FIFA World Cup 2026 News

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature 48 national teams and a total of 1,245 players, making it the largest tournament in the competition's history. Under FIFA regulations, each nation was allowed to submit a squad of 26 players, including at least three goalkeepers.

The defending champions enter the 2026 FIFA World Cup as one of the favourites to lift the trophy once again. Lionel Scaloni's side topped the CONMEBOL qualifiers by nine points and remain packed with world-class talent. With Lionel Messi expected to play in his final World Cup, the Albiceleste will be aiming to become the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the title.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the largest in history, expanding to 48 teams and introducing a completely new group stage format. Instead of eight groups, the tournament now features 12 groups of four teams, which significantly changes how sides approach the early rounds. The top two teams from each group will qualify automatically, while eight of the best third-placed teams will also advance to the Round of 32.

A goalkeeper is a key part of any football team, especially at the World Cups, where you need to win eight matches in the space of a month on your way to glory. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is just around the corner, so it’s time to talk about the top contenders to claim the Golden Glove award in North America. We’ll check the odds and name the favourites before making a bold prediction on the eventual winner.

Germany arrive at the 2026 FIFA World Cup hoping to finally put their recent tournament disappointments behind them. The four-time world champions suffered back-to-back group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022, but there is renewed optimism under Julian Nagelsmann after encouraging progress over the past two years.

The United States will play the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil as one of the tournament's three host nations. Mauricio Pochettino's side have been handed a competitive Group D alongside Türkiye, Paraguay and Australia. The team have not reached the World Cup quarter-finals since 2002 and will be looking to end that long wait in front of their own fans.

France are ready for their last major international tournament under Didier Deschamps. The two-time world champions, who played in the last two finals, are eager to make amends after losing on penalties to Argentina in the deciding match four years ago. With so much talent in the squad, Les Bleus have everything they need to shine at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Spain are the favourites to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The reigning European champions have one of the most talented squads in the tournament and will be aiming to add a second World Cup title to the one they won in South Africa back in 2010.

England head into the 2026 FIFA World Cup as one of the main contenders to lift the trophy. The pressure is naturally massive. The Three Lions have not won a major international trophy since 1966, but the current team is packed with talent and experience.

Portugal are still chasing the biggest achievement in their football history. Team's best World Cup finish remains third place in 1966, while their most recent campaigns ended in quarter-final disappointments against Morocco in 2022 and France at Euro 2024.

The Brazil national football team is the most successful in World Cup history, having claimed five titles to date. However, their last triumph came 24 years ago, and since then their best result was fourth place on home soil in 2014. Their last triumph in the Copa America happened in 2019, so the Seleção fans are eager to celebrate another victory for quite some time.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is just around the corner, and it’s time to talk about one of the most important individual awards. The Golden Ball award is decided based on individual performance (goals, assists, influence), consistency across matches, impact in key moments, especially the knockout stages, and overall contribution to the team’s success.

With the latest round of international friendlies now behind us, Thomas Tuchel has revealed a bit more about his England plans. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is now just two months away, and the squad picture is starting to take real shape.

The countdown to the biggest football event in history is well and truly on. Alongside the race to crown the World Cup 2026 winner, there will also be several individual awards handed out. The most prestigious of them is the Golden Boot.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw has now taken place, with teams learning their group stage opponents on Friday, December 5, at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. It was the first draw held under FIFA's new system, with the major changes introduced for the tournament.