World Cup 2026 wall chart: Printable tournament tracker, bracket to fill out groups, knockout stage and more

On Thursday, the 2026 World Cup will kick off with Mexico hosting South Africa. The biggest World Cup ever, featuring 48 teams, will be jointly hosted by Mexico, Canada, and the United States across 16 cities. More teams also means more games, with 104 to track ahead of the final on July 18 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. The road to the final will be a long one, with teams needing to play in a newly minted round of 32 before the traditional round of 16, adding to the matches.

>That shift brings new things for fans to keep track of at home, as every team in the field looks to stop Lionel Messi and Argentina from repeating as champions. There are also four first-time qualifiers with Jordan, Uzbekistan, Curacao, and Cabo Verde.  With the new seeding for the top teams in the FIFA rankings, as long as they win their groups, Spain and Argentina can only meet in the final, and the same is the case with France and England.

>Follow live updates on the Mexico vs. South Africa World Cup opening match

>If that has your head spinning, or you're unsure how to keep up with the expanded 48-team field, have no fear; we have you covered with a wall chart that you can print to fill out at home. From when and where the games are being played to the knockout schedule, we've got you covered.

>With the expanded World Cup, the 48 teams are split into 12 groups of four. The top two in each group will advance, but the eight best third-placed teams will also advance to the round of 32. At that time, it is also when matches can go to extra time. If a knockout stage match is tied at the end of regulation, two 15-minute periods of extra time will be played, with a penalty shootout to follow if needed.

>Click here to enlarge and print the blank 2026 FIFA World Cup wall chart.

>Golazo 48 Nations is your all-access destination for the World Cup, with wall-to-wall coverage across the CBS Sports Golazo Network. From the first whistle to the final recap, the entire Golazo crew will guide fans through every moment of the tournament.

Each day begins with Morning Footy, setting the stage with the latest news, storylines, and previews ahead of kickoff. From there, Golazo Matchday and Golazo Matchnight deliver real-time reaction and analysis as the action unfolds. Fans can also tune in for live watchalongs of USMNT matches with the Call It What You Want team, as well as watchalongs for other marquee matchups. The day wraps with Scoreline, a comprehensive nightly recap of every result, moment, and storyline from across the tournament. Altogether, the Golazo Network will deliver up to 12 hours of live programming each matchday, available across the Golazo Network and its YouTube channel.