Largest FIFA World Cup in history to kick off on Thursday in Mexico City
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- The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins Thursday in Mexico City, hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
- This edition is the largest ever, expanding to 48 teams and 104 matches played over nearly six weeks across 16 cities.
- The tournament features a record eight Arab teams and will see Mexico play South Africa in the opening match at the historic Estadio Azteca.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup commences Thursday in Mexico City, launching the most expansive tournament in its history. Co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, this edition marks a significant shift with a record 48 national teams competing.
The expansion increases the total number of matches from 64 to 104, stretching the competition over nearly six weeks. Games will be distributed across 16 host cities: 11 in the U.S., three in Mexico, and two in Canada.
The opening match features host nation Mexico against South Africa in Group A at the Estadio Azteca. This iconic stadium makes history as the first to host World Cup matches across three different editions, having previously done so in 1970 and 1986.
Notably, the tournament will also see a record Arab representation, with eight teams qualifying for the finals for the first time.
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Originally published by Gulf Today. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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