Everything You Need to Know About the 2026 World Cup with Hungry Horse
Everything you need to know about the World Cup, as the 2026 tournament kicks off at Hungry Horse
If football is regarded as the beautiful game, then the World Cup 2026 is set to be a true feast for the eyes. It’s an epic tournament that sees teams from around the globe compete to be crowned champions. This year also marks a whopping 60 years since England’s last win, when we struck gold against West Germany in the 1966 tournament.
So, can we bring it home this year? All remains to be seen!
What is the FIFA World Cup schedule, and when does the 2026 tournament kick off?
The 2026 World Cup kicks off on June 11th in Mexico City and wraps up with the final on July 19th in New Jersey.
Spanning across 39 days, the tournament will feature a record-breaking 48 teams, making it the biggest World Cup in history.
It also marks a first for the competition, as matches will be hosted across three countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
At Hungry Horse, our pubs are a prime spot to capture all the nail-biting action. From kick-off to final whistle, you can stop by, savour the ambience and soak in the celebrations.
Is England one of the teams through to the group stage?
Yes, England is through to the tournament. The team smashed the qualifying stages in November 2025, securing a qualification with a perfect 18 points from their opening six games.
How does the World Cup format work, and how many matches will take place?
The 48 teams are sorted into four pots of 12. The host nations and the highest-ranked teams go into pot one, with the rest placed in pots two to four based on their FIFA rankings.
Each team will then play three group matches, collecting points based on wins and draws. The top two teams from every group will move forward to the knockout stage, where a loss means you’re out.
To set up the groups, the 48 teams are sorted into four pots of 12. The hosts and the nine highest-ranked nations go into pot one, with the rest placed into pots two to four based on FIFA rankings. This helps keep the groups fair and competitive.
Each team plays three group matches, picking up points for wins and draws. The tournament then races through the last 16 teams, with quarter-finals and semi-finals, until only two teams remain to fight it out for the World Cup trophy. In total, the tournament will see 104 matches played.
When is the World Cup 2026 Final?
It's been confirmed that the iconic New York New Jersey Stadium will host the tournament's final fixture on Sunday, 19 July 2026. Who will be competing? That remains to be seen!Three reasons why the World Cup is better watched at a Hungry Horse pub
A Great View
Forget straining your eyes to see the pitch from the nosebleed seats, or dealing with a tall fan blocking your view. At Hungry Horse, our screens are placed high with amazing picture quality. So you can enjoy the action of the pitch from the comfort of the pub.
Flowing Drinks
Whether you're after a crisp pint or a cheeky mocktail, our bar's fully stocked and ready to go. Keep your thirst quenched from kick-off to the final whistle, and raise a glass at full time, whether it's win or lose.
Tasty Grub To Keep You Fuelled
We can’t guarantee success on the pitch, but at Hungry Horse, it’s always a win for your plate with our pub food menu. Nibble on some tasty starters, treat your mates to a sharing beard or dig in to a full on feast. Whatever you’re craving, we’re ready to get cooking! Plus, we’ve got daily deals to keep costs low and spirits high.
Three of the most shocking incidents at the World Cup
Zidane’s violent outburst
Zinedine Zidane had announced he would retire after the 2006 World Cup and appeared to be going out on a high when he helped put France ahead against Italy in the final. But when Marco Materazzi equalised for Italy and provoked Zidane with insulting comments, he lost control, headbutted him and was sent off. Italy then won the penalty shootout 5-3…Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’
As well as his ‘Goal of the Century’ Maradona also got the ball into the net during the 1986 match against England using his hand to punch it in. The move was illegal but refs didn’t see it, so it was allowed. Where was VAR when you needed it, ey?Suarez big bite
Luis Suarez shocked fans and his fellow players when he took a bite out the shoulder of Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during the 2014 tournament. Chiellini pulled down his shirt in an attempt to prove his injury, while Suarez held his mouth in pain to look like he was the real victim. The incident went unpunished during the match, but Suarez was later banned from all football-related activity for four months.
Three times England failed to qualify for the World Cup
Forget bringing it home, sometimes we don’t even make it onto the pitch…
The 1974 World Cup
We failed to qualify for the 1974 World Cup in West Germany, which proved a major shock at the time. It marked our first absence from the tournament since our 1950 debut.
The 1978 World Cup
We also failed to qualify in the late '70s for the tournament in Argentina. We drew and lost key matches and suffered a big defeat against Italy, which sealed our fate. It was also the second consecutive World Cup missed. Not a great decade for the team!
1994 World Cup
Our third miss was the 1994 World Cup in the USA. We had big players, including Paul Gascoigne and Alan Shearer, but we still couldn't make it a reality.
Three of the most iconic goals from World Cup games
Diego Maradona's Goal of the Century
Maradona’s epic achievement with Argentina in the 1986 tournament has been hailed the 'Goal of the Century' by many. Sure, it was a goal against England, but football fans can still appreciate the skill. Maradona dribbled the ball from his side of the pitch, making his way past five defenders to hit the back of the net.
Pelé’s firm kick
In the 1958 World Cup, Brazil were facing Sweden when Pelé managed to take the ball down on his chest before flicking it over the head of his marking defender, and volley it into the goal with the same foot. Truly iconic!
Michael Owen’s moment of magic
We had to show some love for England and one of our best-loved goals was scored against Argentina by Michael Owen in the 1998 tournament. At just 18 years old and fresh onto the pitch, Owen displayed remarkable pace, racing past defenders to score an unforgettable goal.