up in the US.

Here’s everything you need to know about its teams, groups, format and schedule.

What are the groups for the FIFA World Cup 2026?

Group A:

• Mexico
• South Korea
• South Africa
• Denmark/Macedonia/Czechia/Ireland

Group B:

• Canada
• Switzerland
• Qatar
• Italy/Northern Ireland/Wales/Bosnia

Group C:

• Brazil
• Morocco
• Scotland
• Haiti

Group D:

• USA
• Australia
• Paraguay
• Turkiye/Romania/Slovakia/Kosovo

Group E:

• Germany
• Ecuador
• Ivory Coast
• Curacao

Group F:

• Netherlands
• Japan
• Tunisia
• Ukraine/Sweden/Poland/Albania

Group G:

• Belgium
• Iran
• Egypt
• New Zealand

Group H:

• Spain
• Uruguay
• Saudi Arabia
• Cape Verde

Group I:

• France
• Senegal
• Norway
• Iraq/Bolivia/Suriname

Group J:

• Argentina
• Austria
• Algeria
• Jordan

Group K:

• Portugal
• Colombia
• Uzbekistan
• DRC/Jamaica/New Caledonia

Group L:

• England
• Croatia
• Panama
• Ghana

When and where is the opening match of FIFA World Cup 2026?

The tournament will open on June 11 at 3pm (21:00 GMT) at the Mexico City Stadium in Mexico.

When and where is the final of FIFA World Cup 2026?

The MetLife Stadium, which will be called the New York New Jersey Stadium during the tournament, will host the final on July 19 at 3pm (20:00 GMT).

Why has FIFA changed the names of the stadiums hosting World Cup matches?

In a move to restrict ambush marketing for brands not associated with FIFA, the governing body has changed stadium names for all venues to match with the host city.

Therefore, the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey has been rebranded as the New York New Jersey Stadium and the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles has been renamed the Los Angeles Stadium for the tournament.

What’s the format of the FIFA World Cup 2026?

The tournament will be made up of one group-stage round and four knockout rounds before the final.

Unlike previous editions, the knockouts will begin with the round of 32, followed by the round of 16, the four quarterfinals and two semifinals.

The stage-wise breakdown of the tournament’s schedule is:

• Group stage: June 11 to June 27
• Round of 32: June 28 to July 3
• Round of 16: July 4-7
• Quarterfinals: July 9-11
• Semifinals: July 14-15
• Bronze medal match: July 18
• Final: July 19

What’s the full match schedule of the World Cup?

Group stage

Thursday, June 11

Mexico vs South Africa at 3pm (21:00 GMT) – Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City, Mexico

South Korea vs TDB at 10pm (04:00 GMT on Friday) – Estadio Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico

Friday, June 12

Canada vs TBD at 3pm (20:00 GMT) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada

USA vs Paraguay at 9pm (05:00 GMT on Saturday) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US

Saturday, June 13

Qatar vs Switzerland at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, US

Brazil vs Morocco at 6pm (23:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US

Haiti vs Scotland at 9pm (02:00 GMT on Sunday) – Boston Stadium, Boston, US

Australia vs TBD at midnight (08:00 GMT on Sunday) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada

Sunday, June 14

Germany vs Curacao at 1pm (19:00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, US

Netherlands vs Japan at 4pm (22:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

Ivory Coast vs Ecuador at 7pm (00:00 GMT on Monday) – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, US

TBD vs Tunisia at 10pm (04:00 GMT on Monday) – Estadio Monterrey, Guadalupe, Mexico

Monday, June 15

Spain vs Cape Verde at 12pm (17:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US

Belgium vs Egypt at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada

Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay at 6pm (23:00 GMT) – Miami Stadium, Miami, US

Iran vs New Zealand at 9pm (05:00 GMT on Tuesday) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US

Tuesday, June 16

France vs Senegal at 3pm (20:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US

TBD vs Norway at 6pm (23:00 GMT) – Boston Stadium, Boston, US

Argentina vs Algeria at 9pm (03:00 GMT on Wednesday) – Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, US

Austria vs Jordan at midnight (08:00 GMT on Wednesday) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, US

Wednesday, June 17

Portugal vs TBD at 1pm (19:00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, US

England vs Croatia at 4pm (22:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

Ghana vs Panama at 7pm (00:00 GMT on Thursday) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada

Uzbekistan vs Colombia at 10pm (04:00 GMT on Thursday) – Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City, Mexico

Thursday, June 18

TBD vs South Africa at 12pm (17:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US

Switzerland vs TBD at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US

Canada vs Qatar at 6pm (02:00 GMT on Friday) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada

Mexico vs South Korea at 9pm (03:00 GMT on Friday) – Estadio Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico

Friday, June 19

Scotland vs Morocco at 6pm (23:00 GMT) – Boston Stadium, Boston, US

USA vs Australia at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – Seattle Stadium, Seattle, US

Brazil vs Haiti at 9pm (02:00 GMT on Saturday) – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, US

TBD vs Paraguay at midnight (08:00 GMT on Saturday) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, US

Saturday, June 20

Netherlands vs TBD at 1pm (19:00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, US

Germany vs Ivory Coast at 4pm (21:00 GMT) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada

Ecuador vs Curacao at 8pm (04:00 GMT on Sunday) – Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, US,

Tunisia vs Japan at midnight (06:00 GMT on Sunday) – Estadio Monterrey, Guadalupe, Mexico

Sunday, June 21

Spain vs Saudi Arabia at 12pm (17:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US

Belgium vs Iran at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US

Uruguay vs Cape Verde at 6pm (23:00 GMT) – Miami Stadium, Miami, US

New Zealand vs Egypt at 9pm (05:00 GMT on Monday) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada

Monday, June 22

Argentina vs Austria at 1pm (19:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

France vs TBD at 5pm (22:00 GMT) – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, US

Norway vs Senegal at 8pm (01:00 GMT on Tuesday) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US

Jordan vs Algeria at 11pm (07:00 GMT on Tuesday) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, US

Tuesday, June 23

Portugal vs Uzbekistan at 1pm (19:00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, US

England vs Ghana at 4pm (21:00 GMT) – Boston Stadium, Boston, US

Panama vs Croatia at 7pm (00:00 GMT on Wednesday) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada

Colombia vs TBD at 10pm (04:00 GMT on Wednesday) – Estadio Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico

Wednesday, June 24

Switzerland vs Canada at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada

TBD vs Qatar at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – Seattle Stadium, Seattle, US

Scotland vs Brazil at 6pm (23:00 GMT) – Miami Stadium, Miami, US

Morocco vs Haiti at 6pm (23:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US

TBD vs Mexico at 9pm (03:00 GMT on Thursday) – Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City, Mexico

South Africa vs South Korea at 9pm (03:00 GMT on Thursday) – Estadio Monterrey, Guadalupe, Mexico

Thursday, June 25

Ecuador vs Germany at 4pm (21:00 GMT)– New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US

Curacao vs Ivory Coast at 4pm (21:00 GMT) – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, US

Japan vs TBD at 7pm (01:00 GMT on Friday) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

Tunisia vs Netherlands at 7pm (01:00 GMT on Friday  – Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, US,

TBD vs USA at 10pm (06:00 GMT on Friday) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US

Paraguay vs Australia at 10pm (06:00 GMT on Friday) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, US

Friday, June 26

Norway vs France at 3pm (20:00 GMT) – Boston Stadium, Boston, US

Senegal vs TDB 3pm at (20:00 GMT) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada

Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia at 8pm (02:00 GMT on Saturday) – Houston Stadium, Houston, US

Uruguay vs Spain at 8pm (02:00 GMT on Saturday) – Estadio Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico

Egypt vs Iran at 11pm (07:00 GMT on Saturday) – Seattle Stadium, Seattle, US

New Zealand vs Belgium at 11pm (07:00 GMT on Saturday) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada

Saturday, June 27

Panama vs England at 5pm (22:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US

Croatia vs Ghana at 5pm (22:00 GMT) – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, US

Colombia vs Portugal at 7:30pm (02:30 GMT on Sunday) – Miami Stadium, Miami, US

TBD vs Uzbekistan at 7:30pm (02:30 GMT on Sunday) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US

Algeria vs Austria at 10pm (04:00 GMT on Sunday) – Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, US,

Jordan vs Argentina at 10pm (04:00 GMT on Sunday) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

Knockout stage

Sunday, June 28

Round of 32 match at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US

Monday, June 29

Round of 32 match at 1pm (19:00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, US

Round of 32 match at 4:30pm (22:30 GMT) – Boston Stadium, Boston, US

Round of 32 match at 9pm (03:00 GMT on Tuesday) – Estadio Monterrey, Guadalupe, Mexico

Tuesday, June 30

Round of 32  match at 1pm (19:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

Round of 32 match at 5pm (22:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US

Round of 32 match at 9pm (03:00 GMT on Wednesday) – Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City, Mexico

Wednesday, July 1

Round of 32 match at 12pm (17:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US

Round of 32 match at 4pm (00:00 GMT on Thursday) – Seattle Stadium, Seattle, US

Round of 32 match at 8pm (04:00 GMT on Thursday) – San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, San Francisco, US

Thursday, July 2

Round of 32 match at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US

Round of 32 match at 7pm (00:00 GMT on Friday) – Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada

Round of 32 match at 11pm (07:00 GMT on Friday) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada

Friday, July 3

Round of 32 match at 2pm (21:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

Round of 32 match at 6pm (23:00 GMT) – Miami Stadium, Miami, US

Round of 32 match at 9:30pm (03:30 GMT on Saturday) – Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, US,

Saturday, July 4

Round of 16 match at 1pm (19:00 GMT) – Houston Stadium, Houston, US

Round of 16 match at 5pm (22:00 GMT) – Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, US

Sunday, July 5

Round of 16 match at 4pm (21:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US

Round of 16 match at 8pm (02:00 GMT on Monday) – Mexico City Stadium, Mexico City, Mexico

Monday, July 6

Round of 16 match at 3pm (21:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

Round of 16 match at 8pm (04:00 GMT on Tuesday) – Seattle Stadium, Seattle, US

Tuesday, July 7

Round of 16 match at 12pm (17:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US

Round of 16 match at 4pm (00:00 GMT on Wednesday) – BC Place, Vancouver, Canada

Thursday, 9 July

First quarterfinal at 4pm (21:00 GMT) – Boston Stadium, Boston, US

Friday, 10 July

Second quarterfinal at 3pm (23:00 GMT) – Los Angeles Stadium, Los Angeles, US

Saturday, July 11

Third quarterfinal at 5pm (22:00 GMT) –  Miami Stadium, Miami, US

Fourth quarterfinal at 9pm (03:00 GMT on Sunday) – Kansas City Stadium, Kansas City, US

Tuesday, July 14

First semifinal at 3pm (21:00 GMT) – Dallas Stadium, Dallas, US

Wednesday, July 15

Second semifinal at 3pm (20:00 GMT) – Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, US

Saturday, July 18

Bronze medal match at 5pm (22:00 GMT) – Miami Stadium, Miami, US

Sunday, July 19

Final at 3pm (20:00 GMT) – New York New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey, US

THE draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is to take place tonight.

Announced at 5pm today, England and Scotland fans will find out just who they are playing in the first matches in the World Cup, running from June 11 to July 19 next year.

Canada, USA and Mexico share hosting duties next summer for the blockbuster tournament that runs from June 11 to July 19, which will welcome 48 teams.

However, with three host countries and matches being played in 16 different cities, trying to work out flights and get the best deal can be tricky.

So to make it easy, Skyscanner is relaunching its Football Flight Finder so you can find your teams match schedule and search for flights.

Not only that, but you will be able to search flights for every leg of the journey in a few clicks.

ON THE UP

‘Little Paris of the East’ named top crowd-free place to travel to in 2026

GRAND DAY OUT

Check out these Grand Prix deals to Abu Dhabi, Monaco and Singapore

Skyscanner Football Travel Pundit Laura Lindsay has even shared her top tips on booking your travel to watch your team the entire way.

Book early doors

Laura explained: “Acting quickly can mean you score a bargain before demand increases to certain destinations.

“Some destinations will be more popular than others so if you can book early doors, you’re more likely not to be disappointed as interest increases.” 

Multi-city for MVP

There will be 16 host cities across the US, Canada and Mexico and Skyscanner’s multi-city feature helps with logistics of travelling between then.

Laura said: “This handy feature also allows fans to make more of their trip by seeing more of the host countries – it could also save you money by doing so.” 

Go wide

Of course, the days before and after a match will be the highest price when it comes to flights.

But Laura explains: “Because some dates are more popular than others, prices will vary.

“Use Skyscanner’s ‘month view’ tool to see if there’s a bargain to be had by flying out a few days early or staying in your destination a bit longer.” 

Think outside the box

If you want to try and avoid sky high costs, a different airport might be your best shot.

According to Laura: “Different UK airports have different routes and driving a little bit further to a different airport could mean a more direct flight, or better prices.

“The same can be said for your destination. If you can fly to an airport a little further from the game, and travel to it via public transport, train or a hire car, you could make more of your trip as well as save money.” 

Make a substitute

Skip using the same airline for your return tickets, as you could save money using different airlines for your outward and return journey.

Don’t think it’s all over

If you don’t book quickly, you are likely to see the prices jump extremely quickly depending on the algorithm and demand.

Set up a price alert if you do miss out, and you can then try and book flights at a later date if they drop in price, or go on sale.

Laura finished by saying: “Not only that but we have also seen airlines increase capacity last minute as teams get through stages in previous tournaments so you could still get lucky.” 

US President Donald Trump will play a key part in one of the highest-profile World Cup draws in FIFA history.

The draw for the 2026 World Cup – the biggest edition of football’s global showpiece ever held – takes place in Washington on Friday, with US President Donald Trump expected to feature prominently in proceedings.

The expanded 48-team tournament – up from the 32-nation field that competed at the 2022 Qatar World Cup – will be played across the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19 next year.

Trump’s attendance – confirmed by the White House on Tuesday – at the Kennedy Center ceremony underscores his rapport with FIFA chief Gianni Infantino, who has made several visits to the White House and even joined Trump at international summits in the years since the joint North American bid was awarded the tournament in 2018.

Infantino’s close relationship with Trump is widely expected to see the US leader be named as the first recipient of a new FIFA Peace Prize, which will be awarded at the draw.

Trump has made the World Cup a centrepiece event of both his second presidency and the 250th anniversary of US independence next year.

But he has not hesitated to bring domestic politics into the event, threatening to move World Cup matches from Democratic-run cities if he deems conditions to be “unsafe”.

In a sign of the global tensions surrounding a World Cup which will have 11 of its 16 venues in the US, Iran said it will boycott the draw because US authorities refused to grant visas to several members of its delegation.

The president of the Iranian football federation, Mehdi Taj, said: “We have told the head of FIFA … that it is purely a political position and that FIFA must tell (Washington) to desist from this behaviour.”

First-time qualifiers

The pretenders to the title, which a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina won for the third time in 2022 in Qatar, will be drawn into 12 groups.

The top seeds are Argentina, the host nations USA, Mexico and Canada, record five-time winners Brazil, two-time champions France, four-time winners Germany, as well as Spain, England, Portugal, the Netherlands and Belgium.

The evergreen Cristiano Ronaldo, who will be 41 when the tournament kicks off, has said his sixth World Cup finals with Portugal will be his last, and he would relish crowning his long career with a first global title for his country.

The enlarged cast list also means an opportunity for a handful of first-time qualifiers, including Cape Verde, Jordan and the tiny Caribbean nation of Curacao.

With six of the field still to be decided in playoffs, the favourites will want to avoid Italy, who won the World Cup as recently as 2006 but have not qualified since 2014.

Despite an error-strewn qualification campaign, the Italians can still reach the finals by winning two sudden-death games.

The opening match will be held at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, which also hosted the 1970 and 1986 finals, before the tournament unfolds over nearly six weeks, culminating in the final at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Because of the complexity, teams will only learn the full details of their match venues and kickoff times on Saturday, a day after the draw.

Supporters’ groups have warned fans could face eye-watering sums for tickets for the most attractive games due to FIFA’s decision to use dynamic ticket pricing.

Prices on popular secondary market websites in the US, such as StubHub and SeatGeek, have already skyrocketed, with prices for the July 19 World Cup final in New Jersey starting at about $7,000.

The FIFA World Cup draw is an event that comes around only once every four years – but it can do plenty to determine a football nation’s morale heading into the sport’s most prestigious global competition.

The 2026 tournament – to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico – features a record 48 teams, with this draw adding a few new tweaks to spread out the contenders from the pretenders.

Here is all you need to know before the all-important little plastic balls are allocated to their pots:

When and where is the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw?

The draw will begin at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, on Friday, December 5, at 12 noon (17:00 GMT).

How does the World Cup draw work?

The draw will begin with Pot 1 and the 12 seeded teams, as determined by FIFA, being drawn into Groups A to L. These teams comprise:

• Top four-ranked nations: Spain, Argentina, France and England
• Next five best-seeded nations: Belgium, Brazil, Germany, Netherlands and Portugal
• Three seeded spots allocated to the host nations: Canada, Mexico and USA

The process will then continue with Pots 2, 3, and 4, in that order, FIFA explained.

Six more World Cup spots remain to be filled among the 22 nations still in contention through the playoffs in March.

Italy, four-time World Cup winners and 12th in the FIFA rankings, are in the playoffs and could find themselves in Pot 4 if they qualify.

Debutants Uzbekistan are in Pot 3, while fellow first-timers Jordan, Cape Verde and Curacao are in Pot 4.

What are the rules of the World Cup draw?

Each nation’s name is printed on a slip of paper, which is then folded and placed inside a plastic ball numbered 1 to 4 to represent one of the four pots.

Draw representatives mix up the balls in large glass bowls (pots) – and then extract one ball at a time from each pot to form the groups.

The three host nations have predetermined groups: Mexico in Group A, Canada in Group B, and USA in Group D.

The other top nine FIFA-seeded nations will be spread across the remaining nine groups: C, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, and L.

There is less certainty for the remaining 36 teams, but specific rules do apply:

• In principle, no group will have more than one team from the same confederation drawn into it.
• UEFA teams, which comprise 16 nations, are the exception to the rule – up to two European teams can be drawn into the same group.

When can the top seeds play each other at the World Cup?

The 2026 World Cup draw rewards the four highest-ranked teams – Spain, Argentina, France and England – who will be placed in separate sections, or quadrants, of a new tennis-style seeded tournament bracket.

FIFA said the top four nations, if they finish top of their respective round-robin groups, will avoid each other until the semifinals.

Defending champions Argentina (No 2 ranked) with Lionel Messi and top-ranked European champions Spain (No 1 ranked) with Lamine Yamal, therefore, can ensure they do not meet until the final at MetLife Stadium near New York.

Which other teams are in the pots?

Forty-two of the 48 teams have now qualified for the World Cup, with the remaining six nations to be determined in March 2026.

Teams will be randomly drawn from each of the four pots and assigned to one of the 12 groups in Friday’s draw:

Pot 1: Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany (three host nations and nine top-seeded)

Pot 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, Australia

Pot 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, Qatar, South Africa

Pot 4: Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curacao, Haiti, New Zealand, European playoff winners A, B, C and D, Intercontinental playoff winners 1 and 2

Why is Iran boycotting the World Cup draw?

Iran has decided to boycott the World Cup draw because the US denied visas to members of its delegation, the state-run IRNA news agency reported on Friday.

The agency quoted Iranian football federation spokesman Amir-Mahdi Alavi as saying that officials faced visa obstacles that go beyond sporting considerations.

There was no immediate comment from the White House.

Alavi said the federation had reached out to FIFA and hoped it could help resolve the issue.

President Donald Trump’s administration announced in June a travel ban on citizens from 12 countries, including Iran, although exemptions were promised for “any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event as determined by the secretary of state”.

It is unclear whether the exemptions also apply to the World Cup draw.

How to watch

Live coverage of the 2026 World Cup draw will be provided on FIFA.com and the FIFA World Cup social media channels. The draw will also be broadcast by FIFA’s media partners.

Al Jazeera Sport will provide live text commentary of the draw.

Palestine defeated host nation Qatar 1-0 in the team’s first match of the 2025 Arab Cup, providing a boost to the players hoping to beat the odds and make it to the knockouts.