The FIFA World Cup is quickly approaching, and the beautiful game's biggest stage is coming to the City of Brotherly Love! Here’s all you need to know about the 2026 edition of the tournament and what it means for fans in Philadelphia.
FIFA World Cup 2026
For the first time since 1994, the World Cup will be hosted in North America, with games taking place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The tournament will begin on June 11th in Estadio Azteca Mexico City and conclude on July 19th at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
For the first time ever, 48 teams will be included in the tournament, which is a significant increase from the field of 32 that competed in Qatar during the 2022 edition. More teams means more action – there will be a total of 104 matches in the tournament. Philadelphia, the birthplace of the United States, is set to host six of them.
Which countries will compete in the City of Brotherly Love, and when?
June 14th Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador
June 19th Philadelphia Union's own Danley Jean Jacques and Haiti vs. Brazil
June 22nd France vs FIFA playoff group 2
June 25th Curaçao vs. Ivory Coast
June 27th Croatia vs. Ghana
Philadelphia will also host a Round of 16 match on July 4th.
Stars and Stripes
Because the United States is a host nation, it has landed in Pot 1, which includes Canada, Mexico, USA, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany. They were drawn into Group D, alongisde Paraguay, Australia, and the to-be-determined EUFA Play-off C winner.
They'll open their campaign on June 12th against Paraguay in Los Angeles, take on Australia on June 19th in Seattle, then close the group stage against the Play-off C winner on June 25th in Los Angeles.
The United States Men's National Team has participated in 11 World Cups -- 2026 marks their 12th.
Philadelphia Union connections
One of Philadelphia Union's own has earned a spot in the World Cup with his country. 25-year-old midfielder Danley Jean Jacques played an integral role in helping Haiti qualify for the tournament for the first time in more than 50 years. Les Grenadiers clinched the spot with a 2-0 win over Nicaragua in the final qualifying match, landing in Pot 4.
He was drawn into Group C with Brazil, Morocco, and Scotland. Favorably for Union fans, Haiti will play Brazil at Lincoln Financial Field on June 19th at 9pm.
He's not the only Union connection -- Head Coach Bradley Carnell was part of South Africa's 2002 World Cup team. The South African National Team is nicknamed Bafana Bafana, and they've earned a spot in this year's edition.
Longtime Union team captain Alejandro Bedoya was part of the preliminary 30-man roster for the 2010 World Cup, then made the final roster in 2014, playing in all four of the USMNT's matches. He now hosts a podcast with U.S. Soccer, recently sharing his World Cup and Phialdelphia Union memories on the show.
His co-captain, three time MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Andre Blake, also captains Jamaica. While the Reggae Boyz haven't yet qualified, they have a chance to do so during the FIFA Playoff tournament in March.
