The 2026 World Cup kicks off today: who will open the tournament and where to watch the match in Ukraine
11 June 00:11
The 2026 FIFA World Cup officially kicks off today, June 11. Mexico City will host the tournament’s first match, with the national teams of Mexico and South Africa kicking off the World Cup. The game will take place at the Mexico City Stadium (Azteca), which has already hosted landmark matches in previous World Cups, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
The 2026 World Cup will be the largest in history: 48 national teams will compete, and the total number of matches will be 104. For the first time, the tournament will be hosted by three countries—the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada will run from June 11 to July 19.
Matches will be held in two time slots: from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. and from 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. Kyiv time.
This is the first World Cup to feature 48 national teams—the largest number in the tournament’s history. From 1998 to 2022, World Cups used a 32-team format.
All participants in the 2026 World Cup are divided into 12 groups, each with four teams. The top two teams from each group and the eight third-place finishers will advance to the Round of 16.
When does the 2026 World Cup start?
The tournament will kick off and the opening ceremony will take place on June 11, 2026, at a stadium in Mexico City. Ninety minutes before the opening match between Mexico and South Africa, fans can look forward to a spectacular show featuring world-renowned performers.
Following the Mexican leg, Canada and the United States will take over the opening ceremonies: the events will continue in Toronto and Los Angeles, where each country will present its own cultural and musical show, combined with the tournament’s soccer symbols.
According to FIFA, the first match of the World Cup will take place on Thursday, June 11, 2026. On this day, Mexico will kick off the home tournament with a match against South Africa in Group A.
Not one, but two matches are scheduled for the first day of the tournament.
According to the FIFA and ESPN schedule, the following matches will take place on June 11:
- Mexico vs. South Africa
- South Korea vs. Czech Republic.
The Mexico vs. South Africa match is considered the official opening game of the tournament. It will take place in Mexico City at the main stadium on the first day. The opening match of the 2026 World Cup will be hosted by Mexico City Stadium, also known as Azteca. It is one of the most famous soccer stadiums in the world, already making its mark in World Cup history.
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What time is the Mexico vs. South Africa match?
On June 11, Kyiv time, the Mexico vs. South Africa match will kick off at 10:00 p.m.
The South Korea vs. Czech Republic match kicks off on June 12 at 5:00 a.m. Ukrainian time.
Where to watch the live broadcast in Ukraine
MEGOGO is the official broadcaster of the 2026 World Cup in Ukraine. English-language sources regarding broadcast rights indicate that the service will show all tournament matches, and its soccer channels will be available for viewing.
It is also reported that select matches will be broadcast for free on MEGOGO Sport.
Thus, Ukrainian fans will be able to watch the start of the 2026 World Cup online on smartphones, tablets, laptops, and Smart TVs via the MEGOGO platform.
The Ukrainian national team failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup finals. In the semifinals of the European qualifying playoffs, the “blue-and-yellows” lost to Sweden (1-3).
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