Reading Comprehension on World Cup ( 2026)

 

The 2026 FIFA World Cup

The 2026 FIFA World Cup marks a historic milestone in international sports, running from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, it is the first edition in tournament history to be shared across three host nations and the first to feature an expanded 48-team field.

Expanding from the long-standing 32-team format, the competition encompasses 104 total matches. The group stage divides teams into 12 groups of four, with the top two sides from each group alongside the eight best third-place finishers advancing to a newly introduced Round of 32 knockout stage.

Matches are hosted across 16 world-class venues in 16 cities: 11 in the United States, three in Mexico, and two in Canada. The opening match kicked off on June 11 at the legendary Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, establishing Mexico as the first nation to stage World Cup matches in three separate tournaments. The final will take place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The tournament reached its high-stakes Quarter-Final phase following a fiercely competitive Round of 16. Traditional giants and formidable challengers—including Argentina, France, England, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, Norway, and Morocco—navigated intense knockout matches to remain in contention for football's ultimate prize.

Boasting record-breaking attendance figures averaging over 65,000 fans per fixture, the 2026 tournament has highlighted the immense popularity of the sport across North America. Beyond the economic and logistical scope, the expanded field has provided smaller footballing nations unprecedented global visibility, making the 2026 World Cup a landmark celebration of global sports unity.

Section 1: Multiple Choice Questions (10 Questions)

1. How many total teams are competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

a) 32

b) 36

c) 48

d) 64

2. Which three countries are co-hosting the tournament?

a) USA, Canada, Brazil

b) Canada, Mexico, USA

c) Mexico, Argentina, USA

d) USA, England, Canada

3. What is the total number of matches to be played in this tournament?

a) 64

b) 80

c) 96

d) 104

4. Where was the opening match of the 2026 World Cup held?

a) MetLife Stadium

b) Estadio Azteca

c) Wembley Stadium

d) SoFi Stadium

5. What distinguishes Mexico's hosting history after this tournament?

a) First nation to host a World Cup twice

b) First nation to host matches in three separate World Cups

c) Only nation to host the final twice

d) First South American nation to host

6. Which stadium was chosen to host the final match?

a) Estadio Azteca in Mexico City

b) BC Place in Vancouver

c) MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey

d) AT&T Stadium in Dallas

7. How many host cities are located in the United States?

a) 2

b) 3

c) 11

d) 16

8. How many groups are formed in the expanded group stage?

a) 8

b) 10

c) 12

d) 16

9. What new stage was added to the knockout round due to the expanded format?

a) Round of 64

b) Round of 32

c) Play-in tournament

d) Wildcard round

10. What is the average fan attendance per match reported in the text?

a) Over 45,000

b) Over 50,000

c) Over 60,000

d) Over 65,000

Section 2: Short Answer Questions (10 Questions)

1. What are the start and end dates of the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
2. How many host cities are located in Canada and Mexico combined?
3. Which teams qualify for the Round of 32 from the group stage?
4. Name four traditional or emerging team giants mentioned in the passage.
5. Why is the 2026 FIFA World Cup considered a "historic milestone"?
6. How does the 48-team expansion benefit smaller footballing nations?
7. How many total host venues are being used across all three host countries?
8. What tournament phase was reached following the Round of 16?
9. Beyond economic and logistical aspects, what broader social value does the tournament promote according to the text?
10. What was the previous standard number of teams competing in the World Cup prior to this expansion?

Section 3: Fill in the Blanks (10 Questions)

1. The 2026 World Cup is the first edition in history to be co-hosted by ____________ host nations.
2. The tournament features a total of ____________ teams competing across North America.
3. Teams in the group stage are divided into ____________ groups of four.
4. The final match will take place on July 19 at ____________ Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
5. Mexico became the first country to host matches in ____________ separate World Cup tournaments.
6. A newly introduced knockout stage in this expanded format is the Round of ____________.
7. Out of 16 total host venues, ____________ are located in the United States.
8. The average spectator attendance per fixture has reached over ____________ fans.
9. In addition to top group finishers, the eight best ____________-place teams advance to the knockouts.
10. The opening match kicked off at the legendary Estadio Azteca in ____________ City.

Section 4: Word Puzzles & Vocabulary Challenge 

Word Unscrambles

1. O U T C K O N B (Hint: A stage where losing means elimination)
2. E V N U E S (Hint: Places where matches are held)
3. M L I E S T O N E (Hint: An important event or landmark moment)
4. I X A P A N T O E (Hint: Making something larger in size or scope)
5. A C U L I R T I M O T (Hint: Involving several countries or entities)

Context Clues & Definitions

1. Find a word in Paragraph 1 that means "made larger or extended in scope."
2. Find a word in Paragraph 3 that means "famous or well-known over a long period."
3. Find a word in Paragraph 4 that means "powerful, impressive, or inspiring respect."
4. Find a word in Paragraph 5 that means "never done or known before."
5. Find a word in Paragraph 5 that means "relating to the organization and movement of complex operations."

Section 5: Matching Exercise (10 Questions)

Column A	Column B
1. 104	A. Number of host cities located in Canada
2. MetLife Stadium	B. The opening match location on June 11
3. 12	C. Total number of groups in the initial stage
4. Estadio Azteca	D. Venue for the final match on July 19
5. 2	E. Total number of matches in the 2026 tournament
6. Round of 32	F. Average attendance benchmark per fixture
7. 65,000+	G. Newly added knockout round
8. 3	H. Number of host cities located in Mexico
9. 48	I. Total participating national teams
10. July 19	J. Date of the World Cup final