World Cup 2026 will open on 11 June 2026 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, with Mexico hosting South Africa in the official opening match. It will be the first World Cup in history with 48 national teams, 104 matches and 3 host countries — the USA, Canada and Mexico. And it all begins at world football's most iconic home.
Estadio Azteca (or by its commercial name "Estadio Banorte") will become the first stadium in history to host three World Cups — 1970, 1986 and 2026. This is where Pelé lifted Brazil's third trophy, where Maradona scored the "Hand of God" and the "Goal of the Century." Now it returns to the big stage.
The stadium is undergoing extensive renovation ahead of the tournament. The renewed capacity will stand at about 83,000 seats, with new lighting systems, screens and facilities. According to AS USA, the stadium is expected to be ready on time.
The opening match is also a rematch: in 2010, South Africa and Mexico opened the World Cup in Johannesburg, in a 1-1 draw. 16 years later, they meet again — this time on Mexican soil.
Mexico are under immense pressure to succeed at a home World Cup. In 2022 in Qatar they failed to get out of the group stage for the first time since 1978. Mexican fans are demanding redemption — and there's no better place to start than at the Azteca.
South Africa, for their part, have reached the World Cup for the first time since 2010. They bring African pride and a hunger to prove they belong on the big stage.
A day after Mexico's opening match, the two other hosts will spring into action:
Beyond the hosts' 3 opening matches, the opening days will also include the tournament debuts of giant national teams: Brazil will open against Morocco (Group C), Argentina against Algeria (Group J), France against Senegal (Group I) and England against Panama (Group L). All of these are expected to take place between 12 and 14 June.
The new format — 12 groups of 4 — means there are more matches per day than in any previous World Cup. On the peak days of the group stage, up to 6 matches a day are expected, giving fans around the world non-stop football from morning until night.
Beyond the opening matches, 16 stadiums in 16 cities will be used throughout the tournament:
The big final will be held on 19 July 2026 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, near New York — an 82,500-seat stadium that will host the moment everyone is waiting for.
When is the World Cup 2026 opening match?
11 June 2026, at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Mexico will host South Africa. Kickoff time: 15:00 ET (22:00 Israel time, expected).
Where is the World Cup 2026 final?
The final will be held on 19 July 2026 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, USA. The stadium holds 82,500 seats.
How many stadiums are used at World Cup 2026?
16 stadiums in 16 cities: 11 in the USA, 3 in Mexico and 2 in Canada.
The opening matches are the first step into the World Cup experience. If you've always dreamed of seeing a World Cup live — 2026 is the opportunity.
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