The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be special for many reasons.

For the first time in history, the World Cup will be played in three different countries: Canada, Mexico and the United States. It will also be the biggest World Cup ever, with 48 teams instead of 32.

Another interesting fact is that some countries will not be there. Russia remains suspended from international football because of the war in Ukraine, so it cannot take part in the tournament.

That means the 2026 World Cup will bring together new teams, new cities, and a completely new kind of football experience

La 2026 FIFA World Cup será especial por muchas razones.

Por primera vez en la historia, el torneo se jugará en tres países diferentes: Canada, Mexico y los United States. Además, será el Mundial más grande de todos, con 48 selecciones en lugar de 32.

Otro dato interesante es que algunos países no estarán presentes. Russia sigue suspendida del fútbol internacional por la guerra en Ukraine, así que no podrá participar en el torneo.

Eso significa que el Mundial 2026 reunirá nuevas selecciones, nuevas ciudades y una experiencia futbolística completamente diferente.

A2 — World Cup English

The next 2026 FIFA World Cup starts in June.
Even if you are not a big football fan, it is a great chance to learn real English.

Here are some useful football words you will hear a lot.

kick-off — the moment the match starts.
The kick-off is at 8 p.m.

goal — when the ball goes into the net.
That was a great goal.

draw — a game with the same score for both teams.
It finished as a draw.

win — to finish the match with more goals.
Argentina won 2–1.

lose — not to win.
They lost their first game.

beat — to win against another team.
Spain beat Italy.

fans — people who support a team.
The fans were very loud.

coach — the person who leads the team.
The coach changed two players.

Mini practice

Answer these questions in English.

• Which team do you support?
• Who do you think will win the tournament?
• Do you usually watch football with friends or family?

---

B1 — World Cup English: expressions you will really hear

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be everywhere in June: on TV, online, at work, and in everyday conversations.

These expressions are very common.

kick-off — the exact time the match begins.
The kick-off is at half past seven.

equaliser — a goal that makes the score the same.
They scored an equaliser in the second half.

clean sheet — when a team does not let the other team score.
The goalkeeper kept a clean sheet.

extra time — two short periods after the normal 90 minutes.
The game went into extra time.

injury time — extra minutes added at the end because the game stopped during the match.
They scored in injury time.

through to the next round — qualified for the next stage.
Brazil are through to the next round.

upset — a surprising result when the weaker team wins or draws.
That was a big upset.

man of the match — the best player in the game.
He was named man of the match.

Quick speaking task

Answer in English.

• Which team could be the surprise of the tournament?
• Which player do you think could be man of the match in the opening games?
• Do you prefer group-stage matches or knockout matches? Why?

---

B2+ — World Cup English: natural phrases for real conversations

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is not only about football. It is also a great topic for natural English conversation.

Here are expressions native speakers often use.

a strong squad — a team with many good players.
They have a very strong squad this year.

to dominate possession — to have the ball most of the time.
They dominated possession but could not score.

clinical finishing — using scoring chances very well.
Their clinical finishing made the difference.

to concede — to allow the other team to score.
They conceded two late goals.

a comeback — returning after losing during the match.
It was an impressive comeback.

to be under pressure — to be in a difficult situation during the match.
The defence was under pressure for most of the second half.

to edge past — to win by a very small difference.
They edged past their rivals 1–0.

a disappointing performance — a performance that was worse than expected.
It was a disappointing performance from a top team.

Discussion questions

• Which national side looks the most balanced before the tournament?
• What usually matters more in major tournaments: talent, experience, or mentality?
• Which team do you think could go further than people expect?