2026 World Cup Kicks Off June 11: First Tri-Nation Host, Messi and Ronaldo Set Historic 6th Appearance

Argentina enters as the defending champion, while France, which lost the 2022 final, vows revenge. Brazil seeks a record sixth title, and Germany aims for a fifth to tie Brazil. European powers Spain and England target a second star, while the Netherlands and Portugal seek their first championship.

(Central News Agency, New York, June 4, Combined Foreign Reports) The 2026 FIFA World Cup will kick off on June 11. This edition features record highs in participating teams, players, and matches, making it a tournament full of highlights.

The tournament runs from June 11 to July 19, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, marking the first time three nations have jointly hosted the event.

The U.S. hosts the World Cup for the second time after 1994, Mexico for the third time (after 1970 and 1986), and Canada for the first time. Canada, making its third World Cup appearance, will strive for its first-ever win in the tournament.

The opening match will be played on June 11 at 1:00 PM local time (3:00 AM Taipei time on June 12) at Mexico's Estadio Azteca, featuring a rematch of the 2010 South Africa World Cup opener between Mexico and South Africa. The 1970 and 1986 World Cup finals were also held at Estadio Azteca.

The three nations will use a total of 16 stadiums: 11 in the U.S., 3 in Mexico, and 2 in Canada. The final will be held on July 19 at MetLife Stadium.

The World Cup expanded from 32 to 48 teams for the first time since the 32-team format was adopted in 1998, increasing the number of matches to 104 and introducing a new format.

The traditional eight groups have been expanded to 12. In addition to the top two teams from each group advancing, the eight best third-placed teams will also qualify for the knockout stage, adding a new round of 32.

FIFA and Adidas have unveiled the official match ball for the 2026 World Cup, named Trionda. The design is inspired by the Spanish words 'Tri' (three) and 'Onda' (wave), symbolizing the unity of the three host nations.

The ball features a base of red, green, and blue, incorporating symbols from the three countries such as maple leaves, stars, and eagles. The three mascots are Maple (a moose) representing Canada, Zayu (a jaguar) representing Mexico, and Clutch (a bald eagle) representing the U.S. These animals are cultural icons of their respective nations.

Goldman Sachs Group, based on data analysis, considers Spain the most likely champion.

Two of football's greatest legends, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, will both make a record sixth World Cup appearance. Messi, who will turn 39 during the tournament, will captain Argentina in their title defense and holds the record for most World Cup appearances (26 matches).

Ronaldo, 41, holds world records for most men's national team appearances (226) and most goals (143). His only regret is that he and Portugal have yet to win the World Cup.

The all-time World Cup top scorer is Germany's Miroslav Klose with 16 goals. Messi has 13, and France's Kylian Mbappe has 12, with both players expected to challenge the record in this tournament. (Compiled by Chen Yiwei) 1150604