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2026 World Cup Opens in Mexico, Stars Over 40 Play

6/10/2026

Summary

World Cup Opens

The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs June 11–July 19, 2026, in United States, Canada and Mexico.
The opening match on June 11, 2026, is at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, featuring Mexico vs South Africa.
The final on July 19, 2026, will be at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, where tickets cost $32,970 and resale reach $2.3 million.
Cristiano Ronaldo (41), Lionel Messi (38) and Craig Gordon (43) join other 40-plus players Guillermo Ochoa, Luka Modric and Manuel Neuer, making Gordon the oldest participant.

Summary

USMNT Training

About 30,000 fans applied for the U.S. men’s national team’s open training in Irvine, but only roughly 5,500 were admitted.
Nine U.S.-born players—including Esmir Bajraktarevic for Bosnia and Herzegovina and Jonathan David for Canada—will represent other nations at the 2026 World Cup.
Kansas City will host a World Cup match on June 16, with over 100 local children chosen by Coco Soccer Academy walking onto the field with players.

History

Historical Context

After FIFA’s historic 2002 World Cup—co-hosted by Japan and South Korea, the first tournament held in Asia and the first shared by two nations—32 teams generated about $1.3 billion in revenue. That precedent paved the way for the 2026 edition, which will be staged by the United States, Canada and Mexico, extending the multi-country model across North America.

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World Cup Opens

The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs June 11–July 19, 2026, in United States, Canada and Mexico.
The opening match on June 11, 2026, is at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, featuring Mexico vs South Africa.
The final on July 19, 2026, will be at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, where tickets cost $32,970 and resale reach $2.3 million.
Cristiano Ronaldo (41), Lionel Messi (38) and Craig Gordon (43) join other 40-plus players Guillermo Ochoa, Luka Modric and Manuel Neuer, making Gordon the oldest participant.

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