World Cup 2026 Kicks Off. Here Is Everything You Need to Know

The biggest World Cup in football history kicks off on Thursday, with 48 teams, 104 matches and, for the first time, three host countries sharing football’s biggest stage.

The action begins at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, where Mexico face South Africa in the opening match with an expected crowd of 80,000. The two nations last met at the 2010 World Cup opening match, finishing 1-1 in Johannesburg.

The tournament will be staged across the United States, Mexico and Canada after the three nations joined forces under the “United As One” bid, which won FIFA’s vote in 2018. It is the first in the competition’s 96-year history to be hosted by three nations simultaneously, Al Jazeera reported.

This year’s World Cup is also the largest edition ever, featuring 40 more games than the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

The opening ceremony, set for 90 minutes before kickoff, will be headlined by four-time Grammy winner Shakira, joined by Colombian artist J Balvin and South African singer Tyla.

The tournament is also the most lucrative sports event in history. The World Trade Organisation estimates it will generate $80.1 billion in gross output across the three host nations.

Kickoff is at 1 PM local time in Mexico City on Thursday, June 11.