The upcoming World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, scheduled for June 11 to July 19, 2026, will be the longest in history. According to the Argentine News Agency, the tournament will feature four matches per day for 18 consecutive days across North America. The upcoming World Cup will surpass the record held by France 1998, which lasted 33 days from June 10 to July 12 of that year. At a World Cup remembered for its innovations and a format change that could last for years, the 2026 World Cup will be the longest in football history. It will run from June 11 to July 19 and will include four matches per day for 18 days during a group stage divided into 12 zones. There will then be a short break, and from the 20th to the 23rd day of competition, the Round of 16 matches will be played. Similarly, the Round of 8 matches will be held on days 25 and 26 of the tournament, again with four matches per day. Later, there will be another brief break without action, and the quarterfinals will resume with two matches per day. Finally, after the semifinals, there will be four days of rest before the grand final on July 19, in which the Argentine team will aim to reach to lift its fourth crown and equal the mark of Italy and Germany. Thus, the North American World Cup will surpass the current record by five days, held by France 1998 with 33 days of competition. The French World Cup is followed by the one organized in Brazil in 2014, which lasted 32 days, and so far, these are the only two that have exceeded a month in duration. For comparison, the only World Cup held in our country in 1978 lasted 25 days, unlike the usual 31 days in the recent cups.
