World Cup action got underway June 11, and the opening stretch has already produced standout results. Team USA dominated Paraguay 4-1 in its opener. Lionel Messi recorded a hat trick in Argentina's 3-0 victory over Algeria. Cabo Verde, riding the heroics of its 40 year old goalkeeper, played Spain to a 0-0 draw in what was arguably the biggest shocker of the tournament's early run. Cabo Verde is also abbreviated as CPV.
Group Stage Format and Advancement
In group play, each team faces the other three teams in its group in round robin fashion. The top two teams from each of the 12 groups advance, along with the eight best third place finishers, for a total of 32 teams moving into the knockout stage.
The 12 opening groups are Group A (Mexico), Group B, Group C, Group D (USMNT), Group E, Group F, Group G, Group H, Group I, Group J, Group K, and Group L.
Knockout Round Dates
At the start of the Round of 32, the tournament becomes single elimination. That round kicks off June 28.
The Round of 16 starts July 4. The quarterfinals start July 9. The semifinals start July 14. The third place playoff is July 18, and the final is the following day, July 19.
Host Cities and Broadcast Coverage
The 2026 World Cup is being staged across 16 host cities in three countries. All games are being broadcast in the United States on Fox and FS1. Matches will also be broadcast in Spanish throughout the entirety of the World Cup on Telemundo and streaming on Peacock.
