2026 FIFA World Cup begins today: Everything to know about the opening game on Boston 25

FeedzyA massive, 48-team World Cup kicks off Thursday across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico — the biggest tournament ever with 104 matches over 39 days. Read More
After years of preparation, a supersized 2026 FIFA World Cup has finally arrived.
This year’s tournament — hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico — was expanded to 48 teams, which will play in 16 stadiums over a record 104 matches over the 39-day tournament.
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Mexico gets the World Cup started Thursday and will be a heavy favorite when it hosts South Africa in Mexico City. The second game of the day will be between South Korea and the Czech Republic in Guadalajara, Mexico. All four teams are part of Group A.
Canada and the United States will host their first games on Friday. The Canadians will play Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto while the Americans face Paraguay in Inglewood, California.
What to watch June 11
Fox is the exclusive U.S. broadcaster of the World Cup with all 104 matches in English on Fox/Boston 25 News or FS1. All matches are also available on the Fox One app. Telemundo and Universo will broadcast all of the matches in Spanish. Peacock is the streaming home for Spanish-language broadcasts, while Telemundo also has an app that includes all the matches.
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1. Mexico’s opening ceremony, 1:30 p.m. ET in Mexico City (FOX/Boston 25 News/Telemundo/Peacock)
2. Mexico vs. South Africa, 3 p.m. ET in Mexico City (FOX/Boston 25 News/Telemundo/Peacock)
3. South Korea vs. Czechia, 10 p.m. ET in Guadalajara, Mexico (FS1/Telemundo/Peacock)
Mexico is a heavy favorite against South Africa
Boosted by a home crowd and a star-studded opening ceremony featuring performances by Andrea Bocelli and homegrown talent like Alejandro Fernández and Maná, Mexico hopes to play better at this World Cup than in 2022, when it failed to advance out of the group stage for the first time since 1978. El Tri will be led by veteran Raúl Jiménez and 17-year-old midfielder Gilberto Mora. Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa will be competing in the World Cup for a record sixth time. South Africa is playing in its fourth World Cup and first since it hosted the tournament in 2010.
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The games in Mexico will be played at high elevation. The Azteca Stadium in Mexico City is at roughly 7,300 feet, while Guadalajara sits at 5,138 feet, meaning visiting teams will have to make a significant adjustment to the altitude.
South Korea hopes to build on ’22 World Cup success vs. Czechia
South Korea is one of the best teams in Asia and has qualified for 11 consecutive tournaments since 1986. The Koreans reached the round of 16 in 2022 before losing to Brazil. Son Hueng-min, 33, is the captain and might be playing in his last World Cup. The Czech Republic is back in soccer’s biggest showcase for the first time in 20 years.
World Cup sticker shock with sky-high prices
FIFA has faced pressure for sky-high World Cup ticket prices and sales tactics that fans say left them with worse deals than they wanted.
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The attorneys general in New York and New Jersey, which is hosting eight World Cup matches including the final, announced last month that they are investigating whether FIFA’s ticketing practices violated consumer protection laws.
Some seats for the July 19 final are going for nearly $33,000.
In the U.S., bipartisan skepticism of Infantino, FIFA
In the deeply polarized U.S., few things unite elected leaders outside the White House quite like skepticism of Gianni Infantino and FIFA, the governing body for the world’s most popular sport.
It’s a sentiment that cuts across the divide and spans from Washington to state capitals and city halls.
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There are mayors like Zohran Mamdani of New York and Karen Bass of Los Angeles, Democrats who’ve balked at ticket prices. Republican Sen. Todd Young of Indiana, who played Division 1 soccer at the U.S. Naval Academy, said FIFA has been “detached from regular people around the world.”
More World Cup news

World Cup by the numbers: 104 matches, 48 teams, and 3 countries make this the largest ever

Iran’s World Cup players wear pins for victims of deadly strike on school as they arrive in Mexico

Somali soccer referee denied entry to the US for the World Cup is welcomed home as a hero

Celebrations clash with social tensions in Mexico on the eve of the World Cup

Bettors are taking a chance on the longshot US in the World Cup, though France and Spain remain favorites

Pochettino says no Americans among the top 100 players, yet the US can win the World Cup

Stats of the day

Only eight countries have won the World Cup, with six of those teams winning multiple titles, led by Brazil’s five. The only first-time winners in the last 11 Cups came in 1998, when France won its first of two titles, and in 2010, when Spain won its first.

There have been six defending champions who failed to make it out of the group stage, including in three of the last four editions. France made it back to the final in 2022, but Italy (2010), Spain (2014), and Germany (2018) all got eliminated before the knockout rounds.

South Korea’s Son is one of the most accomplished players in the national team’s history. His 144 caps rank first while he needs just two goals to match Cha Bum-kun’s career record of 58.

At just 17 years old, Mexico’s Gilberto Mora is the youngest player among the rosters of the 48 teams playing at the tournament. He could become the second-youngest player to score a goal in World Cup history behind Brazil legend Pelé, who was 17 years, 239 days old when he scored in 1958. Here’s a look at some of the up-and-coming teenagers in this year’s tournament.

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