FIFA World Cup 2026 expands to 48 teams across three countries
FIFA’s 2026 World Cup will stretch across 16 stadiums in Canada, Mexico and the United States, with 1,248 players already named and 13 Fan Festivals planned.
The World Cup’s footprint in 2026 will be larger than any before it, and its audience will be too. FIFA’s 23rd edition will be the first to feature 48 national teams, the first staged across three host countries, and the first built around 104 matches in 16 cities and 16 stadiums.
That scale is already taking shape in the squads. FIFA confirmed 1,248 players from 48 nations in the final lists submitted on June 2, 2026, a snapshot of how much deeper the tournament now reaches into the global game. FIFA has described the event as the largest and most inclusive World Cup in history, a claim underscored by the expanded field, the wider host map and the number of fixtures that will spread from city to city across Canada, Mexico and the United States.
The tournament’s off-field life is being built just as deliberately. FIFA has announced 13 FIFA Fan Festival sites, with matches on giant screens, local experiences and appearances by artists, FIFA Legends and others. Those gatherings are meant to do more than pull crowds; they extend the World Cup beyond the stadium gates and into public space, where national identity, local culture and shared viewing collide in real time.
In the United States, the media plan reflects that same cross-border reach. Xfinity says the tournament will air in English on FOX, FOX One and FS1, and in Spanish on Telemundo, Universo and Peacock. Xfinity also says customers with Gig speeds or higher will get Peacock included for 24 months, giving them access to every match in Spanish. For viewers looking for additional access to soccer coverage, Xfinity is also promoting World Soccer Ticket and NOW TV Latino.
The result is a tournament designed not just to be watched, but to be circulated, clipped and shared across platforms and languages. With a record number of players, 104 matches, and a host structure that spans three countries, the 2026 World Cup is shaping up as a test of how modern fandom moves, from the fan festival screen to the living room and into the daily video feeds that now frame the sport’s biggest stage.
This article was produced by Prism’s automated news system from verified source data, official records, and press releases, then run through automated quality and moderation checks before publishing. The system is built and supervised by the people who set the standards it runs under. Read our full AI policy.
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