It’s a different World Cup this time around. Three host nations for the biggest tournament there has ever been, so how are each host nation shaping up for the tournament? Can we expect another host to crash out in the group stages, like Qatar in 2022? Or maybe we’ll see a surprise from a host nation, reaching the latter stages, such as the miraculous run by the Republic of Korea reaching the World Cup semi-finals in 2002. Let’s find out more about the USA, Canada, and Mexico, our host nations for the World Cup 2026.
One way to get the blood pumping and feel that competitive spirit is to play a football prediction game. Guess the scores, compete against your friends or colleagues (or maybe set one up for your clients and suppliers as a business branding exercise), and have fun seeing the scores come in and the leaderboard updating in real-time.
How many games does each host nation have?
This World Cup is bigger than it has ever been. 48 countries are taking part, up from 32 last time around. 104 matches will be played over 39 days, in 16 host cities. The USA will host 78 matches in 11 cities, Mexico will host 13 matches in 3 cities, and Canada will host 13 matches in 2 cities. Mexico and Canada will host 3 knockout games each, with the bulk of the tournament being held in the USA. The final is in New Jersey on July 19th.
How is the USA shaping up for the World Cup?
USA head coach Mauricio Pochettino understands the pressures of club management, having taken the hot seat at giants such as Chelsea and PSG, but it’s a different kind of pressure being an international manager for a host country at a World Cup. The USA also has greater expectations than it did the last time it hosted the World Cup back in 1994. After a struggle in his time, including a failure to win the Gold Cup or the Nations League last year, the US opted against January friendlies at the start of this year.
Pochettino has decided on the bulk of his squad for the World Cup and is unlikely to bring in any new faces for the March friendlies against Belgium and Portugal. This is when they see the World Cup starting for them, with an intensity level similar to competitive fixtures. There is an expectation in the US to go far this time around, with players at some of the biggest clubs in the world, like AC Milan and Juventus. A switch to 3-4-2-1 led to victories over Paraguay and Australia (who they will face in the group stage of the World Cup alongside a European playoff winner), after a victory over Uruguay, which helped to build positive momentum at the end of 2025.
Is Canada ready to qualify for the World Cup knockout rounds?
In January, Jesse Marsch held ‘Camp Poutine’ for domestic Canadian players. This fell outside of official FIFA windows and gave a chance for players who might otherwise not get a call-up. It’s a good thing for the future of Canadian football, allowing players like Jonathan David, a star at Juventus in Europe, to stay with his club while domestic players get a chance to prove their worth. They won a game against Guatemala, too, so it was good practice.
This World Cup for Canada is about building a future for the sport in the country, rather than having a competitive chance of real success. Marsch believes his players can qualify from a group that pits them against Qatar, Switzerland, and a European play-off winner, but it’s about inspiring future generations. There’s a sprinkling of elite talent, and out of 14 games in 2025, Canada only lost 2 in 90 minutes, so there has been good growth.
Will Mexico get past the last-16 at the World Cup?
It seemed like Mexico had made at least the last-16 of every World Cup, Summer and Winter Olympics, Gold Cup, European Championships, and Countdown, forever before the last World Cup in Qatar. For once, Mexico crashed out of the groups, but as one of the hosts (for the third time), this time there is a belief they can go far.
1-0 January friendly wins against Bolivia and Panama help to build confidence, as will a Nations League victory last year that included a win over Canada in the semi-finals. Javier Aguirre has struggled to settle on a starting lineup, but Mexico are always strong, with players around the world playing top level football, and a strong domestic league propelling the next generation. A group against South Africa, the Republic of Korea, and a European play-off winner should provide some hope for success beyond the groups again.
Play a football prediction game at work this summer
Are you looking forward to playing a football prediction game this summer? Many people have games and tournaments that take place in their workplace throughout the regular Premier League or Champions League season. This can be anything from a Last Man Standing competition to guessing who will score each weekend in the league. A football prediction game is a lot of fun, whether you are just having fun with your colleagues, playing competitively between different departments in the workplace, setting up a league for your clients or suppliers in the name of effective and playful branding for your company. Set up a World Cup football predictor for business, and it can be an effective marketing tool, as well as a great way to build togetherness within the workplace.
