The setup
The announcement was made worldwide Dec. 6 during a celebration in Washington, D.C.
”The announcement of the countries that will play FIFA World Cup 2026 matches in Houston makes the thrill of what’s to come even more tangible,” said Chris Canetti, president of the FIFA World Cup 26 Houston Host Committee. “We’re looking forward to showing the world the hospitality that is the signature of our city, and providing locals and visitors alike with an incredible experience from the stadium to FIFA Fan Festival and beyond.”
Breaking it down
Seven total matches will be played in Houston, including five group stages and two knockout-round games between June 14 and July 9. The five group stages include:
- June 14: Germany vs. Curaçao
- June 17: Portugal vs. Congo DR/Jamaica/New Caledonia
- June 20: Netherlands vs. Albania/Poland/Sweden/Ukraine
- June 23: Portugal vs. Uzbekistan
- June 26: Cabo Verde vs. Saudi Arabia
How it works
According to the FIFA World Cup 2026 website, Round of 32 is the first stage of the single-elimination knockout phase, where 32 teams—the top two from 12 groups plus the eight best third-place teams—play a "winner-take-all match" to advance to the Round of 16.
Moving forward, the tournament will follow a knockout stage format, with the winning team advancing to the next round and the losing team eliminated. The format is as follows:
- Round of 32
- Round of 16
- Quarter-finals
- Semi-finals
- Third-place match
- Final
More information
Houston residents and soccer fans across the world will be able to apply for the next round of World Cup tickets starting Dec. 11 for the Random Selection Draw. The ticket portal will remain open through Jan. 13.
According to a Dec. 6 news release from the World Cup 26 Houston Host Committee, the timing of a fan’s entry into the Random Selection Draw during the entry period will not impact the fan’s chances of success. All successful and partially successful ticket applicants will receive communications via email and subsequently will be automatically charged for their tickets in February.
The draw marks the third phase of ticket sales for the 2026 tournament, as nearly 2 million tickets have been made available and purchased for the tournament as of Dec. 8.
