THE 2026 World Cup will kick off on June 11th with Mexico taking on South Africa at the historic Azteca Stadium, where the 1970 and 1986 World Cup finals were held. This will mark South Africa's return to the global stage for the first time since 2010, when they also opened the tournament against Mexico. Despite a memorable performance in that opening match, South Africa were unable to progress beyond the group stage. Their return adds an intriguing twist to the 2026 opening fixture.
Meanwhile, co-hosts the United States and Canada will begin their campaigns on June 12th.
The U.S. will face Paraguay in Los Angeles, while Canada will take on a yet-to-be-announced playoff winner, possibly Italy, in Toronto. With six teams still to be determined through an intricate playoff system, the expanded 48-team format continues to reshape the global competition.
The draw process, complicated by various geographical rules and clauses, was a lengthy affair but felt surprisingly short compared to the one-hour opening ceremony.
A major moment of the event was the presentation of the newly introduced FIFA Peace Prize to U.S. President Donald Trump. This gesture became one of the evening’s most talked-about highlights.