The wait is over! The World Cup starts today, Mexico takes the lead in the major tournament

2026-06-11 07:03:00, Sport CNA

The wait is over! The World Cup starts today, Mexico takes the lead in the major

The wait is over. Today, the 2026 World Cup, the most important international tournament, begins.

This edition makes history as the first tournament to be hosted by three countries simultaneously. The United States, Mexico, and Canada will be the host countries for the World Cup matches.

The official start of the tournament will come today in Mexico City. The legendary Azteca Stadium will host the inaugural ceremony and the first match of the World Cup, where Mexico will face South Africa at 9:00 p.m. Organizers have planned for the opening ceremony to begin 90 minutes before kickoff, giving the public a full artistic and cultural program before the first challenge of the tournament.

For Mexico, this is a return to hosting the World Cup after the 1970 and 1986 editions. The opening of the tournament with a match against South Africa is also considered a symbolic reminder of the 2010 World Cup, held in the African country.

Meanwhile, Canada will write a new chapter in its sporting history as it hosts the World Cup for the first time. The first match on Canadian soil will be played on June 12 in Toronto, where the home team will face Bosnia and Herzegovina. This will be one of the most important sporting events ever hosted in the country.

The United States will also have a central role in this edition. After hosting the 1994 World Cup, the Americans will host the majority of the tournament's matches. Their opening ceremony will take place on June 13 in Los Angeles, accompanied by a match between the United States and Paraguay.

The 2026 World Cup will also be the largest ever. A total of 104 matches will be played, spread across 16 host cities in the three host countries. The tournament will last more than a month, from June 11 to July 19, when the grand final will be played in New York.

A common element of all the opening ceremonies will be the message of uniting people through football, regardless of borders and different cultures. In addition to the sporting part, the organizers are also preparing an artistic program with the participation of well-known names in international music.

With three host countries, 16 host cities, 104 matches and a calendar that extends from June 11 to July 19, the 2026 World Cup is expected to be the largest edition ever held.