The 2026 FIFA men's World Cup will finally kick off on June 11.

New Jersey will host eight matches at MetLife Stadium, which has been temporarily renamed NYNJ Stadium due to FIFA's advertising rules. There will be five group-stage matches starting on June 13, knockout-round games on June 30 and July 5, and the July 19 final.

Meet the nine teams which will play group matches here.

Brazil

NJ schedule: June 13 vs. Morocco, 6 p.m.

Key players: Neymar (striker, all-time leading scorer); Vinícius Júnior (striker from Real Madrid); Raphinha (midfielder from Barcelona); Gabriel Magalhães (center back from Arsenal), Marquinhos (team captain, defender from Paris-St. Germain)

Fun fact: Brazil has won five World Cups, but none since 2002.

Ecuador

NJ schedule: June 25 vs. Germany, 4 p.m.

Key players: Willian Pacho (defender from Paris St-Germain); Piero Hincapié (defender from Arsenal); Pervis Estupiñán (defender from Milan); Joel Ordóñez (defender from Brugge); Moisés Caicedo (midfielder from Chelsea); Enner Valencia (striker from Pachuca)

Fun fact: Young and balanced, Ecuador relies on a veteran back line.

England

NJ schedule: June 27 vs. Panama, 5 p.m.

Key players: Harry Kane (striker from Bayern Munich); Jude Bellingham (22, midfielder from Real Madrid); Declan Rice (midfielder from Arsenal)

Fun fact: England has won the World Cup just once, when it hosted in 1966.

France

NJ schedule: June 16 vs. Senegal, 3 p.m.

Key players: Kylian Mbappe (27, striker from Real Madrid); Ousmane Dembélé (striker from Paris-St. Germain) William Saliba (defender from Arsenal); Michael Olise (midfielder from Bayern Munich)

Fun fact: Ousmane Dembélé won the Ballon d'Or as the best player in the 2024-25 season.

Germany

NJ schedule: June 25 vs. Ecuador, 4 p.m.

Key players: Florian Wirtz (23, midfielder from Liverpool); Jamal Musiala (23, midfielder from Bayern Munich); Jonathan Tah (defender from Bayern Munich); Manuel Neuer (goalkeeper from Bayern Munich)

Fun fact: Germany, which has qualified for 19 straight World Cups, has lost its opener at the last two and failed to advance out of the group stage.

Morocco

NJ schedule: June 13 vs. Brazil, 6 p.m.

Key players: Achraf Hakimi (right back from Paris-St. Germain); Neil El Aynaoui (24, midfielder from Roma); Noussair Mazraoui (right back from Manchester United)

Fun fact: Nicknamed the Atlas Lions, Morocco was the first African team to qualify for the World Cup, earning its place on Sept. 5.

Norway

NJ schedule: June 22 vs. Senegal, 8 p.m.

Key players: Erling Haaland (striker from Manchester City); Martin Odegaard (midfielder from Arsenal); Antonio Nusa (midfielder from Leipzig); Sander Berge (midfielder from Fulham)

Fun fact: This is Norway's first major tournament in 26 years, and first World Cup appearance since 1998.

Panama

NJ schedule: June 27 vs. England, 5 p.m.

Key players: Aníbal Godoy (midfielder from San Diego in Major League Soccer); Adalberto Carrasquilla (midfielder for UNAM Pumas); Ismael Diaz (striker from León)

Fun fact: With this World Cup hosted by three Concacaf nations, Panama was able to qualify for just its second World Cup.

Senegal

NJ schedule: June 16 vs. France, 3 p.m.; June 22 vs. Norway, 8 p.m.

Key players: Sadio Mané (midfielder from Al-Nassr); Amara Diouf (left wing from Génération Foot); Kalidou Koulibaly (team captain, defender from Al-Hilal)

Fun fact: Senegal defeated Morocco in the final of the African Cup of Nations in January, but had its title stripped after players left the field in protest of a late penalty kick.

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Source: NorthJersey.com