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.

Paulinho

Brazil

Brazil28 yrs

Age

175 cm

Height

74 kg

Weight

Midfield

Typical role

Brazil

Nationality

Career clubs

Vasco DA Gama

2023–2025

50 apps⚽ 2

Al Shabab

2021–2023

26 apps⚽ 2

Al-Fayha

2022

28 apps⚽ 5

Boavista

2021

1 apps

Career transfers

Vasco DA Gama Internacional
8 Jan 2026Free transfer
Vasco DA GamaPaulinho Paula
30 Dec 2025Free transfer
Al-Fayha Al Shabab
1 Jul 2023
Al Shabab Al-Fayha
31 Jul 2022Loan
Boavista Al Shabab
27 Jul 2021

Injury record

Illness

Jun 2025 – Jul 2025

ACL Knee Injury

Jan 2024 – Nov 2024

9 recorded match-day injury flags in the corpus.

Competitions

Pro League· Saudi-Arabia

Serie A· Brazil

Carioca - 1· Brazil

CONMEBOL Sudamericana· World

AFC Champions League Elite· World

Copa Do Brasil· Brazil

Taça da Liga· Portugal

Primeira Liga· Portugal

Arab Club Champions Cup· World

Recent form

@ RB Bragantino

Serie A · 1–3

18'6.6

vs Fluminense

Serie A · 2–0

@ Botafogo

Serie A · 2–2

28'6.6

@ Athletic Club

Copa Do Brasil · 2–1

4'6.6

vs Mirassol

Serie A · 1–2

67'6.6

Season by season

Season	Team	Apps	Goals	Assists	Rating
2025	Vasco DA Gama	25	1	1	6.59
2024	Vasco DA Gama	6	0	0	6.20
2023	Vasco DA Gama	19	1	2	6.88
2022	Al-Fayha	31	6	1	6.85
2021	Al Shabab	24	1	3	6.80

Discipline

Yellow cards

Red cards

363

Fouls

← All World Cup stars