Joint World Cup in Three Countries Begins at Midnight Tonight
The World Cup, the biggest competition in world football, will begin from midnight on Thursday. The opening match of the tournament, jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, will be played on June 11 at Mexico’s famous Estadio Azteca Stadium between the host team Mexico and South Africa.
Highlights:
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The tournament runs from 11 June to 19 July 2026.
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Canada, Mexico, and the United States are the host countries.
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The competition has 48 teams, 12 groups, and 104 matches.
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Mexico vs South Africa is the opening match.
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The final is scheduled for New York/New Jersey on 19 July.
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The knockout stage begins with a Round of 32.
Football supporters across the world, including Nepal, have begun enjoying the World Cup atmosphere. Supporters are preparing to wear jerseys of their favorite teams, follow players’ styles, and support their teams. Jersey purchases have increased in various cities of Nepal, while hotels and restaurants are also preparing World Cup-focused plans.
Based on popularity, World Cup football is regarded as a major sporting event. The tournament, held every four years, is being jointly hosted by three countries for the first time. There is a history of two countries jointly hosting the World Cup in the past. It has been mentioned that the 2022 World Cup was jointly hosted by South Korea and Japan. The upcoming 2030 World Cup has already been decided to be jointly hosted by Portugal, Spain, and Morocco.
The final of the 39-day tournament will be held on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, USA. It has been stated that US President Donald Trump and FIFA chief Gianni Infantino will present the trophy to the winning country on the final night.
48 Teams, 104 Matches
FIFA has included 48 teams in this edition. This number is 16 nations higher than in the past. Cape Verde, Curaçao, Uzbekistan, and Jordan are participating in the World Cup as debutant teams.
It has been stated that there will be a total of 104 matches in the World Cup. The highest number of matches, 76, will be played in the United States, including the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final. Matches will be held in stadiums in New York, Boston, Miami, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Kanas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle in the United States.
A total of 13 matches will be held in Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara in Mexico. Canada has also received 13 matches. Those matches will be held in Toronto and Vancouver.
Mexico and the United States have previous experience of hosting the World Cup. Mexico hosted the World Cup in 1970 and 1986, while the United States hosted it in 1994. Canada is hosting the World Cup for the first time.
Spain and France Seen as Major Contenders
Although it is difficult to make a definite prediction about the title winner in a tournament like the World Cup, Spain and France are being viewed as the major contenders this time. Defending champion Argentina and Britain are also being assessed as teams capable of winning the title. Germany, Portugal, Brazil, and the Netherlands are also on the contenders’ list.
Players such as Neymar, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, Ousmane Dembélé, Erling Haaland, and Mohamed Salah are expected to shine. However, special attention will also remain on Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in this edition. Argentina’s Messi and Portugal’s Ronaldo are preparing to play in the World Cup for the sixth time. Since this may be the final World Cup for both of them, the tournament is also expected to become emotional.
Some Star Players Limited to Spectators
Due to injury, failure of teams to qualify, or other reasons, some well-known players will remain off the field at the World Cup. France’s Hugo Ekitiké, Brazil’s Rodrygo and Éder Militão, Germany and Bayern Munich forward Serge Gnabry, England’s Cole Palmer and Phil Foden, Argentina’s Paulo Dybala, Poland’s Robert Lewandowski, Georgia’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Hungary’s Dominik Szoboszlai are mentioned as being limited to spectators.
Expensive Tickets and Challenges
Before the start of the World Cup, diplomatic coldness, travel restrictions, strict immigration policies, fear of war, and extreme heat have emerged as challenges. The tickets for this edition are said to be the most expensive so far. War with Iran is being viewed as a complicated aspect of the tournament.
The total prize money for this edition is USD 655 million. This is 49 percent higher than the Qatar World Cup. The champion team will receive USD 50 million.
Here you can view the FIFA World Cup 2026 Schedule.
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