The 2026 IFCPF Cerebral Palsy World Cup begins on Oct. 14 as the U.S. Men's and Women’s CP National Teams look to make a statement as the host country in the third edition of the tournament to feature both men’s and women’s competitions.
As the teams prepare to open group stage play next week, here’s everything you need to know about the 2026 IFCPF Cerebral Palsy World Cup:
When and where is the 2026 IFCPF Cerebral Palsy World Cup?
The 2026 IFCPF Cerebral Palsy World Cup will take place from Oct. 14-24.
It was announced in May that the tournament would be hosted at the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Fayetteville, Ga., just south of Atlanta. It is the first time the tournament will be hosted in the United States in more than 20 years and marks the first major international event hosted at the National Training Center. The IFCPF World Cup, which takes place every two years, was held in Salou, Spain, in 2024 and 2022.
How many teams are competing in the 2026 IFCPF Cerebral Palsy World Cup?
A combined 20 national teams from six continents are competing in this year’s tournament – 12 in the men’s competition and eight in the women’s competition, the largest international tournament field in Women’s CP football history. The men’s competition will feature three groups of four teams, while two groups of four will compete on the women’s side.
CP Football features athletes with Cerebral Palsy, Stroke or Traumatic Brain Injury. The men’s discipline of the sport is a 7v7 game, played on a field measuring 70 by 50 meters, while the women’s discipline is a 5v5 game, played on a field that is 40 by 27 meters.
Who does the U.S. play in the group stage?
On July 17, the U.S. Men’s and Women’s CP Teams learned their group schedule for the tournament. The CP MNT was drawn into Group A with Canada, Scotland and the Netherlands. The CP WNT was also drawn into Group A with Finland, Kenya and Japan.
U.S. Men’s CP Team Schedule – Group Stage
| Date |
Match |
Kickoff (ET) |
| Oct. 14 |
USA vs. Canada |
4:30 p.m. |
| Oct. 16 |
USA vs. Scotland |
4:30 p.m. |
| Oct. 18 |
USA vs. Netherlands |
5:40 p.m. |
U.S. Women’s CP Team Schedule – Group Stage
| Date |
Match |
Kickoff (ET) |
| Oct. 15 |
USA vs. Finland |
4:30 p.m. |
| Oct. 17 |
USA vs. Kenya |
2 p.m. |
| Oct. 19 |
USA vs. Japan |
4:10 p.m. |
View the groups here.
How do teams advance to the knockout rounds?
On the men’s side, the top two finishers in each group and the two best third-place finishers will advance to the Quarterfinals on Oct. 20. The winners from those matches will compete in the Semifinals on Oct. 22, with the Final taking place on Oct. 24.
In the women’s competition, the top two teams from each group will advance to the Semifinals on Oct. 21, with the winners moving on to the Final on Oct. 23.
What is the USA’s history at this tournament?
The CP MNT has competed in all three of the previous editions of the tournament, with its best finish coming in 2022 when the U.S. placed fourth out of 15 teams. The USA finished sixth in 2019 and seventh in 2024.
The CP WNT won the inaugural women’s competition in 2022 and finished as runner-up to Australia in 2024.
How can fans follow along during the tournament?
For the first time since the National Training Center opened in May, the event is open to the public, and those who wish to attend can reserve their free tickets here.
Fans are also encouraged to follow the CP MNT and WNT throughout the 2026 IFCPC World Cup on USSoccer.com, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter/X for score updates and additional tournament information.
