Written by Brett Grega
Edited 05/15/2026
The eyes of the world are on Texas this summer when the World Cup kicks off!
Starting on June 14th, the 2026 FIFA World Cup takes over Texas for the biggest tournament in the world! See nations like England, Portugal, Germany and the defending world champions, Argentina, square off for soccer glory right here in the Lone Star State.
No matter if you’re new to professional soccer or a seasoned fan, this preview will help you discover everything you need to know before the tournament heads to Texas. We break down how the World Cup tournament works, what powerhouse squads you should be watching and what’s new with the U.S. Men’s National Team. It’s the ultimate guide to the ultimate tournament!
Photo via the Equipe de France de Football Facebook
How Does the World Cup Work?
Did you know that this tournament is years in the making? Each team must qualify to make it into the World Cup, often fighting through the competition in a regional tournament.
For example, Concacaf is the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football. It comprises one of the six continental governing bodies that help determine qualification for the World Cup. The Concacaf qualification tournament began all the way back in March of 2024. It was later followed by a second qualification round spanning 30 teams that took place between June 2024 and June 2025. Finally, a third round comprising 12 teams resulted in three qualifying World Cup nations along with a pair of teams admitted to the FIFA Play-Off Tournament. That’s a lot of soccer just to make it onto the World Cup stage!
Luckily, as a host team, the United States, Mexico and Canada automatically qualified for the tournament. Meanwhile, six nations that finished in runner-up positions in their respective qualifying tournaments squared off in a playoff to determine the final World Cup pool. Those six squads fought their way to becoming one of two nations to reach the World Cup.
Still with us? Now, we get into the World Cup itself. 48 teams qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Those teams have since been divided into 12 groups of four during a special ceremony back in December. The draw is determined using the FIFA World Rankings.
Now, we get to the good stuff. Once the World Cup is underway, each team will play its three group opponents in round-robin style competition. The top two teams who emerge from each group will then move on to the Round of 32, with the eight third-place teams with the most points also advancing. From then on, it’s a single-elimination bracket where a winner must be decided in each matchup. It’s basically March Madness on a global scale. Needless to say, that’s the kind of intense action that makes for some must-see matchups!
Photo via the Seleccion Argentina in English Facebook
Who are Some of the Favorite Teams and Players?
With a tournament like the World Cup, you never know what’s going to happen. Nonetheless, there are several standout squads that boast the kind of global superstardom that may lead to World Cup glory.
That includes the defending champions, Argentina, led by the incredible Lionel Messi. While no team has won back-to-back World Cups since Brazil back in 1958 and 1962, Messi is inarguably one of the greatest to ever play the game. His awards and achievements fill an entire page, from all-time scoring records in Spain’s LaLiga to a whopping 8 Ballon d’Or awards which are given to the best player in the world over the past year. Add in more global stars like Inter Milan’s world-class striker Lautaro Martinez, and you get a formidable team looking for a repeat of its World Cup success.
Of course, Messi is far from the only international superstar heading up a World Cup squad. France is also considered a major favorite in this year’s tournament, thanks in no small part to Kylian Mbappe. Despite scrutiny following some losses for his Real Madrid squad, Mbappe is undeniably one of the world’s greats. That includes helping lead France to the World Cup Finals in 2022, a rare back-to-back finals appearance after France took home the cup in 2018. With manager Didier Deschamps leading this deep squad filled with superstars, it’s no surprise that France currently holds the top position in the FIFA World Rankings.
Another international favorite is Spain. Sports Illustrated has described the squad’s expectations as “dizzying.” Spain took home the UEFA EURO 2024, which crowns the champions of Europe. The squad’s young superstar, Lamine Yamal, became the breakout sensation from the tournament after an absolutely incredible performance. At just 17 years old, Yamal became the first player to score or assist in the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals of the same tournament. He went on to receive the Young Player of the Tournament award. Unfortunately, a hamstring injury has slowed down Yamal’s World Cup preparations. Nonetheless, Yamal should likely be ready for the tournament. With a similar deep squad to France backing him, Spain was voted as ESPN FC’s top team 30 days out from the tournament.
Spain’s UEFA EURO Finals opponent, England, is also a formidable opponent. The team’s captain and all-time leading scorer, Harry Kane, is making his return to the World Cup stage. Kane is one of the stars of a ferocious English attack. With a team composed of EPL stars, England will certainly be looking to avenge its UEFA defeat and take home a long-awaited World Cup championship.
Portugal is another star-powered contender, thanks in no small part to the continued efforts of the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo. Much like his global superstar counterpart in Lionel Messi, Ronaldo has an incredible set of accomplishments as he continues to look for his 1000th career goal. Portugal also boasts four members of Paris Saint-Germain’s Ligue 1 winning squad, adding plenty of firepower to its attack.
These are just a few of the highlight teams competing in this year’s World Cup, too. We haven’t even mentioned spectacular stars like the amazing Vinicius Jr. of the ever-popular Brazil or standout Netherlands defender standout defender Virgil van Dijk, who holds the nation’s captaincy record. There’s also a strong Germany squad looking to stand tall against the competition in Houston this June and a Moroccan team that became the first African squad to qualify for the World Cup.
In other words, this will once again be an unpredictable World Cup that’s bound to bring some incredibly exciting action right here to Texas!
Photo via U.S. Soccer's Facebook
Learn More About the U.S. Men’s National Team
The United States’ Men’s National Team is under new leadership heading into the World Cup as one of this year’s host nations. Mauricio Pochettino is the team’s manager this year, replacing last tournament’s coach Gregg Berhalter. Pochettino arrives with a wealth of European managerial experience on teams like Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.
At time of writing, the exact makeup of Pochettino’s World Cup team is still yet to be determined. According to The Guardian, in 24 games as the United States’ manager so far, Pochettino has utilized 61 different players. Check out The Guardian’s story to see who they believe will make it onto the U.S. squad, including who’s been logging the most international minutes for the team.
One star you can guarantee will make it onto the team is Christian Pulisic. The AC Milan superstar has earned the nickname Captain America for a reason. Pulisic is the youngest player to score for the United States as well as the youngest captain in the team’s history. Pulisic was integral to the team’s success in 2022, having a hand in each of the United States scoring efforts. While he enters the tournament in a scoring drought, there’s simply no debating his immense skills and importance to Team USA. Find out more about Pulisic in this TIME Magazine interview.
Of course, Pulisic is far from the only star on the American team. Fellow 2022 USMNT star Weston McKennie will be making his return to the World Cup this year as well. McKennie’s in the midst of a career year at Juventus, putting up personal bests when it comes to goal contributions. The midfielder is already embracing the pressure that comes with competing on such an immense stage at the World Cup this year, too, according to this Fox Sports piece.
There’s also Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards, who ESPN notes has been a stabilizing force for the team, as well as AFC Bournemouth’s skilled midfielder Tyler Adams. The two top ESPN’s rankings of US Men’s National Team players by club form, a sign of their success on top international teams so far this season.
When it comes to competition, the United States has found itself in Group D and will be playing its games at Lumen Field in Seattle and the LA area’s SoFi Stadium. The team will kick off its 2026 FIFA World Cup by taking on Paraguay on June 12th. The U.S. will then play Australia on June 19th and Turkiye on June 25th. Find a preview of all of the team’s action inside this story by The Big Lead.
All in all, this team looks ready to rep its host nation proudly during the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer!
Stay Tuned!
For more info on the World Cup, including a preview of each of the group play matchups heading to Texas, stay tuned to Do210. Check out our Do210 Sports newsletter to get more content like this delivered straight to your inbox every week. Click here to subscribe!
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