The 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will begin on Thursday, June 11, 2026, with an opening match between Mexico and South Africa at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. This edition features 48 teams for the first time, including 10 African nations: Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia.
The group stage runs from June 11 to June 27, with matches played across 16 venues in North America. Key African fixtures include Nigeria vs. Brazil on June 15, Senegal vs. France on June 18, and Morocco vs. Portugal on June 21. The full schedule is available on FIFA's official website.
Each group consists of four teams, with the top two advancing to the knockout stage. The tournament will conclude with the final on Sunday, July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
African teams have a strong history in the World Cup, with Morocco reaching the semifinals in 2022. This year, expectations are high for Senegal and Nigeria to advance deep into the tournament.
