World Cup Run-Up: 50 questions with kickoff 50 days away

Our World Cup lookahead returns to examine the biggest talking points heading into this summer's tournament. With the opening match exactly 50 days away, here are 50 questions surrounding the supersized event.

👉 Jump to: USMNT and Canada

When does the World Cup start?

In 50 days! The action begins June 11 when Mexico, one of the three co-hosts, meets South Africa at the iconic Estadio Azteca.

Why are there so many teams?

Money, mostly. FIFA president Gianni Infantino described the tournament's expansion to 48 nations - up from the 32-team format that had been in place since 1998 - as a way to "open (football) to the world" so the sport can be "strong everywhere." He's not wrong, but we don't have to pretend there isn't another very clear motivation.

How are the games split between co-hosts?

The United States will stage 78 of the tournament's 104 matches. Neighbors Canada and Mexico will host 13 apiece. The U.S. gets every match from the quarterfinal stage onward.

This is a first, right?

It sure is. This is only the second time multiple nations have collaborated to host a men's World Cup; Japan and South Korea split hosting duties in 2002. The expansion to 48 teams made it all but impossible for a single country to handle all the logistics of hosting such a massive global event.

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Where are the games being played?

Sixteen cities will have games this summer.

United States: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle.

Canada: Toronto and Vancouver.

Mexico: Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey.

Don't some of the venues use artificial turf?

Eight of them, including several of the NFL stadiums being used for the tournament, have artificial turf, but they will all install "hybrid" natural grass surfaces for the World Cup.

When is the final?

July 19 at MetLife Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET.

Is there really a halftime show?

You bet. The World Cup's inaugural halftime show will be curated by Chris Martin. Coldplay's frontman fulfilled the same duty for last year's Club World Cup final, which featured J Balvin, Doja Cat, Tems, and Emmanuel Kelly, and was seen as a test run for this summer's main event.

Whether it's a game-changer or a bad gimmick remains to be seen.

How can I watch all this on TV?

In the U.S., matches will shown on Fox and Fox Sports 1 (English) and Telemundo or Universo (Spanish).

In Canada, the games will be on TSN and CTV (English) and RDS (French).

Select games will also be available on various streaming services, including Fubo, Peacock, and Sling TV. For the first time, official broadcasters can show the first 10 minutes of games live on their respective YouTube channels.

Hey, I heard you could watch on TikTok?

Sort of. FIFA partnered with the short-form social media platform earlier this year and said certain content creators can stream portions of games on their channels. Details remain scarce, though.

Can I still get tickets?

If you're willing to pay a pretty penny, yes.

FIFA's ticketing process has largely been a disaster thus far, with various lotteries beset by tech issues and apparently deceptive seating charts. Amid reports of lagging sales, FIFA made new ticket inventory available "for all 104 matches" Wednesday starting at 11 a.m. ET. Turns out they weren't sold out after all. Godspeed, everyone.

Why are tickets so expensive?

Exorbitant pricing has arguably been the story surrounding the tournament in the months leading up to the opening match, with ticket prices soaring - often into the thousands - in comparison to previous editions.

In the face of widespread criticism, FIFA has defended its pricing model, insisting it "reflects the existing market practice for major entertainment and sporting events within our hosts on a daily basis."

Will stadiums be full?

Infantino continues to assert publicly that all the matches will be sold out, but given the size of some venues and, frankly, the matchups created by the expanded format, that seems very unlikely. Levi's Stadium, for example, seats nearly 70,000 people and is slated to host a Group J clash between Jordan and Algeria on June 22. I'm ... skeptical about that one, among others, being full.

What's all this about ads during games?

For the first time, every World Cup game will have mandated three-minute hydration breaks midway through each half, regardless of the weather or venue; even the indoor games will pause. FIFA says it's for player welfare. Detractors say it's an excuse for broadcasters to cut away to commercials.

So it's going to be ... really hot?

In many cities, yes. This was also a serious concern among players and FIFPro, the global players' union, during last summer's Club World Cup, when temperatures soared in the USA. FIFA hopes the use of several covered, air-conditioned stadiums this summer will be a mitigating factor.

OK, about the action. Who's the defending champion?

Argentina won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, beating France 4-2 on penalties after an all-time classic final. Only two countries - Brazil and Italy - have ever won consecutive World Cups, and it hasn't happened since 1962.

Who are the favorites?

Reigning European champion Spain and 2022 World Cup finalist France are widely viewed as the teams to beat.

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Who has the most World Cup wins?

Brazil leads the way with five men's titles, but the Selecao haven't hoisted the trophy - or made the final - since last winning in 2002. Germany, sitting on four World Cup triumphs, can match Brazil's total.

What do the winners get?

Aside from a coveted place in the annals of soccer history, the champions also get a huge payday. FIFA's record-breaking prize pool will distribute $655 million to the participating teams this summer. The winning side takes home $50 million, while the beaten finalist collects $33 million.

How far will the U.S. go?

Good question. The Americans have lofty goals, with midfielder Tyler Adams saying after December's draw that his team should set a "realistic" target of making its deepest-ever tournament run. That would technically mean reaching the final, since the U.S. did make the semifinals in the inaugural World Cup - when only 13 teams took part - in 1930.

What happened the last time the U.S. hosted?

The 1994 World Cup - the one where Roberto Baggio fired an infamous penalty kick over the crossbar in Italy's shootout loss to Brazil in the final - was arguably the most transformative event in U.S. history for the growth and popularity of soccer in the country. The Americans made a surprising run to the round of 16, losing to eventual champion Brazil.

What about Canada's chances?

Canada is looking for its first World Cup point after losing all six of its previous matches. There's growing optimism - and intense internal belief under head coach Jesse Marsch - that the Canadians can not only get their first point and first win, but secure a place in the knockout stage.

And Mexico?

Mexico might be the most mercurial of the co-hosts. El Tri's best World Cup showings have both come on home soil, where they reached the quarterfinals in 1970 and 1986. They've famously failed to get beyond the round of 16 since. Home cooking just might be the antidote.

Can the co-hosts play each other?

If they reach the knockout stages, yes. There's actually a scenario in which the U.S. and Canada could meet at Levi's Stadium in the round of 32 on July 1 - Canada Day. For that to happen, the Americans would need to win their group, Canada would have to finish third in its section, and various other tiebreakers would need to fall just right across several other groups.

OK, so what do the groups look like?

For a detailed breakdown of how each team qualified, tap here.

Wait a second, where's Italy?

For a third consecutive World Cup, the Italians failed to qualify; they lost to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the qualifying playoffs this time around. The president of the country's football federation, the team's head coach, and even iconic World Cup-winning goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon all resigned from their roles with the national team after the latest debacle.

Um, will Iran play?

Most likely. In the weeks since the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes on the country, Infantino has maintained that Iran will participate in the World Cup; most recently, the FIFA president said Iran will "for sure" take part. This comes despite conflicting statements from Iranian officials on the matter and U.S. President Donald Trump telling the Iranian team not to travel for the event due to safety concerns.

Will anyone actually boycott?

Despite rumblings of discontent, especially from European nations, the chance that any team boycotts the World Cup are extremely slim.

That said, Trump's travel bans may impact fans from four nations that qualified for the World Cup: Haiti, Iran, the Ivory Coast, and Senegal. There are exceptions in place for athletes and team officials, but supporters could face problems obtaining visas to enter the United States.

How does the group stage work?

From the 12 groups outlined above, the top two finishers in each quartet advance to the knockout stage. They're joined by the eight best third-place teams to create the round of 32. If teams are tied on points after they've each played their three group-stage games, the first tiebreaker is goal difference.

Who are the new faces?

Four nations will be making their debuts: Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan. Curacao is the smallest country by population (roughly 165,000) to ever play at a World Cup.

DR Congo, meanwhile, made its only other World Cup appearance in 1974, when it competed as Zaire.

What are the must-watch games?

The Group I contest between Kylian Mbappe's France and Erling Haaland's Norway (June 26) jumps off the page. Here are some other tantalizing group matchups:

• June 13: Brazil vs. Morocco
• June 14: Netherlands vs. Japan
• June 17: England vs. Croatia
• June 26: Uruguay vs. Spain
• June 27: Colombia vs. Portugal

Won't some of these games be lopsided?

Almost definitely. We're looking at you, Spain versus Cape Verde.

In case you're wondering, the largest margin of victory in a men's World Cup match is nine goals. That's happened three times before, with the standout result being Hungary's 10-1 win over El Salvador in 1982. That's the only time a team has scored 10 or more goals in a single World Cup match.

Messi and Ronaldo are playing, right?

Ronaldo will play barring injury. He's the all-time leading scorer in men's international soccer, and his sixth World Cup will give him more chances to continue his quest to score 1,000 career goals. Portugal might function better as a team without him, but he'll start every game if fit.

Messi has remained coy on his participation whenever he's been asked, but he's expected to once again captain Argentina as the Albiceleste look to defend their crown.

Are they still the best players in the world?

They're still global megastars, but they're no longer the unstoppable forces of nature that had a duopoly on the Ballon d'Or trophy for nearly a decade during the prolonged peak of their powers. Ronaldo, 41, and Messi, who turns 39 during the World Cup, now ply their trade in Saudi Arabia and Major League Soccer, respectively.

France's Ousmane Dembele is the reigning Ballon d'Or winner as the presumptive "best player in the world." Mbappe, his compatriot, and 18-year-old Spanish sensation Lamine Yamal also have strong claims for that title.

Who are the breakout stars to watch?

Yamal is only 18, but he's already established as one of the game's most electrifying talents.

A true breakout is, by definition, almost impossible to predict, but youngsters like Estevao (Brazil), Nico Paz (Argentina), Kenan Yildiz (Turkey), and Gilberto Mora (Mexico) are worth monitoring this summer.

Will any records be broken?

Messi, who already owns the record for most World Cup matches played, needs four goals to become the top scorer in tournament history. He's sitting on 13 tallies. Germany's Miroslav Klose is the current leader with 16.

Are any superstars missing out?

Italy, Nigeria, and Cameroon were among the most surprising qualifying casualties, which means the likes of Gianluigi Donnarumma, Victor Osimhen, and Bryan Mbeumo won't be at the tournament. Poland's failure to punch its ticket also robbed Robert Lewandowski of what would've been his final World Cup appearance.

More players will join the list of notable absentees as untimely injuries strike and coaches make the tough choices to omit certain players from their tournament rosters. Neymar, Brazil's all-time leading scorer, is in serious danger of being left out of the squad by manager Carlo Ancelotti, while England boss Thomas Tuchel has some big decisions to make regarding the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Phil Foden.

When will squads be announced?

Final 26-man squads must be submitted to FIFA by May 30. They'll be announced June 1 if they haven't been already. Some teams have already confirmed their roster reveal dates; the U.S. will announce its World Cup squad May 26.

Are there World Cup tuneup games?

FIFA's last international window before the World Cup runs June 1-9, giving teams their final opportunities to fine-tune things before the tournament.

Is there a tournament mascot?

Each co-host has its own anthropomorphic animal mascot, because why wouldn't they? Say hello to Maple the Moose (Canada), Zayu the Jaguar (Mexico), and Clutch the Bald Eagle (United States).

They have nothing on Ciao from Italia 90, though.

USMNT and Canada 🇺🇸🇨🇦

How is the U.S. looking?

It's a mixed bag. The Americans put together an encouraging five-match unbeaten run to close out 2025 - including a 5-1 thumping of Uruguay - that made fans and pundits alike excited about the possibilities heading into the World Cup. Maybe Tyler Adams was right to target the semifinals?

Well, perhaps not. Sobering losses to Belgium and Portugal in March by a combined score of 7-2 served as a harsh reality check, offering a reminder of the gap that the USMNT still needs to bridge in order to make any serious noise this summer.

What's up with Pulisic?

Christian Pulisic, the United States' best and arguably most important player, is in a serious slump at the worst possible time. The versatile AC Milan forward hasn't scored a goal for club or country since December and has just one assist in that time. If he isn't in form, there's a definite ceiling on how far the U.S. can advance at the World Cup.

Who can pick up the slack?

Folarin Balogun, who plays his club football for AS Monaco, is red-hot. The 24-year-old striker has found the net in eight consecutive league matches in France and, in doing so, likely solidified himself as the starting No. 9 after Mauricio Pochettino went through a rotating cast of options.

Weston McKennie, meanwhile, is enjoying an outstanding season for Juventus and provides goals from midfield that could help offset the struggles of Pulisic.

How will they line up?

Pochettino's greatest success since taking the U.S. job has come when using a fluid system featuring three center-backs, either in a 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1 formation. That allows Pochettino to set up with aggressive wing-backs without forfeiting defensive solidity and gives his creative attacking players more freedom to find pockets of space in support of a central striker. There are still some spots in the starting XI to be decided, but it would be a surprise - and probably a mistake - to revert back to a four-man defensive system.

What does the schedule look like?

The Americans play two more friendly matches before their World Cup opener against Paraguay on June 12. They'll take on fellow World Cup participant Senegal on May 31 before meeting Germany on June 6.

How is Canada shaping up?

Goals, particularly from open play, continue to be a concern; Canada's scored just five times in its last seven matches, and two of those were penalties from Jonathan David in a 2-2 draw with Iceland. Canada has been stout defensively since Marsch took over and often creates chances using its aggressive high-pressing system, but actually converting those opportunities into goals has been another matter.

Cyle Larin, once seemingly at risk of being pushed to the fringes of the squad, is enjoying a late-season resurgence on loan at Southampton. If he carries his fine scoring form into the summer, it could be difficult to overlook the veteran striker for a starting berth.

Is Davies going to be healthy?

Alphonso Davies hasn't played for Canada in over a year after tearing his ACL in March 2025 and then dealing with multiple hamstring issues that hindered his eventual return to the pitch with Bayern Munich. The Canadian captain is now back at full speed with the German club, however, and he makes Marsch's team more explosive whenever he's on the field.

What are the biggest question marks?

Davies' actual position remains up for debate - should he play left-back or higher up the pitch? - but that's a good problem for Marsch to have. Not so good: the uncertainty surrounding stud center-back Moise Bombito, who hasn't played since breaking his tibia in October.

Along with Davies and David, Bombito is one of Canada's most important players, and his absence would leave a gargantuan hole in the heart of the team's backline that nobody else can appropriately fill.

Will Canada finally win a game?

Canada will surely get that monkey off its back this time, right? The Canadians came close in 2022 - they should have beaten Belgium in their opening match - but they have a great chance to get on the board this summer. A group-stage encounter with Qatar has been circled since the draw was made, and though Bosnia and Herzegovina will be anything but an easy contest, avoiding Italy has to be considered a win for Canada's overall tournament hopes.

What does the schedule look like?

Prior to its June 12 World Cup opener against Bosnia, Marsch's men will prepare for the tournament with a pair of tuneup games against Uzbekistan (June 1) and Ireland (June 5) in Montreal.

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