How many teams are in the 2026 World Cup?

48 teams compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, expanded from 32 in previous tournaments — the largest World Cup in football history.

How does the 2026 World Cup group stage work?

The 48 teams are drawn into 12 groups of 4 teams each (Groups A through L). Each team plays 3 matches. The top 2 from each group (24 teams) advance, plus the 8 best third-place finishers, creating a 32-team knockout bracket.

How many matches are in the 2026 World Cup?

There are 104 matches total — 72 group stage matches and 32 knockout matches (Round of 32 through the Final). The tournament runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026.

Where is the 2026 World Cup hosted?

The 2026 World Cup is co-hosted by three nations: Canada, Mexico, and the United States. There are 16 host cities across the three countries, with the final at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey.

Who will win the 2026 World Cup?

Our AI-powered prediction engine analyzes xG, FIFA rankings, recent form, and historical performance to forecast every match. Visit Bucephus for live probability updates throughout the tournament.

Retail & Consumer Brands·Active

Will Nike announce a major partnership with a professional sports league between 2026-07-08 and 2026-07-22?

Live28%

28%chance · Yes▲ 0

Yes28%No85%

2 outcomes · model-implied Yes chance

The line is Bucephus’s computed probability over time — aggregated from live news, social & market signals, not trading volume.

AI model estimate · awaiting news coverage & forecasts

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Probability sources

News

—

no coverage yet

Crowd

—

no forecasts yet

Model · shown

15%

AI base-rate prior

Analytics only — derived from public reporting, not betting advice. Crowd takes over once real forecasts accrue.

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MarketFeed · real-time

Sources

1 surfed for this market

Referenced & tracked

news.nike.com · resolution

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Market Rules

Resolves Yes if Nike announces a multi-year partnership with an NFL, NBA, MLB, or similar league in a press release before 2026-07-22 23:59:59 UTC.

Outcome verified from news.nike.com.

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Timeline and payout

Market open
Jul 8, 2026, 7:31 PM UTC
Market closes
By Jul 22, 2026, 11:59 PM UTC
Projected payout
Shortly after the market closes

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Trading on material non-public information is prohibited. Markets are for entertainment and informational purposes using free Pulse Credits — no real-money wagering. If you believe a participant has acted on inside information, please report it.

Why 28%· Yes

This estimate is mostly the model's prior — news coverage is still thin, so few signals have pooled in yet. It sharpens as coverage builds.

Pooled estimate 28% · How the model works ↗

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Yes staked

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No staked

2.00 / 2.00

Implied odds

3d 19h left

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Nike sports league partnership by July 22?

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