Mexico kicks off expanded World Cup as U.S. and Canada prepare for opening matches
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has officially begun, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The tournament was expanded to include 48 teams competing in 16 stadiums, with a record 104 matches scheduled over 39 days, according to FIFA.
Mexico will host the tournament’s opening match Thursday, facing South Africa in Mexico City. The second game of the day features South Korea and the Czech Republic in Guadalajara. Both matches are part of Group A. Canada and the U.S. will play their first games Friday, with Canada facing Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto and the U.S. taking on Paraguay in Inglewood, California.
All 104 matches will be broadcast in English on Fox or FS1, with streaming available via the Fox One app, according to network reports. Spanish-language coverage will be provided by Telemundo and Universo, also streaming on Peacock and Telemundo’s app.
Mexico enters the tournament as a favorite, boosted by a home crowd and a star-studded opening ceremony featuring performers like Andrea Bocelli, Alejandro Fernández, and Maná. The team aims to improve upon its 2022 performance, where it failed to advance past the group stage for the first time since 1978. Veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa will participate in his sixth World Cup, a record for Mexico.
The games in Mexico will take place at high elevations, with Estadio Azteca in Mexico City at roughly 7,300 feet above sea level and Guadalajara at 5,138 feet. Visiting teams may face altitude challenges during their matches.
South Korea, making its 11th consecutive World Cup appearance since 1986, hopes to build on its round-of-16 appearance in 2022. Captain Son Heung-min, 33, may be playing in his last World Cup. Meanwhile, the Czech Republic is returning to the tournament after a 20-year absence, seeking its first appearance since 2006.
FIFA has faced scrutiny over ticket prices, with some seats for the July 19 final listed at nearly $33,000. State attorneys general in New York and New Jersey are investigating whether FIFA’s ticketing practices violated consumer protection laws, as reported last month.
In the U.S., skepticism toward FIFA President Gianni Infantino cuts across political lines. Leaders from both parties have criticized ticket prices and FIFA’s transparency, including New York Mayor Eric Adams and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
Historically, only eight countries have won the World Cup, with Brazil leading with five titles. Recent tournaments have seen defending champions fail to progress beyond the group stage, including Italy in 2010, Spain in 2014, and Germany in 2018. France, the 2018 winner, reached the final in 2022 but lost to Argentina.
South Korea’s Son Heung-min is among the tournament’s most accomplished players, with 144 caps. Mexico’s 17-year-old Gilberto Mora is the youngest player in the tournament, with potential to become the second-youngest goal scorer in World Cup history behind Pelé.
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