When does the 2026 FIFA World Cup start?

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on June 11, 2026, with the opening match at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

Where is the 2026 World Cup Final?

The Final will be held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey (New York metro area) on July 19, 2026.

How many teams are in the 2026 World Cup?

48 teams will compete in the 2026 World Cup — the first time the tournament has been expanded from 32 to 48 teams.

How many host cities are there?

16 host cities across 3 countries: 11 in the USA, 3 in Mexico, and 2 in Canada.

How many matches will be played?

104 matches will be played over 39 days, from June 11 to July 19, 2026.

M. Badelj

Croatia

Croatia36 yrs

Age

186 cm cm

Height

76 kg kg

Weight

Midfield — centre

Typical role

Croatia

Nationality

International career

Caps

Intl goals

Intl assists

Career clubs

Genoa

2021–2024

125 apps⚽ 6

Croatia

2021

1 apps

Career transfers

Lazio Genoa
16 Sept 2020
Lazio Fiorentina
5 Aug 2019Loan
Fiorentina Lazio
1 Aug 2018Free transfer
Hamburger SV Fiorentina
31 Aug 2014
Dinamo Zagreb Hamburger SV
31 Aug 2012Transfer

Injury record

Groin Injury

Feb 2025

Thigh Injury

Jan 2025

Thigh Injury

Sept 2024 – Oct 2024

Suspended

Jan 2024

9 recorded match-day injury flags in the corpus.

Competitions

Friendlies Clubs· World

Recent form

@ Bologna

Serie A · 3–1

vs Atalanta

Serie A · 2–3

67'6.6

@ Napoli

Serie A · 2–2

vs AC Milan

Serie A · 1–2

@ Como

Serie A · 0–1

Season by season

Season	Team	Apps	Goals	Assists	Rating
2024	Genoa	25	1	1	6.86
2023	Genoa	35	1	3	6.91
2022	Genoa	29	3	1	6.91
2021	Genoa	37	1	0	6.90

Discipline

Yellow cards

Red cards

375

Fouls

← All World Cup stars