BY BEZ CHAO

FIFA is hosting another World Cup tournament in 2026, where 48 teams will compete across Mexico, the United States, and Canada from June 11 to July 19 for the championship title. The current defending champions are the Argentina national football team, who won the tournament in 2022. The tournament is held every four years, and is considered by many to be one of the largest sporting events in the world.

History
FIFA was founded on May 21, 1904, and was established to oversee international competition.

Today, it has grown into the global governing body of soccer (football), responsible for organizing international competitions, setting rules and standards, and overseeing more than 200 national federations worldwide.

The name FIFA originates from the French phrase “Fédération Internationale de Football Association” which translates to “International Federation of Association Football.” Because the organization was founded in Paris, it adopted a French name and acronym, which has remained the international standard, even in non-French-speaking countries.

FIFA is not owned by any single person or corporation, but instead operates as a non-profit association. Its revenue is used to invest in football development, World Cup operations and prize funding, the Club Benefits Program, administrative and operational expenses, the FIFA Foundation, and other organizational initiatives.

A First – Hosted by 3 Countries
This year will be the first FIFA World Cup to be hosted by three countries and the first to feature 48 teams competing instead of the traditional 32. The tournament will include 72 group-stage matches and 32 knockout-stage matches, for a total of 104 games played across 16 host cities.

The expanded tournament format was introduced to increase representation from regions such as Africa, Asia, and North America, while also giving smaller nations more opportunities to compete on the world stage. FIFA also expects the larger tournament to generate more revenue, and attract higher global viewership.

Game Format
The 48 teams will be divided into 12 groups of four. Each team will play three matches resulting in one match against every other team in its group. A win is worth three points, a draw is worth one point, and a loss is worth 0 points.

Teams are ranked based on points, goal differences, goals scored, and head-to-head results.

The top two teams from each group will automatically advance to the knockout stage, along with the eight best third-place teams. This expanded qualification system aims to help balance fairness by preventing strong teams from being eliminated too early. In total, 32 teams will move on to the knockout rounds.

From there, the tournament becomes single elimination, meaning the losing team is immediately eliminated. Each subsequent round of games will eliminate half the teams until two teams remain for the finals. Knockout matches cannot end in a draw. If a match is tied after 90 minutes of regulation time, two 15-minute extra-time periods are played. If the score remains tied after extra time, the match winner will be decided by a penalty shootout.

The teams are placed into their groups through a process known as the World Cup draw. Before the draw takes place, the teams are ranked according to the FIFA World Rankings and split into four separate pots. Pot 1 contains the highest-ranked teams along with the host nations, while Pots 2 through 4 consist of progressively lower-ranked teams. This system is used to help prevent the strongest teams from being grouped together early in the tournament.

During the draw, one team from each pot is placed into each group, creating a balance of stronger and weaker teams across the tournament. Another important rule is that teams from the same continent are generally not allowed to be in the same group, with the exception of European teams, where up to two can be placed together in a single group.

The results after the drawing are:

• Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czech Republic.
• Group B: Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland.
• Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland.
• Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey.
• Group E: Germany, Curaçao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador.
• Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia.
• Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand.
• Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay.
• Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway.
• Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Australia, Jordan.
• Group K: Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia.
• Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama.

The traditional powerhouses are Brazil and Germany. Rising teams are the United States of America, Morocco, and Japan. Star players are Mbappé, Haaland, and Bellingham.

Schedule
Lucky for residents of the Lower Mainland, several FIFA World Cup matches will be hosted locally. Canada will be hosting the games at BC place in Vancouver and at BMO Field in Toronto.

Here are the specific dates and times for each Match in Vancouver:

June 13, 2026 9:00 p.m. UTC-7 Australia vs Turkey (Match 6) at BC Place, Vancouver.

June 18, 2026 3:00 p.m. UTC-7 Canada vs Qatar (Match 27) at BC Place, Vancouver.

June 21, 2026 6:00 p.m. UTC-7 New Zealand vs Egypt (Match 40) at BC Place, Vancouver.

June 24, 2026 12:00 p.m. UTC-7 Switzerland vs Canada (Match 51) at BC Place, Vancouver.

June 26, 2026 8:00 p.m. UTC-7 New Zealand vs Belgium (Match 64) at BC Place, Vancouver.

Qualifications
Canada was selected as one of the hosts for the 2026 FIFA World Cup through FIFA’s official bidding process which begins roughly 8-10 years in advance, with applications sometimes limiting eligibility by region to rotate continents. During each bidding cycle, countries (or groups of countries) submit detailed proposals that are evaluated based on infrastructure, transportation, accommodation, financial planning, security, and operational readiness. FIFA inspectors then evaluate and review each bid and produce reports assessing factors such as readiness, risk level, cost, and sustainability.

In the case of the 2026 tournament, the traditional approach of a single country hosting was expanded into a joint bid involving Canada, the United States, and Mexico. This change reflected both the scale of the expanded 48-team format and the need for sufficient stadium capacity and infrastructure across multiple regions.

Historically, FIFA discouraged co-hosting after the 2002 World Cup due to concerns about logistical hurdles, travel distances, and a desire for a centralized unified tournament atmosphere.

After evaluations and recommendations, FIFA member associates vote on the final selection. This replaced an earlier, smaller committee voting system after corruption concerns raised in the mid-2010s.

BC Place Vancouver will be undergoing several upgrades and renovations ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. These improvements include enhanced accessibility features, new hospitality spaces, upgraded stadium technology, and the installation of hybrid grass pitch. The goal of these upgrades is to ensure the venue continues to meet world-class standards for both players and spectators.

Beyond the tournament itself, these upgrades support B.C’s Look West: Tourism Sector Action Plan, by leveraging the FIFA World Cup 2026 to boost global exposure, investments, and long-term economic growth.

City of Richmond FIFA Activities
The City of Richmond, Tourism Richmond, and the Richmond Hotel Association have announced a city-wide program called Richmond Celebrates Soccer, launching on June 12 with the World Soccer Day Kick-Off event. This program is open to all and will run for six days, featuring free public watch parties as well as a variety of activities, designed to bring together the city’s diverse community through the spirit of sport, play, and cultural connection.

The program has a total budget of $600,000, funded through multiple sources: $250,000 from Tourism Richmond, $110,000 from the City of Richmond, $150,000 from Richmond Hotel Association, and $90,000 from the Province of B.C.

Funding will be allocated across several areas, with $180,000 being spent on the signature event, $45,000 being spent on community events and viewings, $10,000 being spent on the kick-off event, $150,000 being spent on technical needs and activation, $35,000 being spent on grant programs, and the remaining funds directed towards operational and safety costs.

Here are the 11 free to attend events for Richmond Celebrates Soccer:

1. World Soccer Day Kick-Off Event, will take place on Friday, June 12 at the Richmond Olympic Oval where anyone can enjoy two live game viewings on a large outdoor LED screen, with festival-style seating. The activities and highlights include: a Public Foosball Tournament and demo, Public 3x3 Soccer Tournament, Vancouver Rise FC 2025 Championship Trophy viewing, Live music - Gift Shop (Tragically Hip Tribute Band), Obstacle Course Activity Zone, and BBQ and soccer activities.

2. Hamilton’s Soccer Slam will take place on June 14 at the Hamilton Community Park. It will feature an outdoor viewing party with family-friendly activities, including inflatable attractions and soccer-themed crafts. The inflatable attractions include ball races, iBubble soccer, and soccer dome ball bounce.

3. Minoru Match Day Meet-up will take place on June 18 at Minoru Park at the Minoru Centre for Active Living Plaza. It will be a vibrant community event featuring soccer-themed activities and crafts, live entertainment and performances, and community partner activations.

4. City Centre Celebrates Soccer Event will take place on June 21 at Garden City Community Park. It will be a dual celebration of soccer and indigenous culture, featuring traditional Indigenous games and cedar weaving, Indigenous food offerings, and a celebration of Indigenous athletes.

5. Community Soccer Fest will take place on June 24 at Thompson/Burnett Community Park. It will be a soccer-themed twist on the annual community picnic featuring a Soccer Zone with a mini-obstacle course and a goalkeeper challenge, roving freestyle soccer performers, and international soccer anthems and cultural showcases.

6. Neighbourhood Block Party—Soccer Edition will take place on July 6 at South Arm Community Park. It will be a community block party promoting connection and soccer excitement, with an inflatable soccer zone, live performances, and all ages skill and recreational soccer games.

7. Cambie Kick-Off Event will take place on July 7 at Cambie Community Centre Outdoor Plaza, King George/Cambie Community Park. It will be a lively celebration with live entertainment, food trucks, face painting, raffles and giveaways, and soccer skill challenges.

8. Burkeville Soccer Celebration Event will take place on July 11 at Burkeville Neighbourhood Park. It will be a community event fun for all ages with interactive programming like soccer drills and creative art stations.

9. Richmond Celebrates Soccer—West Fest will take place on July 14 at Hugh Boyd Community Park. It will be a free festival for all ages, including art stations giant games, inflatables, sensory play stations, and free barbecued hot dogs.

10. Steveston Soccer Social will take place on July 18 at Steveston Community Park. It will be a community event designed to bring people together, with recreational soccer games, food trucks, and a beer garden.

Final Event: Richmond Celebrates Soccer, will take place on Sunday, July 19 at Aberdeen Neighbourhood Park featuring soccer-themed programming with local soccer clubs, community actives, live performances, family-friendly activities, and public match viewing. The Activities and Highlights include: local community performances and roving entertainment, engagement with local soccer organizations, the City’s soccer event kit activities, soccer demonstrations, food trucks offering a variety of game day foods from a variety of cultures, activities promoting community spirit and soccer enthusiasm, watch party to view the FIFA World Cup’26 Final on a big screen, shuttle bus and wheel watch, soccer art activities such as create your community flag, and a Richmond Celebrates Soccer selfie station.

With Canada hosting the FIFA World Cup for the first time, residents are encouraged to take part in the celebrations and experience the excitement of the tournament alongside their community.

https://www.richmondcelebratessoccer.ca/