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. Sykes

Republic of IrelandRepublic of Ireland28 yrs

Age

182 cm

Height

68 kg

Weight

Midfield

Typical role

Republic of Ireland

Nationality

International career

Caps

Intl goals

Intl assists

Career clubs

Bristol City

2022–2025

153 apps⚽ 18

Rep. Of Ireland

2023–2025

8 apps

Northern Ireland

2022

0 apps

Oxford United

2021

45 apps⚽ 8

Northern Ireland U21

2021

0 apps

Career transfers

Oxford United Bristol City
1 Jul 2022Free transfer
Glenavon FC Oxford United
2 Jan 2019

Injury record

Thigh Injury

Apr 2025 – Jul 2025

Thigh Injury

Apr 2025

Hamstring

Nov 2024 – Jan 2025

Hamstring

Jan 2024 – Feb 2024

33 recorded match-day injury flags in the corpus.

Competitions

Championship· England

UEFA Nations League· World

EFL Trophy· England

Euro Championship - Qualification· World

UEFA U21 Championship· World

Recent form

vs Stoke City

Championship · 2–0

16'6.9

@ Birmingham

Championship · 1–2

@ Southampton

Championship · 2–2

18'6.3

vs Norwich

Championship · 2–4

65'6.3

@ QPR

Championship · 0–0

76'6.9

Season by season

Season	Team	Apps	Goals	Assists	Rating
2025	Bristol City	43	4	1	6.78
2024	Bristol City	32	3	4	6.98
2023	Bristol City	44	5	4	6.81
2022	Bristol City	42	6	1	6.71
2021	Oxford United	45	8	6	7.00

Discipline

Yellow cards

Red cards

212

Fouls

← All World Cup stars