Everything you need to know about the 2026 World Cup

Maple the Moose, Zayu the Jaguar and Clutch the Bald Eagle are next year's mascots

The countdown to the biggest tournament in football is on.

The 2026 World Cup takes place next summer and will see a record number of teams from across the globe battling it out to be crowned world champions.

And now Fifa have revealed there will be three tournament mascots - one for each host nation.

Maple the Moose will represent Canada, Zayu the Jaguar is Mexico's mascot and the United States have Clutch the Bald Eagle.

But who are they and what can we expect from the 2026 tournament?

Here's everything we know so far about next summer's World Cup..

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When and where will the 2026 World Cup take place?

The 2026 World Cup will be hosted by three different countries

The 2026 World Cup will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

It's the first time in history that the tournament will be hosted by three different nations.

The opening match will take place on 11 June 2026 in Mexico City, with the final set for 19 July in New Jersey.

The tournament is being expanded to include 48 teams for the first time in its history, and as a result it will last a record 39 days.

The new format will feature 12 four-team groups and an extra knockout round.

Which cities are hosting World Cup matches in 2026?

The final will take place at the MetLife Stadium, home of the New York Jets NFL team

Sixteen cities will host games during next summer's World Cup, eleven in the United States, three in Mexico and two in Canada.

These are the 2026 World Cup host cities:

USA: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle.

Mexico: Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey.

Canada: Toronto and Vancouver.

Which countries have qualified for the World Cup?

The central Asian country of Uzbekistan has qualified for their first-ever World Cup

All four home nations are still in the running to qualify for next year's tournament.

However, eighteen of the 48 places at the 2026 World Cup have already been decided.

The countries that have already secured their spot are:

Hosts: Canada, Mexico, United States.

Africa: Morocco, Tunisia.

Asia: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Uzbekistan.

Oceania: New Zealand.

South America: Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay, Paraguay, Colombia.

Of those counties, two have qualified for the World Cup for the first time in their history - Jordan and Uzbekistan.

Who are the current world champions?

Argentina are three-time winners of the Fifa World Cup

Argentina are the current world champions, having won the previous tournament which took place in Qatar in 2022.

They beat France on penalties in a thrilling final, after the game finished 3-3 after extra-time.

The result meant that Lionel Messi lifted the trophy for Argentina - the third time the country has won the World Cup, having previously been crowned world champions in 1978 and 1986.

Who are the World Cup mascots?

Meet Maple, Zayu and Clutch - the three mascots for next summer's World Cup

There are three 2026 World Cup mascots - one representing each host nation.

They are Maple the Moose (Canada), Zayu the Jaguar (Mexico) and Clutch the Bald Eagle (USA).

According to Fifa, they each reflect the culture, heritage and spirit of their respective countries.

Goalie Maple is an artist who loves music with a habit of making legendary saves.

Zayu is an athletic striker from the jungles of Mexico. When he's not playing football, Zayu loves dancing and eating!

And midfielder Clutch loves adventure, supporting his teammates, and keeping spirits high.

Will there be a half-time show at the World Cup final?

The annual NFL Super Bowl famously hosts half-time shows

The 2026 World Cup final will stage it's first-ever Super Bowl-style half-time show.

The announcement was made earlier this year on social media by Fifa President Gianni Infantino, however more details are yet to be confirmed.

He wrote: "I can confirm the first ever half-time show at a Fifa World Cup final in New York, New Jersey.

"This will be a historic moment for the Fifa World Cup and a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world," Mr Infantino added.

He also revealed that Coldplay singer Chris Martin will help put together a set of artists to perform.

We don't know yet how long the show will be. Half time lasts 15 minutes but for comparison, the Super Bowl half-time show generally lasts around 30 minutes so stages and equipment brought in and out.

Where will the World Cup take place in 2030?

The 2030 World Cup will run from 8 June, with the final on 21 July

Last year, Fifa announced that Spain, Portugal and Morocco will co-host the 2030 men's football World Cup.

It's the first time that three countries across two continents - Europe and Africa - will officially stage the tournament.

The opening matches will also be held on a third continent, South America, which means that competing teams will play across different seasons and hemispheres within the same tournament.

The 2030 event is particularly special, because its the 100th anniversary of the first World Cup.