KC2026 Media Hub

Tournament Overview: 

The FIFA World Cup 26™ is the largest soccer tournament on the planet
 

At a glance:  

• June 11 – July 19, 2026  
• 3 Countries 
• 16 Cities 
• 48 Teams  
• 104 Matches 

 Format:  

• 12 Groups of 4 teams in each group stage 
• The top 2 from each group, plus 8 third-place teams advance to a new Round of 32 
• Knockout rounds processed from the Round of 32 through the Final 

Teams: 

To date, 42 teams have qualified for the FIFA World Cup 26™, with six spots remaining. The final spots will be determined through playoffs in March 2026.   

Asia – AFC 

• Japan 
• Iran 
• South Korea 
• Australia  
• Jordan 
• Qatar 
• Saudi Arabia 
• Uzbekistan

Africa – CAF 

• Morocco 
• Tunisia 
• Egypt 
• Algeria  
• Senegal 
• South Africa 
• Ghana 
• Cape Verde 
• Cameroon 

South America – CONMEBOL 

• Argentina 
• Brazil 
• Uruguay 
• Colombia 
• Ecuador 
• Paraguay  

North / Central America –  Concacaf  

• Panama 
• Curaçao 
• Haiti 

Oceania – OFC  

• New Zealand  

Europe – UEFA 

• England 
• France 
• Spain 
• Germany 
• Portugal 
• Netherlands 
• Belgium 
• Switzerland 
• Austria 
• Croatia 
• Norway 
• Scotland 

Key Tournament Dates: 

• December 5, 2025 | Final Draw
  The 48 teams are placed into 12 groups 

• December 6, 2025 | Match Schedule
  Full reveal of match venues and kick-off times for qualified teams  

• March 26, 2026 | Playoff Semifinals
  UEFA playoffs, Intercontinental playoffs   

• March 31, 2026 | Playoff Finals
  Final 6 World Cup 26 spots determined  

• June 11, 2026 | Opening Match
  Estadio Azteca, Mexico City 

• June 12, 2026 | Host Nation Opening Matches
  Canada at BMO Field, Toronto and USA at SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles  

• June 11-27, 2026 | Group Stage
  48 teams in 12 groups playing 80 matches 

• June 28-July 3, 2026 | Round of 32
  New knockout round

• July 4-7, 2026 | Round of 16
  Knockout round  

• July 9-11, 2026 | Quarterfinals
  Final 8 teams

• July 14, 2026 | Semifinal 1
  Winner advances to final 

• July 15, 2026 | Semifinal 2
  Winner advances to final 

• July 18, 2026 | Third Place Match
  Single game to determine third and fourth place  

• July 19, 2026 | Final
  Winner named FIFA World Cup 26™ Champions    

Learn more about the FIFA World Cup 26™.   

KC Matches:  Kansas City is hosting six matches, including a round of 32 match and a coveted Quarterfinal match. 

Kansas City Stadium: Home to the Kansas City Chiefs and world-class entertainment that has hosted historic performances from global music legends. With its distinctive design and unrivaled acoustics that amplify the roars of passionate fans, Arrowhead Stadium offers an unforgettable experience that transcends beyond sports, uniting generations in a shared fervor for excellence and excitement.

Kansas City Stadium set the Guinness World Record for the loudest crowd roar at a sports stadium in September 2014 during a Monday Night Football game against the New England Patriots, hitting 142.2 decibels (dbA).  

Team Base Camps: Serving as the “home away from home” where teams will train, rest and prepare during the tournament. KC’s Team Base Camps for FIFA World Cup 26™ are recognized as some of the premier training facilities in the U.S. 

FIFA Fan Festival™: Located at the National WWI Museum and Memorial, FIFA Fan Festival™ will be the greatest football party in the world. Bringing together thousands of fans to cheer for their nations, share their cultures and celebrate the beautiful game in the Heart of America. 

Media must obtain a separate credential from KC2026 to access the FIFA Fan Festival™. This credential is different from the FIFA-issued stadium credential. 

A stadium credential will not grant access to FIFA Fan Festival™, and a FIFA Fan Festival™ credential will not grant access to the stadium. 

KC2026 will release full details and instructions for the FIFA Fan Festival™ credentialing process in March 2026. 

About The National World War I Museum and Memorial 

ConnectKC26 is Kansas City’s official transportation service during the FIFA World Cup 26™  tournament, offering three  motorcoach options to make getting around the region easy: 

• Stadium Direct: Match-day service for FIFA World Cup Kansas City 26™ ticketholders from the FIFA Fan Festival™ or one of four park-and-ride locations direct to Kansas City Stadium.
• Region Direct: Service throughout the tournament connecting the FIFA Fan Festival™ to 15 sites across the region for easy access to attractions including dining, shopping, entertainment, museums and more. 
• Airport Direct: Service between Kansas City International Airport (MCI) and downtown Kansas City, MO, with convenient pick-up and drop-off at the FIFA Fan Festival™. 

Kansas City’s existing transit options include: 

• RideKC Bus: A network of local bus routes serving neighborhoods and key destinations.  
• KC Streetcar: Free service connecting the KC Riverfront, Downtown, Crown Center, and Country Club Plaza. Great for short trips and exploring local attractions.  
• Rideshare & Taxis: Available throughout the city for flexible, on-demand travel. 
• Bike & Scooter Share: Perfect for short, eco-friendly trips. Kansas City offers protected bike lanes, scenic trails, and bike racks for convenience. 
• Car Rentals: Available at Kansas City International Airport (MCI) and throughout the metro area. 

The FIFA World Cup 26™ Volunteer Center – Kansas City is located at the region’s iconic Union Station, where volunteers will learn, train and engage as they prepare to welcome the world with authentic Midwest hospitality. More than 15,000 people applied to volunteer in Kansas City during the FIFA World Cup 26™. Of those, more than half live within 50 miles of Kansas City. Kansas City will need as many as 6,000 volunteers for the FIFA World Cup 26™. 

Official Supporters of the Kansas City World Cup 2026 Host City are key civic and brand partners who are helping bring FIFA World Cup 26™ to life in Kansas City. These are mission-aligned organizations that go beyond sponsorship. They’re contributing to community engagement, regional storytelling and milestone moments leading to the matches. Their support reflects the spirit of Kansas City and reinforces the goal of delivering a globally visible, locally rooted tournament experience that drives long-term impact for the region. The Official Kansas City World Cup 2026 Host City Supporter program allows local organizations to play a central role in supporting Host Cities for the FIFA World Cup 26™.

Visitor Projections and Economic Impact Numbers 

• Projected Visitors: 650,000*
  *Source: VisitKC, “estimates 650,000 unique visits based on total visitor days during the duration of the event in the KC area. Visitor Day” defined as one visitor spending one day (day/overnight) in the destination Figure will be adjusted further with basecamps and other future announcements.

• Regional Economic Impact: $653,000,000 in direct event impact*
  *Source: Destinations International Event Impact Calculator assumes 6 matches hosted; 3.2 persons per room; $299 avg hotel rate; 80% of overnight attendees arriving by air.

KCHouse: This invitation-only experience will serve as the primary hospitality venue for global leaders, civic stakeholders and business partners, offering a place to meet, connect and represent Kansas City.  

KC2026 developed KC Game Plan in collaboration with small business champions, including representatives from more than 100 nonprofit organizations, including area chambers of commerce, entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs) and government and tourism industry partners. 

KC Game Plan will include valuable information, actionable ideas and practical planning tools like visitor insights, fan traditions and a confidential readiness assessment, allowing businesses to create a customized plan.  

KC2026 Contact 

• For KC2026 Media Inquiries, contact [email protected]  

FIFA 

• Media is strongly encouraged to register for access to the FIFA Media Hub or contact [email protected]  
• FIFA Intellectual Property Guidelines