When and where will the 2026 FIFA World Cup take place?

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to be held from 11 June to 19 July. It will be a historic tournament, as it is the first time the competition will be co-hosted by three countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

How many teams will participate in the 2026 tournament?

For the first time ever, the World Cup will expand to feature 48 teams. This is a significant increase from the 32-team format used in previous editions (1998 - 2022).

What is the new competition format?

The tournament will consist of 12 groups of four teams each. The top two teams from every group, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will advance to a new Round of 32 knockout stage. From there, the competition proceeds to the Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final.

How many matches will be played in total?

Due to the expansion of teams and the new group stage format, the 2026 World Cup will feature 104 matches in total, compared to the 64 matches played in previous editions. To win the trophy, a team will now need to play eight matches instead of seven.

How many players are allowed on each national team roster?

For the 2026 tournament, each participating national team must submit a roster of between 23 and 26 players.

Where is the final match going to be held?

The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final is set to take place at the New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium) on 19 July.

AFP

Celine Abrahams

May 19, 2026 09:04-04:00

How to watch and live stream the 2026 FIFA World Cup on TikTok

GOAL explains how fans can track the 2026 FIFA World Cup through dedicated broadcaster hubs on TikTok.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to accelerate the shift toward short-form digital consumption, with TikTok taking on an expanded, official role in tournament coverage. While full 90-minute broadcasts remain on traditional platforms, a landmark partnership with FIFA positions TikTok as a major destination for real-time match clips, behind-the-scenes access, and official broadcaster activity.

Here, GOAL breaks down how to follow the tournament on TikTok, regional rights holders, and what content will be available throughout the competition.

Can you watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup live on TikTok?

TikTok will not host standalone, full-length live broadcasts of matches. However, under its status as FIFA’s preferred platform for the tournament, authorised regional broadcasters have the option to stream live portions of matches directly within the platform's dedicated World Cup hub.

For complete, uninterrupted match coverage, fans will still need to use traditional television broadcasts or official streaming platforms. TikTok's live components are designed to complement the primary broadcast by offering real-time discovery and a mobile-first second-screen experience.

How do I find the official World Cup tournament hub on TikTok?

You can access the dedicated experience by opening the TikTok app and typing "World Cup","FIFA World Cup" or "World Cup 2026" into the search bar. The official, verified tournament banner and hub will appear at the very top of your search results.

Is it free to access World Cup content on TikTok?

Yes. Accessing the official FIFA World Cup 2026 Hub, creator content, and broadcaster clips on TikTok is completely free. However, watching full-length matches on the additional streaming platforms listed in our guide may require a paid subscription or regional television licence.

2026 FIFA World Cup TikTok viewing guide

Region / Country	Official Broadcaster(s)	Additional Streaming Platforms
Australia	SBS	SBS On Demand
Brazil	Grupo Globo / CazéTV	Globoplay
Canada	Bell Media (TSN, CTV, RDS)	TSN Direct, RDS Direct
France	beIN Sports / M6	beIN CONNECT, 6play
Germany	ARD / ZDF / Magenta Sport	ZDF Mediathek, MagentaTV
India & South Asia	Viacom18 / JioCinema	JioCinema
Italy	RAI / DAZN	RaiPlay, DAZN app
Japan	DAZN / NHK / Nippon TV / Fuji TV	DAZN, NHK+
Mexico	TelevisaUnivision / TV Azteca	ViX
MENA	beIN Sports	beIN CONNECT
New Zealand	TVNZ	TVNZ+
Portugal	Sport TV / LiveModeTV	Sport TV app
South Africa	SuperSport / SABC	DStv Stream, SABC+, Showmax
South Korea	JTBC / KBS	Regional broadcast apps, NAVER Sports
Spain	RTVE / DAZN	RTVE Play, DAZN app
Sub-Saharan Africa	New World TV / SuperSport	Regional streaming platforms
United Kingdom	BBC / ITV	BBC iPlayer, ITVX
United States	FOX Sports / Telemundo	Fubo, Peacock, Tubi

How to follow the 2026 FIFA World Cup on TikTok

Fans can access coverage through the official FIFA World Cup 2026 Hub by searching for the tournament name or following verified broadcaster pages. These destinations will aggregate content throughout the tournament, including:

Official Creator Correspondents: A global cohort of 30 specialised creators embedded across host cities providing behind-the-scenes updates from training facilities, press centres, and team arrivals.

Broadcaster Activity: Verified media accounts publishing instant goals, key highlights, and post-match analysis.

Archival Footage integration: Licenced content utilising historic tournament moments alongside 2026 match action.

The hub also features localised information, match schedules, and interactive filtering to help users customise their tournament feeds.

Will World Cup clips on TikTok be geo-blocked?

While general creator content, trends, and fan reactions are available globally, official match highlights, instant goals, and live broadcast windows published by regional rights holders may be geo-restricted to specific countries due to international broadcasting licences.

Frequently asked questions

: The 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to be held from 11 June to 19 July. It will be a historic tournament, as it is the first time the competition will be co-hosted by three countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
: For the first time ever, the World Cup will expand to feature 48 teams. This is a significant increase from the 32-team format used in previous editions (1998 - 2022).
: The tournament will consist of 12 groups of four teams each. The top two teams from every group, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will advance to a new Round of 32 knockout stage. From there, the competition proceeds to the Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final.
: Due to the expansion of teams and the new group stage format, the 2026 World Cup will feature 104 matches in total, compared to the 64 matches played in previous editions. To win the trophy, a team will now need to play eight matches instead of seven.
: For the 2026 tournament, each participating national team must submit a roster of between 23 and 26 players.
: The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final is set to take place at the New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium) on 19 July.