FIFA President Gianni Infantino shares the excitement of football fans around the world as the countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues. With exactly two years to go until the tournament begins, Infantino said the 23rd edition of the World Cup, which will kick off on June 11, 2026, at the iconic Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, will be "the biggest event, the biggest show, the biggest tournament" never seen.
This edition will be the most inclusive ever, with a record 48 teams and will be hosted by 16 cities in three countries: Canada, Mexico and the United States. "I'm definitely counting the days. Like everyone else. Two years seems like a long time away, but we know they're very, very close."Said Infantino, posing next to the World Cup trophy that will be presented to the winning team after the final in New York, New Jersey, on July 19, 2026.
Infantino underlined the historical importance of the Estadio Azteca, which will become the first stadium to host three World Cup opening matches, having already hosted the opening matches in 1970 and 1986. "We've never seen it before, and experiencing it in an iconic stadium like the Azteca is something very, very special. We all know the epic matches, the World Cup matches, that have been played there in the past, absolute champions like Pelé and Diego Maradona who played and won at the Azteca.", recalled the FIFA president.
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Qualifying for the tournament is already underway in several regions around the world. Eighteen matches have been played in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualifiers, determining which teams will advance to the third stage. Meanwhile, matches are also taking place in the North, Central America and Caribbean (Concacaf) regions and the Confederation of African Football (CAF). In South America, qualifying began in September 2023.
Infantino assured that preparations are progressing well in all three host nations. "In the host cities, we are working with the authorities, with the owners and operators of the stadiums, with the local communities.", he said, referring to the two Canadian, three Mexican and eleven U.S. locations. "There's fantastic collaboration everywhere. They can't wait to have millions of fans from all over the world. The stadiums are absolutely beautiful.", he added.
Infantino also highlighted the busy schedule of events and meetings underway, involving local authorities, sponsors, and broadcast partners. The next important milestones include the qualifying draws in Asia and Oceania, with the AFC competitions resuming in September and those of the Oceania Football Confederation starting the same month. UEFA qualifying will take place between March 2025 and March 2026, with 16 places available for European teams.
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