World Cup 2026: Tournament News & Betting Insights

DAZN is expected to be awarded the 2026 World Cup broadcasting rights in Italy by the end of the month. The deal could be a big win, but only if Italy’s national team wins its FIFA playoff matches to end its World Cup drought.

Chase ran a sale on 2026 FIFA World Cup tickets for its Sapphire members, selling out in three hours. While more will be available, it appears millions of fans will be left hoping for affordable tickets on the secondary market.

The town of Foxborough has told FIFA it won’t host World Cup matches unless it secures security funding. While town officials have had several funding options available, they have given a deadline of Mid-March to confirm which will be used.

German Federation VP Oke Göttlich told reporters that he believes it is time to begin discussions for a 2026 World Cup boycott. He cited the 1980 Olympic boycott, saying the current situation with the US requires talks over similar action.

The US State Department has confirmed FIFA PASS will soon go live, creating far more visa appointments ahead of the 2026 World Cup. All standard appointments ahead of the tournament’s kickoff are full, leaving other fans to wait for FIFA PASS.

The US has begun to alienate itself from the international community, leading many to worry that the North American World Cup won’t happen this summer. A recent attack and threats of more could lead to boycotts, though FIFA is unlikely to take action.

FIFA is reported to be considering two significant rule changes with just six months until the 2026 World Cup. In contrast, they aim to improve the quality of play; some fear the lack of preparation and testing could have the opposite effect.

FIFA has announced it will soon offer supporter entry-tier tickets for $60, following public blowback over the incredibly high prices to attend. While the details remain unknown, FIFA is expected to limit the number of lower-tier tickets available.

FIFA held the draw for the 2026 World Cup today, setting a field consisting of 12 groups of four teams each. Match information will be provided on December 6, but the final spots won’t be decided until the European playoffs are over.

The latest FIFA Rankings allowed the European playoff field to be set, creating four paths to this summer’s World Cup. Italy enters as the biggest betting favorite to advance, returning to the World Cup for the first time since 2014.