FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off: Day 1 schedule and key events
FIFA World Cup 2026 (photo: Getty Images)
Today, June 11, the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in North America.
Format and schedule of the first day
This World Cup will be the first in history to feature 48 teams instead of the usual 32, and the tournament will be hosted by three countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
In total, over more than a month of competition (from June 11 to July 19), the teams will play 104 matches.
Today’s opening day will kick off at the legendary Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.
At 8:30 p.m. (Kyiv time), a grand opening ceremony will begin, with singer Shakira as the main star of the show.
Immediately after the ceremony, at 10:00 p.m., the opening match will kick off between Mexico and South Africa (Group A).
As a reminder, in the group stage, all participants are divided into 12 groups of 4 teams each.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the next round (Round of 16), along with the 8 best third-placed teams.
