The date for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final has been officially fixed for July 19, 2026, as the FIFA Council approved new international match calendars. This decision was made during the council's meeting ahead of the 73rd FIFA Congress in Kigali, Rwanda, where several key decisions were adopted, particularly in relation to the future of men's and women's competitions.
As per the men's international match calendar 2025-2030, a four-match window will be introduced in late September/early October from 2026, while a two-match window each in March, June and November will also be scheduled. The new match calendars aim to ensure a balanced rest time between competing teams while mitigating the risk of collusion.
The FIFA Council unanimously approved the change in format for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, from 16 groups of three to 12 groups of four. Under this new format, the top two and eight best third-placed teams will advance to the round of 32, ensuring that all the teams play a minimum of three matches.
The 2026 World Cup will be the first edition of the tournament where 48 teams are taking part. With the expanded format, the event will have 104 matches instead of the traditional 64 games. The United States, Canada, and Mexico will co-host the tournament.
"The revised format mitigates the risk of collusion and ensures that all the teams play a minimum of three matches while providing balanced rest time between competing teams," FIFA said in a statement.
Additionally, the women's international match calendar 2024-2025 will contain six international windows per year. The women's football tournament of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games is scheduled to be played from July 25 to August 10.
Overall, the new match calendars and tournament format are aimed at improving the fairness and competitiveness of the world's biggest football competitions, ensuring that all teams have a fair chance to compete at the highest level.