Traveling to the World Cup? Here's your eSim guide

 

Travel Guide · Summer 2026

The 2026 World Cup, Decoded: Groups, Cities, and Everything You Need Before Kickoff

48 teams. Three countries. 104 matches across 39 days. Here's what every traveling fan needs to know — and what to install before you fly.

12 min read· Updated May 18, 2026· By the DashRoam team

The tournament at a glance

Dates
June 11 – July 19, 2026 (39 days)
Teams
48 nations (first-ever expanded format)
Matches
104 total
Host countries
Mexico · Canada · USA
Host cities
16 (3 in Mexico · 2 in Canada · 11 in USA)
Opening match
Mexico vs. South Africa, Estadio Azteca
Final
MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey · July 19

The road from kickoff to final

Six phases. 39 days. One trophy. Here's the calendar at a glance.

  1. June 11 · Opening match
    Mexico vs. South Africa at Estadio Azteca, Mexico City. The tournament kicks off in the same stadium that hosted the 1970 and 1986 finals.
  2. June 11 – 27 · Group stage
    72 matches across all 16 host cities. Every team plays three matches.
  3. June 28 – July 3 · Round of 32
    The top two teams from each group plus the eight best third-place finishers advance. 16 matches.
  4. July 4 – 7 · Round of 16
    The field narrows to eight.
  5. July 9 – 11 · Quarterfinals
    From here on, every match is played in the USA.
  6. July 14 · Semifinal 1
    AT&T Stadium, Dallas.
  7. July 15 · Semifinal 2
    Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta.
  8. July 18 · Third-place match
    Hard Rock Stadium, Miami.
  9. July 19 · The Final
    MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey.

Meet the 12 groups

For the first time, 48 teams. 12 groups of four. The top two from each group advance — along with the eight best third-place teams. That math is friendlier than past tournaments, which means upsets matter more than ever.

Group A
  • 🇲🇽 Mexico
  • 🇿🇦 South Africa
  • 🇰🇷 Korea Republic
  • 🇨🇿 Czechia
Group B
  • 🇨🇦 Canada
  • 🇨🇭 Switzerland
  • 🇶🇦 Qatar
  • 🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina
Group C
  • 🇧🇷 Brazil
  • 🇲🇦 Morocco
  • 🇭🇹 Haiti
  • 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland
Group D
  • 🇺🇸 United States
  • 🇵🇾 Paraguay
  • 🇦🇺 Australia
  • 🇹🇷 Türkiye
Group E
  • 🇩🇪 Germany
  • 🇨🇼 Curaçao
  • 🇨🇮 Côte d'Ivoire
  • 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Group F
  • 🇳🇱 Netherlands
  • 🇯🇵 Japan
  • 🇹🇳 Tunisia
  • 🇸🇪 Sweden
Group G
  • 🇧🇪 Belgium
  • 🇪🇬 Egypt
  • 🇮🇷 Iran
  • 🇳🇿 New Zealand
Group H
  • 🇪🇸 Spain
  • 🇨🇻 Cabo Verde
  • 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
  • 🇺🇾 Uruguay
Group I
  • 🇫🇷 France
  • 🇸🇳 Senegal
  • 🇳🇴 Norway
  • 🇮🇶 Iraq
Group J
  • 🇦🇷 Argentina
  • 🇩🇿 Algeria
  • 🇦🇹 Austria
  • 🇯🇴 Jordan
Group K
  • 🇵🇹 Portugal
  • 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan
  • 🇨🇴 Colombia
  • 🇨🇩 Congo DR
Group L
  • 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England
  • 🇭🇷 Croatia
  • 🇬🇭 Ghana
  • 🇵🇦 Panama
One thing to know: All three host nations open at home. Mexico and Canada play all three group-stage matches in their own country. The USA plays all three at home too — but if you're following any of them past the group stage, you're almost certainly crossing a border.
Traveler tip · Stay connected

Following the bracket across countries? One eSIM, three nations.

If you're chasing matches across Mexico, Canada, and the USA, our North America eSIM plan covers all three host countries on a single install. From $4.45 for 1 GB / 7 days. No SIM swaps. No new install at the border.

See North America plans →

The 16 host cities

Eleven in the USA, three in Mexico, two in Canada. Some are stadium giants. Some are first-time hosts. All sixteen will be unforgettable.

🇲🇽 Mexico City — Estadio Azteca 🇲🇽 Guadalajara — Estadio Akron 🇲🇽 Monterrey — Estadio BBVA 🇨🇦 Toronto — BMO Field 🇨🇦 Vancouver — BC Place 🇺🇸 Atlanta — Mercedes-Benz Stadium 🇺🇸 Boston — Gillette Stadium 🇺🇸 Dallas — AT&T Stadium 🇺🇸 Houston — NRG Stadium 🇺🇸 Kansas City — Arrowhead Stadium 🇺🇸 Los Angeles — SoFi Stadium 🇺🇸 Miami — Hard Rock Stadium 🇺🇸 NYC/New Jersey — MetLife Stadium 🇺🇸 Philadelphia — Lincoln Financial Field 🇺🇸 SF Bay Area — Levi's Stadium 🇺🇸 Seattle — Lumen Field

Spotlight: Mexico City — where it all begins

The opening match is here. The 1970 final was here. The 1986 final was here. Estadio Azteca is the only stadium in history to host two World Cup finals — and on June 11, it'll see a third tournament come to life when Mexico kicks off against South Africa.

  • Altitude matters. Mexico City sits at 2,240 meters (7,350 ft). Arrive a day or two early. Drink more water than feels reasonable. Walk slow the first day.
  • The stadium is far from the center. Allow 60–90 minutes from downtown. Public transit (Metrobús + Metro) works but is packed on match days. Uber and DiDi are reliable.
  • Group A plays here. Mexico opens against South Africa on June 11. Plan around it — flights and hotels are already tight.
  • Eat outside the stadium. Don't eat at the stadium. Eat at the al-pastor place two blocks from your hotel.

Spotlight: Toronto — Canada's home base

Toronto hosts Canada's group-stage opener and a chunk of the early-knockout schedule. BMO Field is one of the smallest venues in the tournament — which means tickets are scarce, but the atmosphere will be electric.

  • Get to the stadium by transit. BMO Field is at Exhibition Place. The 509/511 streetcars and the Exhibition GO station are your friends. Driving and parking will be misery.
  • Canada plays Group B here. Switzerland, Qatar, and Bosnia & Herzegovina are the opponents. Expect a sea of red.
  • Border crossings. If you're driving up from the US, NEXUS or Mobile Passport Control will save you hours.
  • Weather. Late June can swing from 18°C to 32°C. Layers.

Spotlight: New York / New Jersey — where it ends

MetLife Stadium hosts the Final on July 19. It's the third-largest venue in the tournament — 82,500 seats — and it'll be the loudest sporting event in the United States this decade.

  • MetLife is in New Jersey, not Manhattan. It's about 10 miles from Times Square. The NJ Transit train from Penn Station to Secaucus Junction + the stadium shuttle is the move. Allow 2 hours door-to-door on match day.
  • Stay anywhere, but plan transit. Manhattan, Jersey City, Hoboken, even Newark are all viable. Don't try to drive.
  • The Final isn't the only match here. MetLife also hosts group-stage and knockout matches. Check the schedule before booking.
  • NYC is its own tournament. Build in two days minimum to actually experience the city outside the stadium.
Traveler tip · Country-specific plans

Only watching matches in one country? Skip the regional bundle.

If your whole trip stays in one host nation, a single-country plan is your cheapest option per gigabyte.

  • 🇺🇸 USA plans starting from $1.45 (100 MB / 7 days)
  • 🇨🇦 Canada plans starting from $1.45 (100 MB / 7 days)
  • 🇲🇽 Mexico plans starting from $1.45 (100 MB / 7 days)
See country-specific plans →

Before you board, do these six things

A travel guide is only as good as its packing list. Here's the short version.

  1. Buy your eSIM before you fly. Install it at home. It activates the moment you connect on arrival. No airport SIM kiosk. No frantic searching at baggage claim.
  2. Screenshot your tickets and itineraries. Apps fail. Wi-Fi at stadiums is unreliable. A screenshot in your camera roll always works.
  3. Set up offline maps. Download the city on Google Maps before you leave the hotel. Stadium districts can swallow your signal.
  4. Pre-load your ride-share apps. Uber, Lyft, DiDi (Mexico), and Uber Canada all need to be installed and signed in before you arrive. Account verification takes 24 hours sometimes.
  5. Home number on physical SIM, data on eSIM. iMessage / WhatsApp / your bank's 2FA still goes to your home number. Data routes through DashRoam. Best of both.
  6. Carry a portable charger. Three-match days will drain anything. A 20,000 mAh battery is the move.
Ready to fly?

Get ready. Get connected.

Whether you're following one team or the whole bracket, get your eSIM sorted before you fly. Install in 3 taps. Pay upfront. Skip the roaming bill that ruins the trip home.

Use code WORLDCUP10 for 10% off any plan through July 19.

Shop All World Cup eSIMs →    See full plans comparison →
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