The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins Thursday in Mexico City, where co-hosts Mexico open the tournament against South Africa at the historic Estadio Azteca. It is the first World Cup ever hosted by three nations — Mexico, the United States and Canada — and the first to feature an expanded field of 48 teams.
The month-long tournament runs through the final on July 19 and has grown to 104 matches, up from 64, with the 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four. The championship game will be played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Estadio Azteca, which also hosted the 1970 and 1986 finals, becomes the first stadium to stage matches at three different World Cups. The tournament spreads across 16 host cities in the three countries.