The FIFA World Cup 2026 begins in North America with a record 48 teams competing across Mexico, the US and Canada. Defending champions Argentina will look to give Lionel Messi a perfect farewell, while stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar Jr chase football's biggest prize in the expanded 104-match tournament.

Mumbai, June 10, 2026: A total of 48 nations will battle it out for the coveted title in the FIFA World Cup 2026 that gets underway with Group A matches in Mexico from Thursday.

Hosts Mexico will take on 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa in the inaugural clash at Mexico City Stadium, followed by a clash between Korea Republic and Czech Republic on the same day in Guadalajara.

The action will later switch to the other two host countries, Canada and the US. Canada will play Bosnia and Herzegovina in a Group B clash in Toronto, and the US will take on Paraguay in a Group D clash in Los Angeles. These three North American countries will host 104 matches across 16 venues inside 40 days.

Eleven of these venues are in the US, three in Mexico, and two in Canada. This is the first time 48 nations will play across three countries as the World Cup expands. The finalists will play a total of eight matches instead of seven in previous editions.