2026 FIFA World Cup Kicks Off: Key Details for Fans

We've talked about the astronomical ticket prices. The fragile geopolitics that almost made Iran withdraw. And the summer heat posing a risk across host cities.

Now, it's finally time to talk about (and watch) the games.

The first matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America kick off Thursday with Mexico vs. South Africa and South Korea vs. Czech Republic. The first game for the United States will be against Paraguay on Friday at 9 p.m. ET.

This summer, 48 men's national teams will compete in the World Cup's biggest tournament ever. You can find all of NPR's World Cup coverage over the next six weeks in our series Soccer Edition. But here are a few of the basics to get you started.

The timeline

The first round, also known as the group stage, will run through June 27. There are 12 groups consisting of four teams each, and each team will play against the other three. The top 32 countries will advance.

How are the teams ranked? Well, winning a match = 3 points; a draw = 1 point; and a loss = nada. The top two teams of each group will make it to the next round, as well as eight of the best third-place teams.

Once that's settled, it's time for the knockout phase. This is when the tournament starts to become a real nail-biter. From here on, the result of a single match will determine each team's fate. First, 32 teams will face off between June 28 and July 3. Then, the remaining 16 teams will compete from July 4 to 7.

The quarterfinals are July 9 to 11, and the semifinals are July 14 and 15. A match to see which team places third will be on July 18. And the final will be on July 19.

How do I watch?

As of Wednesday, a trove of seats is still available to watch the games in person. Ticket prices, however, remain high.

For those planning to watch at home, Fox has exclusive English-language rights to broadcast the World Cup in the United States.

That means, if you have cable, you should be able to access the games for free as long as Fox and Fox Sports' cable channel FS1 are included in your TV package. (Some matches will air on Fox and others on FS1. Check here.)

For those planning to stream, the games will be available live and on demand via the Fox One app with a paid subscription. Meanwhile, with a free sign-up on Tubi, a streaming service owned by Fox Corp., you can watch the opening ceremony and two early matches: Mexico vs. South Africa on June 11 and the U.S. vs. Paraguay on June 12.

For fans looking to watch the games in Spanish, Telemundo will air 104 matches, through either its main channel or a secondary network, Universo. All of Telemundo's coverage will be carried live and on demand on Peacock with a paid subscription.

Which countries are in the World Cup?

Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czech Republic

Group B: Canada, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland

Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland

Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey

Group E: Germany, Curaçao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador

Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia

Group G: Belgium. Egypt, Iran, New Zealand

Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay

Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway

Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan

Group K: Portugal, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia

Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama

What's new?

Even before the opening ceremony, this World Cup will be one for the history books. That's because of its sheer scale. For the first time, the tournament will be played across three host countries. A record 48 countries will compete — up from 32 — in 104 matches. That includes four debutants: Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan.

Also for the first time, the final, which will be held at MetLife Stadium field in New Jersey (known as New York New Jersey Stadium during the tournament), will feature a Super Bowl-like halftime show with headliners Shakira, Madonna and BTS.

And a new rule means that any player who covers his mouth during a confrontation with an opponent may be penalized with a red card, which results in immediate dismissal from the field and suspension from the subsequent match. The rule is meant to prevent athletes from using discriminatory language during games. It also says a red card may be given to any player who leaves the field in protest of a referee's decision.

Who are the favorites?

In World Cup history, only eight teams have ever won: Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina, France, Uruguay, England and Spain. All of these countries (with the exception of Italy, which didn't qualify this year) are considered major contenders this summer.