The 2026 World Cup has arrived. Mexico and South Africa will kick off the tournament on Thursday afternoon following Mexico's opening ceremony.

The 2026 World Cup expands to 48 teams across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, featuring new group stage tiebreakers and a Round of 32 knockout format.

The biggest FIFA World Cup to date, with a record 48 teams set to play a record 104 matches spread out across the U.S., Canada and Mexico, begins June 11. The three host nations automatically qualified for the tournament.

When FIFA announced the 2026 World Cup would expand to 48 teams, the immediate reaction from many quarters was scepticism. The primary concern was that the group stages would become a chore to watch

This FIFA World Cup will initially be contested across 12 groups, with each country playing three matches in a round-robin format. The top two teams from each group, as well as the top eight third-place teams based on record and tiebreakers, move on to the round of 32.

The 2026 World Cup is entering its final stretch, meaning only a handful of matches remain before the tournament reaches its conclusion.

Argentina's Julian Alvarez controls the ball during the 2026 FIFA World Cup South American qualifiers against Uruguay at the Centenario stadium in Montevideo, on March 21, 2025. On the ball, Alvarez creates and scores.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals are set, and we broke down each matchup from best to worst in the latest power rankings.