What to know about the 2026 World Cup one year out

The World Cup kicks off one year from now and will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The 23rd edition of soccer's most prestigious tournament, which has been running since 1930, will be the biggest yet with 48 teams taking part.

Here's what to know about the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The tournament will be played through June and July. It kicks off at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on June 11, with the final held July 19 at MetLife Stadium, which will be referred to as the New York New Jersey Stadium during FIFA's tournament.

Fans can register their interest in tickets through FIFA.

So far, more than a dozen countries have booked their place in the 48-team tournament, including co-hosts the United States, Canada and Mexico, as well as defending champion Argentina.

Japan, Iran, Jordan, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and Ecuador are also through.

Sixteen teams will qualify from Europe — more than any other region.

Africa will have nine teams and Asia eight, with both also getting a place in the playoffs.

South America will have six teams qualifying directly and a playoff place. North and Central America and the Caribbean will also have six direct qualifiers and two playoff places.

Oceania will only have one direct qualifier and a playoff place.

The United States will host games in Arlington, Texas; Atlanta; East Rutherford, New Jersey; Foxborough, Massachusetts; Houston; Inglewood, California; Kansas City, Missouri; Miami Gardens, Florida; Philadelphia, Seattle; and San Jose, California.

Two Canadian cities will have World Cup games: Toronto and Vancouver, British Columbia.

In Mexico, games will be played in Guadalajara, Monterrey and Mexico City.

The tournament will follow the same format as in recent years, just with a bigger field.

There will be 12 groups of four teams. The teams in each group play each other and the top two will advance to a knockout stage. The eight best third-place teams will also advance.

The knockouts will be played from the round of 32 to the final.

The previous World Cup was held in 2022 at Qatar, where Argentina defeated France in a penalty shootout in the final.

Brazil holds that record, having won the tournament five times: 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002. Germany and Italy have each won four titles. Argentina has three.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

FILE - The World Cup trophy is displayed before the UEFA Preliminary Draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, Dec. 13, 2024. (Til Buergy/Keystone via AP, File)

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Isaiah Evans scored 21 points and had a critical 3-pointer with 1:15 left to help No. 6 Duke beat No. 24 SMU 82-75 on Saturday.

Evans slipped to the left side for the 3-pointer off a feed from freshman star Cam Boozer to make it 76-70, a repeat of the play that sent Duke past Florida when he hit a late 3 here in December.

Patrick Ngongba II tied his career high in scoring with 17 points for Duke (15-1, 4-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), while Boozer had 18 points — including muscling up his own interior basket to give Duke a 73-68 lead shortly before Evans' big shot.

Duke shot 49% and won its 25th straight home game.

Jaden Toombs had 23 points on 10-for-12 shooting to lead the Mustangs (12-4, 1-2), who started the week by entering the AP Top 25 poll for the first time since the end of the 2016-17 season before losing at Clemson on Wednesday.

The Mustangs had to play this one without leading scorer Boopie Moller, a 20.6-point scorer who was a game-time decision because of illness.

But SMU scored the game's first 11 points and gave Duke fits all day, shooting 56.6% and thrice getting within one possession in the final 4 1/2 minutes. The Mustangs' biggest problem was turnovers; they had 21 that led to 21 points for the Blue Devils.

At halftime, Duke marked the 25th anniversary of the program's 2001 NCAA championship, with former NBA players Shane Battier, Carlos Boozer, Mike Dunleavy and Jay Williams joining retired Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski at midcourt during the presentation. Boozer's twin sons, Cam and Cayden, both play for Duke.

SMU: The Mustangs host Virginia Tech on Wednesday.

Duke: The Blue Devils make their first cross-country ACC trip when they visit California on Wednesday.

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Duke's Dame Sarr (7) is fouled by SMU's Jaden Toombs, left, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)