2026 FIFA World Cup Fixtures
Thursday, June 11: Mexico vs South Africa – 10:00pm EAT
Friday, June 12: South Korea vs Czechia – 5:00am EAT
Canada vs Bosnia & Herzegovina – 8:00pm EAT
Mexico City, Mexico: The expanded FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off today, Thursday night, with co-hosts Mexico taking on South Africa at the iconic Azteca Stadium, launching the largest tournament in football history as 48 nations battle for global supremacy across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Kick-off is scheduled for 10:00 pm East African Time (EAT), with an opening ceremony beginning at 8:30 pm. The tournament will run for nearly six weeks before culminating in the final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, USA.
Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium enters the history books as the first venue to host three FIFA World Cup opening matches, having previously staged the tournament curtain-raisers in 1970 and 1986.
Thursday’s opener marks the beginning of a new era for the World Cup, with FIFA expanding the competition from 32 to 48 teams. The revised format features 12 groups, with the top two teams in each group and the best third-placed sides progressing to a newly introduced Round of 32 before the traditional knockout rounds.
The United States, Canada and Mexico will each host opening matches on the first day of the tournament. While Mexico welcome South Africa in Mexico City, Canada host Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto, while the United States face Paraguay in Los Angeles.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino described the tournament as a celebration of global unity and football’s enduring power to bring people together despite political and economic challenges around the world.
However, the countdown to kick-off has been overshadowed by criticism over soaring ticket prices. Reports indicate that the most expensive ticket for the final costs approximately $32,970 (about UGX 125 million), significantly higher than the premium tickets available during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The sharp increase has sparked concern among supporters, politicians and football analysts who argue that the tournament is becoming increasingly inaccessible to ordinary fans.
Security and immigration issues have also emerged as major talking points ahead of kick-off. Several reports suggest that referees, journalists, officials and supporters from various countries have faced difficulties obtaining entry into the United States, raising concerns about access and logistics during the competition.
The tournament will also introduce several regulatory changes, including mandatory cooling breaks due to anticipated extreme summer temperatures across North American venues. FIFA has additionally unveiled stricter anti-racism measures and new procedures aimed at reducing time-wasting during matches.
On the field, reigning champions Argentina remain among the favourites to retain the trophy, with captain Lionel Messi expected to lead their title defence. Portugal’s campaign will once again be spearheaded by Cristiano Ronaldo, while France, England, Spain and Brazil are also widely tipped as contenders.
Ugandan football fans will be able to follow the tournament on Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC), which will air 34 selected matches free-to-air, including fixtures involving African nations, key knockout matches, both semi-finals and the final.
A total of 104 matches will be played across 16 host cities before the world crowns a new champion on July 19.
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