The group stage for the 2026 World Cup is finalized, setting the stage for the tournament to be held in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. This article details the schedule, venues, and crucial ticket information, including the upcoming Random Selection Draw and last-minute sales.
The group stage is set for the 2026 World Cup after a star-studded final draw Friday, leaving fans with plenty to look forward to in the six months leading up to the big tournament.From playoffs that will determine the final six teams to international friendlies, here’s what’s next for the World Cup .
The 2026 World Cup will take place from June 11-July 19 in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.READ MORE: Which is the ‘group of death’ in the FIFA World Cup 2026?It begins on June 11, 2026 with Mexico playing the opener against South Africa in Mexico City. Games will be played at 11 NFL stadiums along with three in Mexico and two in Canada, where construction is underway to add 17,000 temporary seats to BMO Field, raising capacity to around 45,000. Attendance will top the record 3.59 million in 1994.The U.S. will play Paraguay a day later on June 12 in Los Angeles. RELATED: FIFA World Cup mascots Maple, Zayu and Clutch highlight host countries culture, heritage and spiritThe group stage goes through June 27. The top two teams in each group, along with the eight best third-place finishers, will then go to the knockout stage. That stage begins June 28 with 32 teams. The next phase of ticket sales for the FIFA World Cup 2026 – the Random Selection Draw – will begin on Dec. 11, with the entry period for fans open until Jan. 13. This marks the third phase of ticket sales for the 2026 tournament. The Visa Presale Draw and the Early Ticket Draw closed in November.To apply for the Random Selection Draw, you can visit FIFA’s ticket website starting Dec. 11, register for a FIFA ID, then be able to apply for tickets to specific matches.In February, FIFA will randomly select applicants and let them know if they will get all or some of the tickets they applied for. The final phase is in the spring, when "last-minute sales" will be available to the general public. It’s not clear how many tickets will be sold in this phase, or whether all matches will be available. According to FIFA, nearly two million tickets have already been sold.The final six teams for the 48-team tournament will be decided March 31, with 22 nations competing in playoffs for the final six berths. That includes No. 12-ranked Italy. FIFA announced initial ticket prices of $60-$6,730, saying they would be dynamic, up from $25-$475 for the 1994 tournament in the United States. It has refused to release a complete list of prices, as it had for every other World Cup since at least 1990. The governing body also is selling parking passes for up to $175 for a single match, a semifinal in Arlington, Texas.Ahead of its World Cup opener on June 12, the U.S. will play a series of international friendly matches: two in Atlanta, one in Charlotte and one in Chicago. Here’s the schedule:
World Cup FIFA 2026 Tickets Schedule
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