The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins tomorrow as the first tournament with 48 teams and three host countries the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The opening group stage matches start Thursday, June 11, and run through July 19. The United States men’s national team plays its first game Friday, June 12, at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles against Paraguay.
FIFA has already listed several early matchups, including Mexico versus South Africa and Canada versus Bosnia and Herzegovina. Organizers expect the expanded format to set new records for total games and global viewership.
Fan festivals are underway in host cities, and local governments in places like Spain are already setting up public viewing screens. The tournament marks the biggest change in World Cup history since the switch to 32 teams in 1998.