![\"Workers](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/G7FF53XPXBKYXH7FFR42BQVXEA.jpg\")
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Workers work from a crane at Los Angeles Stadium (temporarily renamed from SoFi Stadium) on June 7, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.<\/p>\n
Patrick T. Fallon \/ AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve talked about the astronomical ticket prices<\/a>. The fragile geopolitics that almost made Iran withdraw<\/a>. And the summer heat posing a risk<\/a> across host cities.<\/p>\n Now, it\u2019s finally time to talk about (and watch) the games.<\/p>\n The first matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America kick off Thursday with Mexico vs. South Africa and South Korea vs. Czech Republic. The first game for the United States will be against Paraguay on Friday at 9 p.m. ET.<\/p>\n This summer, 48 men\u2019s national teams will compete in the World Cup\u2019s biggest tournament ever. You can find all of NPR\u2019s World Cup coverage over the next six weeks in our series Soccer Edition<\/a>. But here are a few of the basics to get you started.<\/p>\n The timeline<\/p>\n The first round, also known as the group stage, will run through June 27. There are 12 groups consisting of four teams each, and each team will play against the other three. The top 32 countries will advance.<\/p>\n How are the teams ranked? Well, winning a match = 3 points; a draw = 1 point; and a loss = nada. The top two teams of each group will make it to the next round, as well as eight of the best third-place teams.<\/p>\n Once that\u2019s settled, it\u2019s time for the knockout phase. This is when the tournament starts to become a real nail-biter. From here on, the result of a single match will determine each team\u2019s fate. First, 32 teams will face off between June 28 and July 3. Then, the remaining 16 teams will compete from July 4 to 7.<\/p>\n The quarterfinals are July 9 to 11, and the semifinals are July 14 and 15. A match to see which team places third will be on July 18. And the final will be on July 19.<\/p>\n How do I watch?<\/p>\n As of Wednesday, a trove of seats<\/a> is still available to watch the games in person. Ticket prices, however, remain high.<\/p>\n For those planning to watch at home, Fox has exclusive English-language rights to broadcast the World Cup in the United States.<\/p>\n That means, if you have cable, you should be able to access the games for free as long as Fox and Fox Sports\u2019 cable channel FS1 are included in your TV package. (Some matches will air on Fox and others on FS1. Check here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n For those planning to stream, the games will be available live and on demand via the Fox One app with a paid subscription. Meanwhile, with a free sign-in on Tubi, a streaming service owned by Fox Corp., you can watch the opening ceremony and two early matches: Mexico vs. South Africa on June 11 and the U.S. vs. Paraguay on June 12.<\/p>\n For fans looking to watch the games in Spanish, Telemundo will air 104 matches, through either its main channel or a secondary network, Universo. All of Telemundo\u2019s coverage will be carried live and on demand on Peacock with a paid subscription.<\/p>\n Which countries are in the World Cup?<\/p>\n Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czech Republic<\/p>\n Group B: Canada, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland<\/p>\n Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland<\/p>\n Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey<\/p>\n Group E: Germany, Cura\u00e7ao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador<\/p>\n Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia<\/p>\n Group G: Belgium. Egypt, Iran, New Zealand<\/p>\n Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay<\/p>\n Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway<\/p>\n Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan<\/p>\n Group K: Portugal, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia<\/p>\n Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama<\/p>\n What\u2019s new? <\/p>\n Even before the opening ceremony, this World Cup will be one for the history books. That\u2019s because of its sheer scale. For the first time, the tournament will be played across three host countries. A record 48 countries will compete \u2014 up from 32 \u2014 in 104 matches. That includes four debutants: Cape Verde, Cura\u00e7ao, Jordan and Uzbekistan.<\/p>\n Also for the first time, the final, which will be held at MetLife Stadium field in New Jersey (known as New York New Jersey Stadium during the tournament), will feature a Super Bowl-like halftime show<\/a> with headliners Shakira, Madonna and BTS.<\/p>\n