Tournament Guide
FIFA World Cup 2026 Preview: Schedule, Qualifiers & Live Stream Guide
Everything you need to know about the biggest World Cup ever — hosted across the USA, Canada, and Mexico — plus how to watch every qualifier and tournament match live in HD.
Tournament at a glance
- Dates: June 11 – July 19, 2026
- Hosts: United States, Canada, Mexico
- Teams: 48 (expanded from 32)
- Format: 12 groups of 4 → Round of 32 → knockouts
- Total matches: 104
- Final venue: MetLife Stadium, New Jersey
Qualification stages
All six FIFA confederations are running qualification tournaments right now. Key paths to watch:
- UEFA (Europe): 16 direct slots — group stage into March 2026 playoffs.
- CONMEBOL (South America): Single round-robin league — 6 direct + 1 playoff slot.
- AFC (Asia): 8 direct + 1 playoff — third-round groups running now.
- CAF (Africa): 9 direct + 1 playoff via inter-confederation match.
- CONCACAF: Host nations pre-qualified; remaining slots via league stages.
- OFC (Oceania): 1 direct slot + 1 playoff for the first time.
Host cities
Matches are spread across 16 host cities in North America — including Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Toronto, Vancouver, Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey.
How to watch live on SKY855HD
SKY855HD streams every World Cup qualifier and tournament match live in HD with real-time chat and instant score updates. No sign-up needed to watch — jump into any live match from the homepage or check upcoming fixtures below.
Frequently asked questions
When does the World Cup 2026 start?
June 11, 2026, with the final on July 19, 2026 at MetLife Stadium.
How many teams will play?
48 teams — the largest World Cup format ever, split into 12 groups of 4.
Where can I stream qualifiers live?
Every qualifier and tournament fixture streams live in HD on SKY855HD.