Everything Football Fans Should Know About
Football is arguably the most popular sport in the world, and though there are world-famous competitions such as the Premier League, Champions League, La Liga and Copa Libertadores, the biggest of all is arguably the FIFA World Cup. It only comes around once every four years and lasts a month - creating massive build-up and hype.
An estimated 1.5 billion people watched the 2022 FIFA World Cup final, that is, just under a fifth of the world population. The following is just immense, and it unites people of all cultural backgrounds, demographics, trades and even sporting interests. Even hardcore basketball, American football and baseball fans tune in to watch the biggest international football event.
Details You Must Know About the FIFA World Cup
The 2026 will start on June 11 and last until July 19 and will be hosted jointly by Canada, the USA and Mexico. The tournament is the first to feature the expanded 48 nations, as opposed to the 32 that were before, but the format has not changed much. Instead of 8 groups of 4 teams, we will have 12 groups of 4 teams. Each team will play 3 group stage matches, and the leader and runners-up of each of the 12 groups will proceed to the knockout stage. Out of the 12 third-placed teams, the best 8 will head to the knockout stage.
The group stage lasts from June 11 until June 27, and there will be from 2-4 matches per day during what should be an exhilarating mashup of matches. Following the group stage, the knockout stage will begin on June 28, with the Round of 32. The Round of 16 starts on July 4, the Quarterfinals on July 9, the Semifinals on July 14, and the Final will be played on July 19, 2026.
Of course, for more information, you can keep coming back to FanSide and learn about any new developments as they arise.
FanSide's Betting Tips and Predictions
After watching the matches, arguably the "second" biggest hobby of football fans is betting on the sport. The FIFA World Cup is no different, as fantasy sports teams, outright betting, and prematch betting punters all step up to seize a bit of the action.
It goes without saying that when you bet on sports, you should only do so at legitimate and reliable betting sites. At FanSide, we show you how to spot a licensed betting site and give you all the insights you need to know so that your money will be safe at all times. You can also come to us for betting predictions on the 2026 World Cup, from outright champions betting to prematch analysis and predictions.
Top 2026 World Cup Teams
When the World Cup comes around, the big question on every fan's mind is who will win the title. The answer to this simple yet perplexing question can easily yield five or six popular answers, if not many more. As fans, we tend to gravitate towards historically big teams and teams with the biggest players in the world right now.
But some teams are almost inevitably going to be right up there with the favorites to win. We are, of course, talking about the likes of Argentina, Brazil, England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. Mainly the top South American and European teams, who have had the most success in the competition.
The top European teams such as England, France, Germany and Italy are full of world-class quality players. England's Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane will be eager to end the country's long wait for silverware. Whereas for Kylian Mbappe and France, making the World Cup Finals for the third time in a row, will be a momentous piece of history. Spain has seen a rebirth in its young players, with the likes of Lamine Jamal inspiring a new generation to rise to the top. But the World Cup is also about the legendary veterans, such as Argentina's Lionel Messi and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, who are still going strong despite being on the other side of 40 at the time of the 2026 World Cup.
Who Has Won the World Cup Before
Let's take the spotlight on previous World Cup Winners. Brazil has won 5 World Cups, more than any other nation. Pele, one of the most talented football players of all time, became a household name when he helped Brazil to their first World Cup trophy in 1958. He then led Brazil to two more trophies, in 1962 and 1970. Brazil then went without World Cup trophies until the golden generation of the 1990s, including Ronaldinho, Ronaldo and Rivaldo, came around, winning World Cups in 1994 and 2002.
Next, Germany and Italy have won 4 apiece, with Italy winning the trophy in 1934, 1938, 1982 and most recently in 2006. Germany won their first World Cup in 1954 and then went on to win it in 1974, 1990, and then 2014, and they have finished runners-up on 4 occasions.
Argentina recently won its third World Cup in 2022, adding to their 1978 and 1986 titles. Over nearly 100 years of World Cup History (1930 onwards), only 8 nations have ever won the trophy.
Cities That Will Host the 2026 World Cup
The 2026 World Cup will be jointly hosted by three countries, with 16 cities hosting World Cup matches. This includes the historic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, which has already hosted 2 World Cup Finals (1970 and 1986). Also, there are plenty of gigantic NFL stadiums across the US, including the AT&T Stadium in Texas, MetLife in New York, GEHA Field in Kansas City and SoFi Stadium in LA, among numerous others.
Mexico will also host games in the Estadio BBVA in Monterrey and Estadio Akron in Guadalajara. The Great White North will host World Cup matches in the BMO Field in Toronto and BC Place in Vancouver.
Of the US hosting cities, Los Angeles hosted the 1994 World Cup Final, while New York and Dallas hosted other matches in that tournament. Atlanta hosted the 1996 Olympic Games football tournament final, whereas Seattle, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Miami and Boston have all hosted CONCACAF matches.
The FIFA Fan Festival
The Fan Festival is where football fans can unite to celebrate the World Cup and cheer on their favorite teams together. Outside football, it also explores the music and culture of the World Cup, with designated areas for fans to get the most out of the festival surrounding the tournament.
That includes immersion into the foods and lifestyle of the local hosting cities using the World Cup as a means to break worldly barriers and unite people.
Fun Facts About the FIFA World Cup
There are lots of interesting facts surrounding the World Cup that even the experts may not know. Whether you want to get prepared for a pub quiz on the 2026 World Cup or want to expand your trivia of the tournament, you can find it all at FanSide.
Just for a taster, did you know the World Cup trophy was stolen? Or that the most goals scored by a single player in one tournament was 13 goals? Or even that the most goals scored in a single game was 12? Check out our facts for even more thrilling trivia.