A Summer of Soccer
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is coming to North America this summer, and three countries are jointly hosting the tournament: Canada, Mexico and the United States. The tournament is held every four years, and the U.S. has only hosted once before, in 1994.
A total of 104 matches will be held over five weeks, and 16 cities will host matches between the participating teams. There are 12 groups, with four teams in each group. The 48 participating teams are from across the globe—including Ghana, Uzbekistan and Panama.
The opening match is being played in Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca on June 11.
The championship match is set for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The World Cup has a history dating back nearly 100 years! The first tournament was held in 1930 in Uruguay and included men’s teams from 13 countries. FIFA also organizes the Women’s World Cup, which was first played in 1991.
The original idea behind the tournament was to show off the sport on an international stage, and it certainly took off—the World Cup is now one of the most-watched sporting events worldwide!
Soccer, or football if you’re from most places outside of the United States, is ranked as the most popular sport in the world. There are an estimated 3.5 billion fans around the globe!
While none of the games are being played in our great state, the Iranian team was set to be practicing in Tucson. Unfortunately, at the end of last month, FIFA notified Pima County that plans had changed. After some uncertainty whether Iran would be playing given the ongoing war, the Iranian team found a new practice spot in Tijuana, Mexico.
“Sport is a great unifier, and we hope for nothing but success for the upcoming FIFA World Cup in North America and that it will show we all have more in common with one another than we do differences,” said Pima County Board of Supervisors Chair Jen Allen.
World Cup Facts:
- Year of First World Cup: 1930
- Countries participating: 48
- Total number of matches: 104
