US, Mexico, Canada all score automatic 2026 World Cup berths originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
National soccer teams from the United States, Canada and Mexico have automatically qualified for the 2026 World Cup, FIFA announced Tuesday.
With three slots filled in the first ever 48-team bracket, FIFA's ruling council also began looking ahead to the 2030 World Cup and confirmed a timetable that would award the winning bidder by September 2024.
A 2030 World Cup host vote is scheduled to be held in the third quarter of next year by around 200 member federations, the council confirmed Tuesday.
Also in 2024 will be the awarding of the host nation for the 2027 Women's World Cup, football's governing body said. No exact voting date was given, though.
How many teams will be in the 2026 World Cup?
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The 2026 men’s World Cup will feature 48 nations and be the first edition expanded from the 32-team tournament that was introduced in 1998.
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2026 will mark Canada’s first time hosting the tournament. Mexico hosted in 1970 and 1986, with the United States hosting its first and only World Cup in 1994.
Who will host the 2030 World Cup?
The tournament has not had a shortage of bidders.
Saudi Arabia is a potential candidate in the 2030 contest. It might be an uphill battle, though.
Co-hosting bids from South America and Europe are the expected favorites, with a bid from Uruguay-Argentina-Chile-Paraguay being the clubhouse leader 18 months until the 2024 vote.
Uruguay, the inaugural 1930 World Cup host, is making a centenary bid that should be able to top the joint effort from Spain and Portugal.
Morocco is another host option, committing to taking part in the 2030 contest more than four years ago immediately after losing the vote for the 2026 tournament to the North American host nations.
Which cities are hosting games in the 2026 World Cup?
There are a total of 16 cities hosting games in 2026: 11 in the U.S., three in Mexico and two in Canada. Here’s a country-by-country look at the cities:
- United States: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle
- Mexico: Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey
- Canada: Toronto, Vancouver
