FIFA World Cup 2026 Kicks Off: Mexico Wins Opener, Canada Makes History, USA vs Paraguay Tonight

# FIFA World Cup 2026 Kicks Off: Mexico Wins Opener, Canada Holds Bosnia, USA vs Paraguay Tonight

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The biggest FIFA World Cup in history is officially underway. With 48 teams, 104 matches, 16 host cities across three nations (USA, Canada, Mexico), and 39 days of nonstop action, World Cup 2026 has already delivered drama, goals, red cards, and unforgettable moments — and we’re only on Day 2.

Here’s everything you need to know so far.

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## World Cup 2026 at a Glance

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## Day 1 Recap (June 11): Mexico City Delivers

### Opening Ceremony: Shakira & Burna Boy Light Up Azteca

The tournament kicked off in spectacular fashion at the legendary Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Colombian superstar Shakira performed the official World Cup anthem alongside Nigerian Afrobeats star Burna Boy and reggaeton icon J Balvin, entertaining over 80,000 fans packed into the historic venue.

### Mexico 2–0 South Africa (Group A)

**Scorers:** Julián Quiñones (9′), Raúl Jiménez (62′)

**Red cards:** 3 (two for South Africa, one for Mexico)

Co-hosts Mexico ended their long-running curse of never winning a World Cup opener in emphatic style. Julián Quiñones drilled home from inside the area after a defensive mix-up in the 9th minute, and veteran Raúl Jiménez — scoring his first-ever World Cup goal — put the game to bed in the second half.

The match made history for having **three red cards**, the first time an opening match has seen that many send-offs. It was a physical, chippy contest, but Mexico stood tall in front of their home crowd.

### South Korea 2–1 Czech Republic (Group A)

**Scorers:** Ladislav Krejčí (CZE), In-Beom Hwang (KOR), Hyeon-gyu Oh (KOR)

In the day’s second Group A match, South Korea mounted a comeback for the ages. Czech captain Ladislav Krejčí opened the scoring with a powerful header, but In-Beom Hwang produced a moment of magic to level the score. Substitute Oh Hyeon-gyu struck the winner 11 minutes from time.

**One concerning note:** Large sections of the stadium in Guadalajara sat empty during this match, with fans complaining about FIFA’s dynamic pricing strategy for tickets.

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## Day 2 (June 12): Canada Earns Historic Point, USA Takes on Paraguay Tonight

### Canada 1–1 Bosnia-Herzegovina (Group B)

**Scorers:** Jovo Lukić (21′ — BIH), Cyle Larin (78′ — CAN)

**Attendance:** 43,002 at BMO Field, Toronto

Canada made history by earning their **first-ever World Cup point** in front of a raucous home crowd at BMO Field. Bosnia-Herzegovina took the lead through Jovo Lukić’s header in the 21st minute, and it looked like Canada’s frustrating World Cup record (0–6–0 coming in) would continue.

But substitute Cyle Larin changed everything. Just minutes after coming on, the Southampton striker unleashed a powerful right-footed shot from the edge of the box that deflected off a defender and nestled into the bottom corner. Canada pushed hard for a winner, but Bosnia held firm.

**Celebrity watch:** Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool star and Wrexham co-owner), hockey superstar Connor McDavid, and actor Mike Myers were spotted among the crowd of 43,002.

### Up Next: USA vs Paraguay (Group D) — 9:00 PM ET

**Venue:** SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California

**Opening ceremony features:** Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema, Tyla, Dan + Shay

All eyes are on the USMNT tonight. Christian Pulisic (“Captain America”) leads a talented American squad against a Paraguay team making their first World Cup appearance since 2010. These two teams last met in the World Cup in **1930**, when Bert Patenaude scored a hat trick in a 3-0 US win.

The pressure is real — the US is playing on home soil with high expectations. But Pulisic says he’s embracing it: *”I’m just going to try to live in the moment and enjoy the best I can.”*

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## What’s Coming Next

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## Where to Watch

– **TV:** FOX, FS1 (English) | Telemundo, Universo (Spanish)
– **Streaming:** Tubi (free — select matches), FOX Sports app, Fubo, YouTube TV
– **Live updates:** FIFA.com official match center

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## FAQ

### How many teams are in the 2026 World Cup?
48 teams — up from 32 in previous tournaments. This is the first World Cup with the expanded format.

### When and where is the 2026 World Cup final?
The final is Sunday, July 19, 2026 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

### What group is the USA in?
The USA is in Group D alongside Paraguay, Nigeria, and Saudi Arabia.

### How can I watch World Cup 2026 matches for free?
Select matches are streaming for free on Tubi. Check your local FOX and Telemundo broadcasts for the full schedule.

### What’s the 2026 World Cup format?
48 teams split into 12 groups of 4. Top 2 from each group advance (24 teams), plus the 8 best third-place teams — making a Round of 32.

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*Stay tuned to PC Master Deals for daily World Cup 2026 updates, match recaps, and analysis throughout the tournament.*

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