MEXICO CITY: The 2026 FIFA World Cup will begin on Thursday as 48 nations compete in the largest edition of football’s premier tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The tournament opens at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, where Mexico will face South Africa, marking the start of a six-week competition that will conclude with the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.
For the first time in World Cup history, 48 teams will participate, expanding the competition from 32 teams and increasing the number of matches to 104. A total of 32 teams will advance to the knockout stage following the group phase.
Defending champions Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, will seek to retain their title, while Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo aims to guide his country to its first World Cup crown. England will also look to end a six-decade wait for major international success.
The tournament begins amid concerns over ticket affordability, security and geopolitical tensions. FIFA has faced criticism over soaring ticket prices, with premium seats for the final reaching record levels.
Political issues have also drawn attention ahead of the competition. Human rights groups have raised concerns regarding immigration and visa policies in the United States, while FIFA confirmed the removal of a Somali referee after he was denied entry into the country.
Regional tensions involving Iran have also affected preparations. Iran will play its group-stage matches in the United States, although several members of its administrative delegation were reportedly denied US visas.
FIFA has introduced several changes for the tournament, including mandatory cooling breaks during matches due to expected high temperatures, new substitution procedures aimed at reducing time-wasting, and stricter anti-racism measures.
The expanded tournament is expected to attract millions of spectators across 16 host cities in North America, making it the largest and most commercially significant World Cup in FIFA history.