FIFA World Cup 2026: How to watch the opening ceremonies and matches live, including free options
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 improvi