The 2026 International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) World Cup will bring the world’s top soccer teams to North America in the largest tournament the sport has ever seen. The tournament officially begins in Mexico on June 11 and will continue through July 9 across 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Featuring 48 teams and 104 matches, it will be the biggest World Cup in history. For the opening match, the United States will face Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
Currently, World Cup tickets are experiencing record-high prices, with final resale tickets listed from 10,000 dollars to over 2 million dollars. This could potentially become the most expensive tournament ever, surpassing even the annual Super Bowl in price. Official tickets for final games, including the most budget-friendly ticket option, are being sold at a minimum of 60 dollars for some matches. Even transit costs have seen massive increases; the original hosting agreement required cities to provide free transportation to fans, although the wording was later revised to state it could be offered at cost. In New Jersey, return train tickets are priced at 150 dollars and parking at 225 dollars. Cities like Philadelphia will offer free transportation after World Cup games, with a partnership from Airbnb helping the committee make this possible for fans. Kansas City and Dallas have also announced affordable transport for the tournament.
Teams will be playing in twelve groups of four. After the group stage, the top two teams in each group and the eight best third-placed teams will advance to a round of 32. This expanded format means a team must play eight matches to win the tournament, an increase from the usual seven. Nations including Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan are set to make their debut in the expanded tournament. However, the top contenders are without a doubt traditional powerhouses such as Brazil, Argentina, France, Spain, and England. The reigning champions are Argentina, who won their third title in 2022 against France.
With seven upcoming matches at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, many Concord Academy students are buzzing with excitement. The Massachusetts games kick off on June 13 with Haiti facing Scotland, a historical matchup, especially given that Haiti hasn’t appeared in this tournament in 52 years. From exciting returns to new international matchups, this World Cup is set to deliver plenty right from the opening kickoff.