#world-cup-2026

#world-cup-2026

NRG Stadium is the closest of the 11 United States stadiums hosting matches at World Cup 2026 to the three venues in Mexico. Houston, Texas is just inland from the Gulf of Mexico in southern USA. It's one of 16 World Cup 2026 venues across the United States, Mexico and Canada, and will host five group stage matches and two knock-out games under the name 'Houston Stadium'.

The Football Association will pass on England supporters' concerns about high 2026 World Cup ticket prices to Fifa. However, despite the growing outrage, it is understood none of the international federations expect world football's governing body to change its policy. Anger among supporter groups continued on Friday after it emerged that the cheapest tickets will cost 10 times the price promised in the original bid for the United States, Canada and Mexico to host the tournament.

Hotels across North America have begun hiking prices to astronomical levels as they prepare for the FIFA World Cup in 2026. Next year's World Cup will take place in host cities in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. With the tournament's first matches set to begin in less than six months, hotels are trying to take full advantage of one of the world's largest sporting events.

As the local organising committee, SeattleFWC26's role is to prepare our city to host the matches and manage the city experience outside of Seattle Stadium, said Hana Tedesse, the vice-president of communications for Seattle Fifa World Cup 2026. SeattleFWC26 is moving forward as planned with our community programming outside the stadium during Pride weekend and throughout the tournament, partnering with LGBTQ+ leaders, artists and business owners to elevate existing Pride celebrations across Washington.

Fifa says it will include three-minute hydration breaks in each half of every game at next year's World Cup, not just those played in hot weather. The referee will stop the game 22 minutes into each half for players to take drinks, regardless of the temperature, the host country the United States, Canada or Mexico or whether the stadium has a roof and air conditioning.

Luka Modric and Nikola Vlasic are friends away from the field, but tonight they will be opponents and opposite numbers. Last January, in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Vlasic included Modric in his select pantheon of the greatest. "It's crazy: you can't even try to press him because he never lets you have the ball." An admiration that borders on reverence for the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- FIFA announced the start times for the tournament's 104 matches on Saturday, a day after the draw for the expanded 48-nation tournament, with the final set to kick off at 3 p.m. EDT. The kickoff time for the July 19 final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, allows for prime-time viewing in Europe, where it will be 9 p.m., and Britain, where it will be 8 p.m.

England have been handed World Cup kick-off times which suit UK audiences - but Scotland fans face later finishes during next summer's tournament. England will play all three of their group games in the United States, with their first two matches against Croatia, on 17 June, and Ghana, on 23 June, kicking off at 21:00 BST. Their final group game against Panama on 27 June begins at 22:00.

Manager Steve Clarke was in the audience for the ceremony at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC where it was confirmed Scotland will face Haiti on 13 June. They will then take on Morocco - who are ranked 11th in the world - on 19 June before lining up against top seeds Brazil on 24 June. Afterwards Clarke said Scotland can "bring a little bit of magic" to the tournament after qualifying for the first time in 28 years.

It will be a great duel,

Northern Ireland will face hosts Canada, Qatar and Switzerland in Group B of the World Cup if they come through March's tricky play-off. Michael O'Neill's side finished third in their qualifying group behind Germany and Slovakia, but still booked a play-off spot thanks to their Nations League finish in 2024. Northern Ireland face a difficult play-off semi-final in Italy, who have not played at the World Cup since 2014, on 26 March in Path A.

England will begin their World Cup 2026 campaign against Croatia, while Scotland have been drawn alongside Brazil at next summer's tournament. Thomas Tuchel's England will open their tournament in Dallas or Toronto on 17 June, before also facing Ghana and Panama in Group L. Scotland's first match at the men's World Cup for 28 years will be against Haiti on 13 June, in Boston or New York, followed by matches against Morocco and Brazil in Group C.

Ralf Rangnick's side qualified for their eighth finals by finishing top of Group H in UEFA's World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign. The headlines were stolen by a 10-0 win over San Marino in October 2025 but it was four points from matches against second-placed Bosnia and Herzegovina that really made the difference. Austria have become regulars at the European Championship and have progressed beyond the group stage in the last two tournaments,

The Qatar World Cup 2026 squad is the first to have ever qualified for the World Cup, following their hosting of the 2022 tournament. Qatar will hoping for a much better showing at World Cup 2026, however: they crashed out in the group stage on home soil last time around, after scoring just once in three games. It leaves them as statistically the worst-ever hosts of the competition but with an expanded tournament this time around, it may be a leveller playing field this time.

Jordan managed to qualify for World Cup 2026 by a point ahead of Iran, and have subsequently risen to their highest FIFA ranking (70th) since 2014. They will play in the Arab Cup in December, and while it won't feature a full complement of players, it will give them a good indication of where they are ahead of the showpiece event next summer.

This past week has offered Chelsea's Estêvão a glimpse into the often-unforgiving journey to the top of the game. Last Tuesday, the 18-year-old Brazil forward dazzled with a brilliant goal the apotheosis of a sparkling collective performance as Chelsea beat Barcelona 3-0 at Stamford Bridge on a night they announced their UEFA Champions League credentials. Five days later, he was substituted at half-time in the 1-1 draw against Premier League leaders Arsenal having touched the ball just 17 times and wasted two good shooting opportunities.

The visualised podcast, which is hosted by Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, currently releases three episodes a week but will run daily on Netflix throughout the World Cup. The deal marks the streamer's first significant foray into football coverage and an expansion of its podcast portfolio, which is seen as an effort to rival YouTube. Lineker said the deal was a "fantastic opportunity for the three of us to do what we love - talk football every day - but on a truly global stage".

Their 'golden generation' may have been and gone, but an exciting crop of young talent are bursting through, raising hopes across the country ahead of next summer's competition. You may like Kevin De Bruyne, who is ranked at No.1 in FourFourTwo's list of the best Premier League midfielders of all time, was not in the last squad after suffering a high-grade hamstring injury when taking a penalty for Napoli in October. There are reports he could miss the World Cup with his recovery set at at least four months.

The current Nations League champions had to wait until the final matchday of the World Cup 2026 qualifiers, but they hammered Luxembourg 9-1, easing any concerns they might have to rely on the play-offs. A loss against Ireland in Dublin, which also saw superstar Cristiano Ronaldo receive his first-ever red card for the national team, was the only major blemish on what was otherwise a successful qualifying campaign.