FIFA men's World Cup 2026

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⚽️ World Cup countdown begins

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios World Cup organizers are hitting the final stretch, with games starting next week, Axios' Shafaq Patel and Abbey Higginbotham report. 11 U.S. cities will host 78 matches — making the tournament a global showcase and a massive stress test for transit, security, tourism and infrastructure. 📣 Each city is transforming public spaces into fan zones. Philadelphia is running a fan festival throughout the tournament's 39-day run. Other cities are opting for shorter stretches, citing steep costs. 🍻 Some towns are extending alcohol sales for the expected late-night crowds. Select Philly bars can apply for permits to stay open until 4 a.m. Kansas City is letting some businesses serve until 5 a.m. Aerial view of Seattle Stadium, temporarily renamed from Lumen Field, ahead of the World Cup. Photo: Steph Chambers/Getty Images 🤬 Transit pricing has sparked outrage in some host cities. MetLife Stadium, awkwardly rebranded to New York New Jersey Stadium for the World Cup, eliminated public parking to enforce a transit-only layout. The stadium — in East Rutherford, N.J. — will host the World Cup Final on July 19. Transit prices initially spiked to over $150. Severe blowback forced local officials to subsidize the routes. 🇲🇽🇿🇦 What's next: The tournament opens June 11 in Mexico City, with the host nation taking on South Africa. The first U.S. match follows June 12, against Paraguay in Inglewood, Calif. Go deeper.

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World Cup turf

When the tournament starts next week, the players will have their eyes on the ball. John Trey Rogers will be focused on the grass beneath their feet, which took him six years to get just right.

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⚽ War clashes with World Cup

The USA and Iran teams stand for national anthems at Stade de Gerland in Lyon, France, during the 1998 World Cup. Photo: Eric Feferberg/AFP via Getty Images The U.S.–Iran war is forcing FIFA to navigate a diplomatic and logistical mess even before the World Cup kicks off Thursday, Axios' Brittany Gibson reports. Iran has three guaranteed matches on U.S. soil in the group stage after FIFA declined the nation's request to move its games to stadiums in Canada or Mexico once the war started. Without overnight stays, the Iranian team will fly in from Mexico, clear customs, play a match and then fly back to Mexico the same day for each U.S.-based match. While Iranian players, coaches, staff and immediate family are supposed to be exempt, members of the support staff and the head of the country's football federation were denied visas, the N.Y. Times reports. Iran's fans won't be allowed to travel to the U.S. at all. Read on.

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📸 1,000 words

Photo: Victor Medina/Reuters Iran's soccer team arrives in Tijuana, Mexico, yesterday ahead of the World Cup, which kicks off Thursday. Iran's team moved its base camp from Arizona to Mexico at the last minute. It'll still play all three group-stage games in the U.S. (two in L.A. and one in Seattle). ⚽ The tournament's first match — Mexico vs. South Africa — is Thursday in Mexico City. The U.S. opening ceremony is Friday in L.A.

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Somali soccer referee denied entry to US for World Cup is welcomed home as a hero

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — A leading soccer referee from Somalia who was denied entry to the United States for the World Cup tournament was warmly received by a crowd of supporters and officials on Wednesday as he arrived home.

https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-referee-somalia-fifa-trump-visa-a73dfeb3a960a3ffa858a419bdb8a8f1?

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World Cup

The 2026 World Cup, which opens Thursday, arrives at a politically complicated moment for President Donald Trump, whose second term has drawn criticism both at home and abroad. His hardline immigration policies, which have left some international fans feeling unwelcome in the US, are overshadowing the countdown to kickoff. Read more.

WATCH: Somali referee denied US entry for 2026 World Cup

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World Cup Begins

The FIFA Men's World Cup kicks off today and runs through July 19 across the US, Mexico, and Canada. Host nation Mexico opens the tournament against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana at the historic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City at 3 pm ET. See the full schedule. Spain and France enter as favorites to lift the iconic 18-karat gold trophy, though the winning team does not keep it (eight more trophy facts here). The US national team is fielded by a so-called “golden generation” of young players developed at top European clubs and is predicted by many to reach the Round of 16, as it has in its last three World Cup appearances. (See more predictions.) FIFA launched the World Cup in 1930 as an alternative to the Olympics, which barred professional athletes from competing. Join 1440’s editor-in-chief Sony Kassam as she chronicles how FIFA became one of the most powerful and controversial organizations in sports here (w/video).

PS: 1440 is partnering with Men in Blazers to bring you the most detailed coverage of the world’s biggest tournament this summer. Sign up here to get daily, in-depth updates throughout the competition.

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⚽ World Cup collides with Trump's agenda

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photo: Daniel Cardenas/Anadolu via Getty Images

President Trump touted the 2026 FIFA World Cup as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to showcase American exceptionalism and global unity on U.S. soil, Axios' Avery Lotz writes. But the feel-good vibes surrounding the world's biggest sporting event — which starts today in Mexico — have been dampened by stories of immigration crackdowns and visa restrictions. 🔬 Zoom in: Omar Artan, a referee from Somalia, was denied entry at Miami International Airport due to "vetting concerns," according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Iraqi striker Aymen Hussein was held and questioned for hours at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. (Reuters) Restrictions on Iranian nationals created a diplomatic quagmire for FIFA. While Iran's players were granted visas, staff members were reportedly turned away. Sports reporters have faced visa restrictions, according to a letter from the International Sports Press Association. Keep reading ... Full World Cup schedule. World Cup After years of anticipation, the 2026 World Cup finally gets underway today in Mexico City. The monthlong tournament opens at the iconic Estadio Azteca, where Mexico faces South Africa in the first of 104 matches that will culminate with the crowning of a champion next month. Read more. STAY UPDATED: Sign up for CNN's daily FIFA World Cup newsletter