The World Cup begins on June 11, 2026 as co-host Mexico plays the opener in Mexico City, with the USA (Los Angeles) and Canada (Toronto) kicking off a day later. The group stage runs until June 27, with synchronized start times in each group for the final matches in the round-robin.

On Friday, FIFA held the draw for the largest World Cup ever, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11, 2026, through July 19, 2026.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will begin on June 11 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Mexico, with a matchup between host nation Mexico and Group A challenger South Africa. In 2010, South Africa became the first African nation to host a World Cup.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup groups are settled, and playoff games in March will determine the final slots. President Donald Trump was awarded a peace prize.

President Donald Trump is set to attend the 2026 World Cup draw, where matchups for next summer's tournament will be revealed. Follow for updates.

The draw for the 2026 World Cup is complete, and with it we have group stage matchups that will be must-see affairs.

With the group stage now set after Friday's draw, here are the smart bets we're hurrying to make.

As for the USMNT, Mauricio Pochettino will be pretty content with his nation’s opponents on home soil. With an average ranking of 33, Group D is the fifth-toughest, also containing Australia, Paraguay and UEFA Playoff Winner C, which will be one of Türkiye, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo.