The blog
85 guides, explainers and stat dives on the 2026 World Cup.
Back-to-back World Cup winners: the only teams to retain it
Only two nations have ever won the World Cup twice in a row. The story of football's rarest feat.
Read →World Cup hosts that failed to get out of the group
Home advantage usually counts — but two host nations crashed out in the group stage. A cautionary tale for 2026.
Read →World Cup all-time top scorers
The leading goalscorers in World Cup history, from Miroslav Klose's record 16 down. A sortable table through the 2022 tournament.
Read →World Cup 2026 final: date and venue
When and where is the 2026 World Cup final? Everything known about the showpiece at MetLife Stadium on 19 July 2026.
Read →World Cup 2026 opening match: when and where
The 2026 World Cup kicks off on 11 June with co-hosts Mexico at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
Read →The World Cup champions' curse: holders who flopped
Defending the World Cup is brutally hard. Several reigning champions have crashed out in the group stage four years later.
Read →The biggest underdog runs in World Cup history
From Morocco's 2022 semi-final to Croatia's run to the final, the greatest Cinderella stories the World Cup has produced.
Read →World Cup 2026 stars to watch
The biggest names expected to light up the 2026 World Cup, from Mbappé and Bellingham to Haaland's tournament debut.
Read →World Cup 2026 group stage: the storylines to follow
What to watch in the 2026 World Cup group stage — the new third-placed race, debutants, and the toughest groups.
Read →World Cup 2026 group games to watch
The standout group-stage fixtures at the 2026 World Cup, from France vs Senegal to an England–Croatia rematch.
Read →The oldest players in World Cup history
From Essam El-Hadary at 45 to Roger Milla's late goals, the oldest men to grace the World Cup.
Read →The youngest players in World Cup history
Norman Whiteside, Pelé and the teenagers who made World Cup history before they were 18.
Read →Every World Cup winner since 1930: the full list
A complete table of every FIFA World Cup winner, runner-up and host from 1930 to 2022 — sortable by year, champion or host.
Read →Most World Cup titles by country
Which countries have won the most World Cups? Brazil lead with five. The full breakdown of titles by nation, with the years they won.
Read →World Cup 2026 Round of 32: how it works
The 2026 World Cup introduces a Round of 32. Here's exactly which 32 teams qualify and how the new knockout round is built.
Read →How many matches are at the World Cup 2026?
The 2026 World Cup features 104 matches in total. Here's how that breaks down, and how many games a team plays to win it.
Read →World Cup 2026 knockout stage dates
When each World Cup 2026 knockout round is played, from the Round of 32 in late June to the final on 19 July.
Read →World Cup Golden Ball winners: best player at every tournament
The Golden Ball goes to the best player of the World Cup. From Maradona to Messi, here are the recent winners.
Read →VAR at the World Cup: how it works
Video Assistant Referee was introduced at the 2018 World Cup. Here's what VAR can and can't review.
Read →The best players never to win the World Cup
Some of football's greatest names never lifted the trophy. From Cruyff to Ronaldo, the all-time XI of World Cup near-misses.
Read →Can a host nation win the World Cup 2026?
With three hosts in 2026, could the USA, Mexico or Canada win on home soil? What history says about home advantage.
Read →The highest-scoring matches in World Cup history
Austria 7-5 Switzerland produced 12 goals in 1954 — still the highest-scoring World Cup match ever.
Read →Most World Cup runner-up finishes: the nearly men
Germany have lost the most World Cup finals. The teams that reached the final but fell at the last step.
Read →World Cup 2026 groups: all 48 teams and the full draw
All 12 groups for the 2026 World Cup, from Group A to Group L — the complete 48-team draw in one place.
Read →How to fill out a World Cup 2026 bracket (and not get the Round of 32 wrong)
A quick guide to filling in a 48-team World Cup 2026 bracket — group order, the eight third-placed qualifiers, and the knockout path to the final.
Read →Teams with the most World Cup appearances
Brazil are the only country to play at every World Cup. The nations with the most finals tournament appearances through 2022.
Read →World Cup Golden Boot winners: recent history
Who won the World Cup Golden Boot at each recent tournament, and how many goals it took. From Schillaci in 1990 to Mbappé in 2022.
Read →World Cup 2026 qualified teams: all 48 in the draw
The full list of teams at the 2026 World Cup, grouped A to L — 48 nations across the biggest World Cup ever.
Read →Which teams have reached the most World Cup finals?
Germany and Brazil have appeared in the most World Cup finals. The full breakdown of finals reached by country.
Read →World Cup finals decided on penalties
Only three World Cup finals have ever gone to a penalty shootout. Here they are, and who held their nerve.
Read →The greatest goals in World Cup history
Maradona's solo run, Carlos Alberto's 1970 thunderbolt and more — a subjective pick of the finest World Cup goals.
Read →Most goals in a single World Cup
Just Fontaine's 13 goals at the 1958 World Cup is a record that has stood for over 60 years. The top single-tournament hauls.
Read →World Cup winning captains: who lifted the trophy
The captains who lifted the World Cup, from Cafu and Cannavaro to Messi in 2022.
Read →Who won the World Cup as both player and manager?
Only three people have lifted the World Cup as a player and again as a coach — an exclusive club.
Read →Which continents have won the World Cup?
In nearly a century, only two continents have ever won the World Cup. The European vs South American divide explained.
Read →World Cup 2026 format explained: 48 teams, 12 groups, and the new Round of 32
The 2026 World Cup is the first with 48 teams. Here's how the new format works — 12 groups, a brand-new Round of 32, and how teams advance.
Read →How the 8 best third-placed teams qualify at World Cup 2026
Finishing third in your group can still mean a place in the Round of 32. Here's how the eight best third-placed teams are decided and seeded.
Read →The biggest wins in World Cup history
The most lopsided scorelines ever recorded at a World Cup, from Hungary's double-digit rout to Germany's famous 7-1 over Brazil.
Read →How often does the host nation win the World Cup?
Six host nations have won the World Cup on home soil. The full record, and what it might mean for the USA, Mexico and Canada in 2026.
Read →The World Cup trophy: history and facts
Everything to know about the FIFA World Cup trophy — its design, gold, and the original Jules Rimet trophy that came before it.
Read →World Cup 2026 dark horses: outsiders who could surprise
Beyond the usual favourites, these are the teams who could make a deep run at the 2026 World Cup.
Read →What changed at the World Cup since 2022?
From 32 teams to 48, new groups and a Round of 32 — everything that is different about the 2026 World Cup compared to Qatar 2022.
Read →World Cup 2026 host countries: USA, Canada and Mexico
The 2026 World Cup is the first hosted by three nations. A look at the USA, Canada and Mexico as co-hosts.
Read →Players with the most World Cup matches
Lothar Matthäus holds the record for most World Cup matches played. The players with the most caps at the finals.
Read →World Cup hat-tricks: the rare feat
Hat-tricks at the World Cup are rare — and only one player has ever scored one in a final. The story of World Cup trebles.
Read →World Cup team nicknames explained
Les Bleus, Die Mannschaft, the Three Lions — the stories behind the nicknames of the biggest World Cup teams.
Read →World Cup 2026 time zones: when games kick off
With matches across the USA, Canada and Mexico, kick-off times span several time zones. How to plan your viewing.
Read →World Cup 2026 host cities and stadiums: all 16 venues
The 2026 World Cup is spread across 16 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Here's every host city and where the biggest matches are played.
Read →World Cup 2026 schedule: key dates from kickoff to the final
When the 2026 World Cup starts, when the knockouts begin, and the date of the final — the key dates across all 104 matches.
Read →World Cup 2026: where the 48 teams come from
How the 48 World Cup 2026 places are split between confederations — Europe, Africa, Asia, South America and beyond.
Read →World Cup 2026 by the numbers
The headline figures for the 2026 World Cup: 48 teams, 104 matches, 16 cities, three host nations and more.
Read →How does the World Cup work? A simple guide
A plain-English guide to how the 2026 World Cup works — groups, qualification to the knockouts, and the road to the final.
Read →World Cup 2026 tickets: how it works
A simple overview of how World Cup 2026 tickets are sold, the sales phases, and how to avoid scams.
Read →How to watch the World Cup 2026
A simple guide to following the 2026 World Cup — where matches are broadcast and how to keep track of every game.
Read →World Cup 2026 title contenders: who can win it?
A subjective look at the leading contenders to win the 2026 World Cup, from holders Argentina to perennial favourites.
Read →The fastest goals in World Cup history
Hakan Şükür scored after about 11 seconds in 2002 — the fastest goal in World Cup history. The quickest strikes ever recorded.
Read →Most goals by one player in a World Cup match
Oleg Salenko scored five goals in a single World Cup game in 1994 — a record no one has matched.
Read →World Cup Golden Glove winners: the best goalkeepers
The Golden Glove goes to the World Cup's best goalkeeper. From Kahn to Emiliano Martínez, the recent winners.
Read →World Cup 2026 favourites: the teams most tipped to win
Who are the favourites for the 2026 World Cup? The contenders most commonly tipped — from holders Argentina to France, Brazil, Spain and England.
Read →World Cup 2026 Group of Death: which group is the toughest?
Every World Cup has a 'Group of Death'. Here are the 2026 groups with the most punishing line-ups — and why they qualify.
Read →How the World Cup grew from 13 teams to 48
The World Cup has expanded several times since 1930. A look at how the number of teams and matches changed on the way to 2026's 48-team format.
Read →World Cup 2026 predictions: how to make yours
A quick guide to making your World Cup 2026 predictions — from group standings to the eight third-placed teams and the full knockout bracket.
Read →World Cup 2026 knockout bracket explained
How the 2026 World Cup knockout bracket is structured, from the Round of 32 through to the final and third-place play-off.
Read →When does the World Cup 2026 start and how long is it?
The 2026 World Cup runs from 11 June to 19 July 2026 across the USA, Canada and Mexico. Start date, end date and length explained.
Read →World Cup finals decided in extra time or on penalties
Some of the greatest finals went the distance. The World Cup finals settled after 90 minutes.
Read →World Cup disciplinary records: the most cards
The 2006 'Battle of Nuremberg' set a record for cards in a single World Cup match. The tournament's wildest disciplinary moments.
Read →How World Cup 2026 group standings and tiebreakers work
Points, goal difference, head-to-head: the exact order of tiebreakers used to rank teams in the 2026 World Cup group stage.
Read →What's new at World Cup 2026 compared to 2022
From 32 to 48 teams, a brand-new Round of 32, and three host nations — everything that's different about the 2026 World Cup.
Read →Ranking all 12 World Cup 2026 groups by strength
Which 2026 World Cup group is the toughest? Our subjective, for-fun strength rating of all 12 groups from A to L.
Read →World Cup 2026 Group A preview: teams, favourites & predictions
Group A at the 2026 World Cup features Mexico, South Korea, South Africa and Czechia. The teams, their confederations and who is tipped to go through.
Read →Which confederation has won the most World Cups?
Every World Cup has been won by either Europe or South America. The title count by confederation, and what it means for 2026.
Read →World Cup 2026 Group B preview: teams, favourites & predictions
Group B at the 2026 World Cup features Canada, Switzerland, Qatar and Bosnia & Herzegovina. The teams, their confederations and who is tipped to go through.
Read →The best teams never to win the World Cup
Netherlands, Hungary, Croatia and more — the strongest sides to reach a final or go deep without ever lifting the trophy.
Read →Every World Cup host nation since 1930
A complete list of World Cup hosts from Uruguay 1930 to the three-nation 2026 tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Read →World Cup 2026 Group C preview: teams, favourites & predictions
Group C at the 2026 World Cup features Brazil, Morocco, Scotland and Haiti. The teams, their confederations and who is tipped to go through.
Read →The biggest upsets in World Cup history
Saudi Arabia over Argentina, South Korea over Germany, the USA over England — the most famous shocks the World Cup has produced.
Read →World Cup 2026 Group D preview: teams, favourites & predictions
Group D at the 2026 World Cup features United States, Paraguay, Australia and Türkiye. The teams, their confederations and who is tipped to go through.
Read →World Cup 2026 Group E preview: teams, favourites & predictions
Group E at the 2026 World Cup features Germany, Ecuador, Côte d'Ivoire and Curaçao. The teams, their confederations and who is tipped to go through.
Read →World Cup 2026 Group F preview: teams, favourites & predictions
Group F at the 2026 World Cup features Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia and Sweden. The teams, their confederations and who is tipped to go through.
Read →World Cup 2026 Group G preview: teams, favourites & predictions
Group G at the 2026 World Cup features Belgium, Iran, Egypt and New Zealand. The teams, their confederations and who is tipped to go through.
Read →World Cup 2026 Group H preview: teams, favourites & predictions
Group H at the 2026 World Cup features Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde. The teams, their confederations and who is tipped to go through.
Read →World Cup 2026 Group I preview: teams, favourites & predictions
Group I at the 2026 World Cup features France, Senegal, Norway and Iraq. The teams, their confederations and who is tipped to go through.
Read →World Cup 2026 Group J preview: teams, favourites & predictions
Group J at the 2026 World Cup features Argentina, Austria, Algeria and Jordan. The teams, their confederations and who is tipped to go through.
Read →World Cup 2026 Group K preview: teams, favourites & predictions
Group K at the 2026 World Cup features Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan and DR Congo. The teams, their confederations and who is tipped to go through.
Read →World Cup 2026 Group L preview: teams, favourites & predictions
Group L at the 2026 World Cup features England, Croatia, Panama and Ghana. The teams, their confederations and who is tipped to go through.
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