FIFA World Cup 2026: Referees Appointed, 2 Months Out

FIFA has appointed 52 referees, 88 assistant referees, and 30 video assistant referees for the 2026 World Cup. The tournament runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026, hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. This will be the first World Cup co-hosted by three nations and the first to feature 48 teams.

Tournament Format

The expanded 48-team format represents a significant increase from the previous 32-team structure. Sixteen host cities will stage matches: eleven in the United States, three in Mexico, and two in Canada. The group draw took place on December 5, 2025, with the final qualifying matches concluded on March 31, 2026.

Ticket Sales

FIFA's official resale marketplace opened on April 2 and remains active through match days. Express train tickets from South Station to Foxborough for Boston-area matches went on sale April 8, with high demand expected to exhaust available inventory quickly.

Team Preparations

England announced a pre-tournament friendly against Costa Rica on June 10 at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando. Teams across the world are intensifying their final preparations with two months remaining before the opening ceremony.