From The Sports Desk: The World Cup is finally here - BERITAJA

Forty-eight teams. Three big countries. Sixteen stadiums. And 39 days long. The 23rd version of the men’s World Cup is yet here, pinch the opening ceremonial taking spot astatine Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium coming up of co-hosts Mexico taking connected South Africa. When Shakira and Burna Boy perform the charismatic anthem “Dai Dai” astatine the ceremony, FIFA will nary uncertainty beryllium hoping that aft a bumpy run-up to the competition, the world could yet commencement talking soccer.

World Cup Match Preview

Mexico — 1 of the 3 co-hosts pinch America and Canada — will bid to extremity its World Cup opening-day curse erstwhile it takes connected South Africa successful the tournament’s first crippled coming astatine the precocious renovated Azteca Stadium. It’s a repetition of the first crippled of the 2010 competition, successful Johannesburg, which ended 1-1.

That was a comparative occurrence for a federation that has many times grounded to triumph its opening game. Coach Javier Aguirre told a news convention Wednesday: “We must break that trend.”

Mexico's guardant Raul Jimenez reaches for the shot during friends lucifer against Serbia successful Toluca, Mexico connected June 4, 2026. Mario Vazquez / AFP via Getty Images

El Tri enters the tourney buoyed by a tally of warmup victories, and hoping seasoned guardant Raúl Jiménez could thief occurrence them to glory connected location soil. Fans will besides beryllium pinning their hopes connected midfielder Gilberto Mora, astatine 17 this World Cup’s youngest subordinate and a imaginable breakout star.

Mexico has only made it to the past 8 twice, some times erstwhile it hosted the tournament, successful 1970 and 1986. Four years agone successful Qatar, it didn’t make it retired of the group stage.

Aguirre will beryllium up against a acquainted foe successful the guidance dugout: South Africa coach Hugo Broos was successful the Belgium squad that mislaid 2-1 against an El Tri broadside featuring Aguirre successful 1986. Broos has led South Africa to its first World Cup successful 16 years.

Son Heung-Min of South Korea controls the shot during a lucifer against El Salvador connected June 3 successful Provo, Utah. Alex Goodlett / Getty Images

The 2nd fixture of the time sees the 2 different Group A sides, South Korea and Czechia, spell head-to-head. South Korean prima Son Heung-min, wide considered the champion Asian subordinate successful caller times, comes into his 4th World Cup aft a mediocre play pinch Los Angeles FC. South Korea should beryllium wary of Czechia’s threat from group plays. In qualifying, the two-time runners-up (as Czechoslovakia, successful 1934 and 1962) scored much set-piece goals — 7 of them headers — than immoderate different European team.

Men successful Blazers is North America’s largest independent, soccer-obsessed media company. Led by founder, CEO and big Roger Bennett, we judge shot is much than conscionable a game; it’s a lens to understand the world, consciousness quality emotion, acquisition a consciousness of world relationship and make memories together.

The World Cup is yet here! Three and a half years aft Lionel Messi and Argentina took location the trophy successful Qatar, El Tri and South Africa’s Bafana Bafana will footwear things disconnected coming astatine the legendary Estadio Azteca successful Mexico City, followed by South Korea and Czechia.

Before the games start, we’ll beryllium treated to an opening ceremonial capacity from Shakira and Burna Boy, 32 years aft Diana Ross committed one of the about legendary punishment misses successful World Cup history astatine Chicago’s Soldier Field. We could only dream that Mexico’s philharmonic spectacle will beryllium half arsenic memorable.

For much World Cup sum sent consecutive to your inbox each morning, subscribe to the Men successful Blazers newsletter. We’ll beryllium covering each match, each extremity and each joyous infinitesimal that soccer’s biggest spectacle is judge to bring.

Additionally, Men successful Blazers is going from big metropolis to big metropolis for Match Day Live! We’re taking the shape pinch personage guests successful beforehand of thousands of fans straight earlier immoderate of the biggest matches this summer. Find your city here. Next stop: Los Angeles, wherever our very ain Roger Bennett and Rory Smith will beryllium joined by character Rob Mac, Larry Nance Jr. of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavs and erstwhile USMNT player, Kyle Beckerman. Join america location tomorrow.

Player floor plan

Leading up to the 2026 World Cup, we’re counting down 26 players to watch. Today’s introduction is Argentina’s Lionel Messi.

Messi is arguably the champion subordinate to ever measurement connected a shot field. He’s won the Ballon d’Or grant a grounds 8 times, claimed 10 LaLiga championships, 4 Champions League titles and scored 672 goals for Barcelona — the about for a azygous nine ever. Internationally, he was instrumental successful starring Argentina to the 2022 World Cup triumph and paces the federation pinch 116 profession goals scored. In that last against France, Messi scored the opening extremity connected a punishment footwear and later added different successful other clip to propel Argentina to victory.

Lionel Messi of Argentina during a friends lucifer against Iceland connected June 9 successful Auburn, Ala.Omar Vega / Getty Images

Simply put, the only point that could extremity Messi astatine the 2026 World Cup is begetter time. At 38, he’s still a high-level subordinate but not precisely what he was successful his prime.

Argentina, classed No. 3 successful the world by FIFA, needs Messi’s elite skills to stay among the champion successful the world. He fits up apical pinch Julian Alvarez and should activity good pinch midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Alexis Mac Allister. Argentina is looking to go the first squad since Brazil successful 1962 to triumph back-to-back World Cups. Because of Messi’s playmaking expertise and unthinkable goal-scoring prowess, he could thief them do conscionable that.

What We’re Watching

The World Cup!

Come bent pinch america arsenic we unrecorded blog today’s opening matches.

All times are Eastern:

• 3 p.m.: Mexico vs. South Africa (Group A): June 11 astatine 3 p.m. ET connected Fox, Telemundo, Peacock
• 10 p.m.: South Korea vs. Czechia (Group A): June 11 astatine 10 p.m. ET connected FS1, Telemundo, Peacock