For those who believe in Dani Rojas’s mantra, “fútbol is life!” as seen in the hit Apple TV series Ted Lasso, life is about to get so much sweeter.
The 23rd FIFA Men’s World Cup kicks off today (Thursday, June 11, 2026), culminating in the final on July 19. Fans are in for 104 matches and over a month’s worth of soccer.
Here’s everything you need to know before exuberantly shouting “gooooooal.”
What is the format of the 2026 World Cup?
There are some changes to the World Cup in 2026. For the first time, 48 teams will compete.
The first stage divides these into 12 groups of four teams. Within those groups, each team faces the other members of their group once in a round-robin format, guaranteeing three matchups each.
The two top finishers move on to the second round, along with the eight best third-place teams.
Following the group stage, the remaining 32 teams enter a single-elimination phase. The only exception to this rule is the two teams that lose the semifinals will face each other to determine third place.
Where is the 2026 World Cup being held?
The action of the 2026 World Cup is being split between three countries: the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The games will take place in 16 different stadiums. The majority of matches, 78 to be exact, take place in the U.S. across 11 different venues.
Both Mexico and Canada will host 13 matches. Mexico will use three stadiums while Canada is utilizing two.
Who is favored to win it all?
According to ESPN, Spain is the team to beat. Much of this speculation hangs on whether Lamine Yamal has recovered from his torn hamstring. He didn’t play in the team’s most recent match against Peru.
France is going to do everything in their power to stop them. Manager Didier Deschamps is leaving the team after the World Cup and would like to go out on a high note.
Another contender to win it all is Argentina. This team wants a repeat of their 2022 victory. Superstar Lionel Messi seems to be constantly improving his game. Unfortunately, some of his teammates, such as Cristian Romero, are battling injuries.
What about the Opening Ceremony?
For the first time ever, three opening ceremonies will take place right before the opening game in each country.
- Mexico: The first game takes place today at 3:00 p.m. ET. Mexico and South Africa will face off at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Before that, Shakira, Burna Boy, J Balvin, and Tyla will get the party started in Mexico.
- Canada: The first game held in Canada takes place tomorrow (Friday, June 12) at Toronto Stadium. Before that, Michael Bublé and Alanis Morissette will serenade the crowd.
- United States: The first game held in the United States also takes place on June 12. Katy Perry and Future will perform before the match.
For the first time, there will also be a halftime show during the finals. Shakira, Madonna and BTS will headline this celebration.
For the official schedule of all 104 matches, visit the FIFA website.
How to watch or stream the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
Fox Sports is the official English-language partner for the games.
Seventy-two matches will be on the Fox broadcast TV network, so soccer fans with reception and an over-the-air antenna can watch it for free that way.
The remaining 32 can be found on FS1, a cable sports station owned by Fox.
Cord cutters can catch the opening ceremonies, opening game, and the United States versus Paraguay match on Friday, June 12, at 9 p.m. ET on Tubi.
Additionally, all games will be available on the Fox One app with a paid subscription.
For Spanish-language coverage, turn to Telemundo and Universo.
