World Cup set to begin amid concerns over costs, politics and logistics

PARIS: The 2026 FIFA World Cup will start on Thursday with organisers banking on the tournament’s global pull to outweigh controversy over ticket prices, political tensions in the United States and the wider impact of conflict in the Middle East.

This year’s competition is the first World Cup to be staged across three host countries — the United States, Canada and Mexico — and will also be the biggest in the event’s history, with a record 48 teams. The tournament opens at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, where Mexico will face South Africa at 3:00 pm local time (1900 GMT). The final is scheduled for July 19 at the 82,500-seat MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

The expanded event will run for nearly six weeks and brings several major storylines on the pitch, including whether 38-year-old Lionel Messi can guide Argentina to back-to-back titles, whether Cristiano Ronaldo, now 41, can lead Portugal to a first World Cup crown, and whether England can end a 60-year wait for another major international trophy after winning the 1966 World Cup.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has strongly promoted the tournament, describing it as the planet’s biggest sporting spectacle.

But the lead-up has been marked by criticism, particularly over prices. The highest face-value ticket for the 2022 World Cup final was about $1,600, while the top face-value ticket offered by FIFA for the 2026 final is $32,970. Across the tournament’s 104 matches, many seats have also remained available on secondary resale platforms despite heavy interest.

US President Donald Trump also reacted to pricing for the United States’ opening match against Paraguay in Los Angeles on Friday, the first game to be played on American soil. Speaking to the New York Post, Trump said: