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.

K. Shirai

Japan

Japan31 yrs

Age

166 cm

Height

65 kg

Weight

Midfield

Typical role

Japan

Nationality

Career clubs

FC Tokyo

2023–2025

63 apps⚽ 2

Kyoto Sanga

2021–2023

74 apps

Career transfers

FC Tokyo Fagiano Okayama
31 Jan 2026Loan
Kyoto Sanga FC Tokyo
17 Jul 2023
Consadole Sapporo Kyoto Sanga
9 Jan 2022Free transfer
Consadole Sapporo Kyoto Sanga
1 Feb 2021Loan
Ehime FC Consadole Sapporo
1 Jan 2018
Shonan Bellmare Ehime FC
1 Jul 2015

Honours

J2 League

Winner

Japan · 2× (2021, 2014)

J-League Cup

Runner-up

Japan · 1× (2019)

Competitions

Recent form

@ Urawa

J1 League · 2–0

81'6.9

vs Urawa

J1 League · 1–1

28'6.2

vs Cerezo Osaka

J1 League · 2–3

90'7.2

vs Shimizu S-pulse

J1 League · 2–0

⚽ 185'8.7

@ Vissel Kobe

J1 League · 3–0

🅰 185'7.0

Season by season

Season	Team	Apps	Goals	Assists	Rating
2025	FC Tokyo	21	1	1	6.75
2024	FC Tokyo	25	1	2	6.79
2023	FC Tokyo	19	0	1	6.84
2022	Kyoto Sanga	37	0	1	6.70
2021	Kyoto Sanga	35	0	0	—

Discipline

Yellow cards

Red cards

115

Fouls

← All World Cup stars