Largest FIFA World Cup in history to kick off on Thursday in Mexico City

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on Thursday in Mexico City, marking the start of the largest edition of the tournament since its inception in 1930.

Hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico, the tournament will feature a record 48 national teams, making it the first World Cup to be staged across three countries.

The opening match will see hosts Mexico take on South Africa in Group A at the Estadio Azteca, which becomes the first stadium to host FIFA World Cup matches in three different editions, having previously staged games in 1970 and 1986.

The 2026 tournament marks the first expansion from 32 to 48 teams, increasing the number of matches from 64 to 104 and extending the competition to nearly six weeks.

Matches will be played across 16 host cities, including 11 in the United States, three in Mexico and two in Canada.

RECORD ARAB REPRESENTATION

The tournament will also feature a record Arab representation, with eight teams qualifying for the finals for the first time.

Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan and Iraq will represent the Arab world, marking the largest Arab presence in World Cup history.

The expanded format includes nine Asian teams, 10 African teams, 16 European teams, six teams from the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf), six South American teams and one team from Oceania.

The tournament is expected to generate record revenues for FIFA through increased ticket sales, broadcasting rights, sponsorship agreements and commercial partnerships.

FIFA expects around seven million spectators to attend matches during the tournament, while global viewership is projected to reach nearly six billion across multiple broadcasting platforms.

WAM