World Cup what to know: Mexico kicks off a supersized, 48-team tournament

World Cup what to know: Mexico kicks off a supersized, 48-team tournament 1 of 5 | A dancer performs along Reforma Avenue in Mexico-city" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="1779" data-entity-type="location">Mexico City, Saturday, June 6, 2026 ahead of the FIFA World Cup. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) 2 of 5 | Marktweg Street in The Hague, Netherlands, is decorated ahead of the start of the soccer World Cup, Tuesday, June 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Patrick Post) 3 of 5 | People chant and cheer during a protest in reaction to FIFA’s ban of Iran’s pre-revolutionary flag inside World Cup stadiums Sunday, June 7, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Benjamin Hanson) 4 of 5 | Canada’s Cyle Larin speaks to media during a World Cup soccer training session in Toronto, Tuesday, June 9, 2026. (Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP) 5 of 5 | United States defender Chris Richards, front left, gives autographs to fans after the nationall team’s first practice at its World Cup soccer tournament training base in Irvine, Calif., Monday, June 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Greg Beacham) 1 of 5 | A dancer performs along Reforma Avenue in Mexico-city" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="1779" data-entity-type="location">Mexico City, Saturday, June 6, 2026 ahead of the FIFA World Cup. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) 1 of 5 A dancer performs along Reforma Avenue in Mexico-city" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="1779" data-entity-type="location">Mexico City, Saturday, June 6, 2026 ahead of the FIFA World Cup. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 2 of 5 | Marktweg Street in The Hague, Netherlands, is decorated ahead of the start of the soccer World Cup, Tuesday, June 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Patrick Post) 2 of 5 Marktweg Street in The Hague, Netherlands, is decorated ahead of the start of the soccer World Cup, Tuesday, June 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Patrick Post) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 3 of 5 | People chant and cheer during a protest in reaction to FIFA’s ban of Iran’s pre-revolutionary flag inside World Cup stadiums Sunday, June 7, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Benjamin Hanson) 3 of 5 People chant and cheer during a protest in reaction to FIFA’s ban of Iran’s pre-revolutionary flag inside World Cup stadiums Sunday, June 7, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Benjamin Hanson) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 4 of 5 | Canada’s Cyle Larin speaks to media during a World Cup soccer training session in Toronto, Tuesday, June 9, 2026. (Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP) 4 of 5 Canada’s Cyle Larin speaks to media during a World Cup soccer training session in Toronto, Tuesday, June 9, 2026. (Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 5 of 5 | United States defender Chris Richards, front left, gives autographs to fans after the nationall team’s first practice at its World Cup soccer tournament training base in Irvine, Calif., Monday, June 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Greg Beacham) 5 of 5 United States defender Chris Richards, front left, gives autographs to fans after the nationall team’s first practice at its World Cup soccer tournament training base in Irvine, Calif., Monday, June 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Greg Beacham) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] After years of preparation, a supersized World Cup has finally arrived.This year’s tournament — which is hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico — was expanded to 48 teams that will play in 16 stadiums in a record 104 matches over the 39-day tournament.Mexico gets the World Cup started Thursday and will be a heavy favorite when it hosts South Africa in Mexico-city" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="1779" data-entity-type="location">Mexico City. The second game of the day will be between South Korea and the Czech Republic in Guadalajara, Mexico. All four teams are part of Group A.Canada and the United States will host their first games Friday. The Canadians will play Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto while the Americans face Paraguay in Inglewood, California. What to watch June 11Fox is the exclusive U.S. broadcaster of the World Cup with all 104 matches in English on Fox or FS1. All matches are also available on the Fox One app. Telemundo and Universo will broadcast all of the matches in Spanish. Peacock is the streaming home for Spanish language broadcasts while Telemundo also has an app that includes all the matches.1. Mexico’s opening ceremony, 1:30 p.m. ET in Mexico-city" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="1779" data-entity-type="location">Mexico City (FOX/Telemundo/Peacock)2. Mexico vs. South Africa, 3 p.m. ET in Mexico-city" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="1779" data-entity-type="location">Mexico City (FOX/Telemundo/Peacock)3. South Korea vs. Czechia, 10 p.m. ET in Guadalajara, Mexico (FS1/Telemundo/Peacock) Mexico is a heavy favorite against South AfricaBoosted by a home crowd and a star-studded opening ceremony with performances that include Andrea Bocelli and homegrown talent like Alejandro Fernández and Maná, Mexico hopes to play better in this World Cup than in 2022, when it failed to advance out of the group stage for the first time since 1978. El Tri will be led by veteran Raúl Jiménez and 17-year-old midfielder Gilberto Mora. Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa will be competing in the World Cup for a record sixth time. South Africa is playing in its fourth World Cup and first since it hosted the tournament in 2010.The games in Mexico will be played at high elevation. The Azteca stadium in Mexico-city" class="entity-link entity-location" data-entity-id="1779" data-entity-type="location">Mexico City is at roughly 7,300 feet while Guadalajara sits at 5,138 feet, meaning visiting teams will have to make a significant adjustment to the altitude. 2 MIN READ 3 MIN READ 4 MIN READ South Korea hopes to build on ’22 World Cup success vs. CzechiaSouth Korea is one of the best teams in Asia and has qualified for 11 tournaments in a row since 1986. The Koreans made it to the round of 16 in 2022 before losing to Brazil. Son Hueng-min, 33, is the captain and might be playing in his last World Cup. The Czech Republic is back in soccer’s biggest showcase for the first time in 20 years. World Cup sticker shock with sky-high pricesFIFA has faced pressure for sky-high World Cup ticket prices and sales tactics that fans say left them with worse deals than they wanted.The attorneys general in New York and New Jersey, which is hosting eight World Cup matches including the final, announced last month that they are investigating whether FIFA’s ticketing practices violated consumer protection laws.Some seats for the July 19 final are going for nearly $33,000. In the U.S., bipartisan skepticism of Infantino, FIFAIn the deeply polarized U.S., few things unite elected leaders outside the White House quite like skepticism of Gianni Infantino and FIFA, the governing body for the world’s most popular sport. It’s a sentiment that cuts across the divide and spans from Washington to state capitals and city halls.There are mayors like Zohran Mamdani of New York and Karen Bass of Los Angeles, Democrats who’ve balked at ticket prices. Republican Sen. Todd Young of Indiana, who played Division 1 soccer at the U.S. Naval Academy, said FIFA has been “detached from regular people around the world.” More World Cup news4. World Cup by the numbers: 104 matches, 48 teams and 3 countries make this the largest ever5. Iran’s World Cup players wear pins for victims of deadly strike on school as they arrive in Mexico6. Somali soccer referee denied entry to US for World Cup is welcomed home as a hero7. Celebrations clash with social tensions in Mexico on the eve of the World Cup8. Bettors taking a chance on the longshot US in World Cup, though France and Spain remain favorites9. Pochettino says no Americans among top 100 players yet US can win World Cup 10. Only eight countries have won the World Cup, with six of those teams winning multiple titles led by Brazil’s five. The only first-time winners in the last 11 Cups came in 1998 when France won the first of its two titles and in 2010 with Spain.11. There have been six defending champions who failed to make it out of the group stage, including in three of the last four editions. France made it back to the final in 2022 but Italy (2010), Spain (2014) and Germany (2018) all get eliminated before the knockout rounds.12. South Korea’s Son is one of the most accomplished players in the national team’s history. His 144 caps rank first while he needs just two goals to match Cha Bum-kun’s career record of 58.13. At just 17 years old, Mexico’s Gilberto Mora is the youngest player among the rosters of the 48 teams playing at the tournament. He could become the second-youngest player to score a goal in World Cup history behind Brazil legend Pelé, who was 17 years, 239 days old when he scored in 1958. Here’s a look at some of the up-and-coming teenagers in this year’s tournament. Brandt is an Associated Press sports writer based in Phoenix. He covers a wide variety of sports including the NBA, NFL and MLB.