MEXICO CITY: The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on Thursday with co-hosts Mexico taking on South Africa at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, launching an extensive 48-team tournament that will last almost six weeks.
The spectacle, organized by the United States, Mexico and Canada, is the largest World Cup in history and runs until the final in New Jersey on July 19. It is expected to generate a record-breaking total revenue of $13 billion.
The official opening ceremony lit up the Estadio Azteca stadium before kick-off, with Colombian superstar Shakira and Nigerian singer Burna Boy delighting the crowd with a performance of “Dai Dai”, the official song of the tournament.
The start of the action on the pitch is likely to come as a welcome relief to FIFA, football’s governing body, which has faced sharp criticism over the eye-watering cost of tickets.
In addition, Donald Trump’s immigration policies have resulted in a top referee, Iranian team officials and fans being denied entry into the United States.
Speaking in Mexico City on Wednesday, FIFA president Gianni Infantino launched a spirited defense of the tournament’s organization and dismissed criticism over visa issues.
Infantino insisted that tickets – which in some cases exceeded $30,000 – were appropriately priced, citing a small number of $60 tickets made available in response to criticism.
“Let me say that our entry price, which is $60, is the lowest entry price of all American sports in the play-off phase,” Infantino said.
“Our average price, which is under $500, is once again the lowest on average among American sports.”
‘We don’t have everything under control’
Infantino also played down the controversy surrounding Somali World Cup referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry after arriving in Miami.
FIFA has since confirmed that Artan, who the US State Department said was “associated with suspected members of terrorist organizations”, will have no role in the tournament.
“It’s unfortunate what happened to the referee from Somalia,” Infantino said.
“We can’t control everything… Sometimes it’s good to chill, relax, we’re working on everything, we’re trying to solve everything.”
On Thursday, European football’s governing body UEFA announced that Artan had been selected as a referee for the European Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa in August.
“Football was created to connect people, and UEFA would like to pay tribute to Omar and his excellent leadership skills, which have earned him such a prestigious nomination,” said UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin.
FIFA leader Infantino also portrayed Iran’s participation in the World Cup amid the military conflict with the US as a victory for his organization.
“People said Iran couldn’t come to the World Cup,” Infantino said.
“There are challenges, it is not easy, but I don’t know who else in these circumstances – over which we had no influence – could have ensured that Iran could come and play.”
Infantino’s close relationship with Trump has come under scrutiny, but the FIFA chief was full of praise for the US president.
“Without his commitment and involvement, I think it would have been impossible, as simple as that, to organize a World Cup in the United States,” Infantino said of Trump.
Trump confirmed on Wednesday that he plans to attend some World Cup matches, without providing details.
“I talked to Gianni this morning…he said there was never anything close” to success in the upcoming tournament, Trump said.
Wall of noise
South African coach Hugo Broos warned his players to block out a wall of sound during the opening match at the Estadio Azteca, a historic venue that hosted the 1970 and 1986 World Cup finals.
“They will have 85,000 Mexicans shouting and singing. But we have to concentrate on our game. And if we can do that… then we can have a good match,” the Belgian said.
Mexico has not won any of its seven games in an opening match. “We have to break the stats,” coach Javier Aguirre said.
“It will be a new source of motivation.”
Hundreds of protesters returned to an area near Azteca Stadium late Wednesday. Most relatives or relatives of ‘disappeared people’ are believed to have been murdered or kidnapped by Mexican authorities or criminal gangs.
Police set up a 1-mile (1.6km) security perimeter before fans arrived on Thursday and said they would allow peaceful protests but only ticket holders would be allowed into the stadium.
South Korea and the Czech Republic will play the second match on the opening day, in Guadalajara.
Spain, France and England are the favourites, while reigning champions Argentina will look to 38-year-old talisman Lionel Messi to propel them to the final.
