The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, started on June 11, 2026, with matches spanning 16 cities across the host countries. U.S. soccer fans can watch all 104 games through a combination of free and subscription-based broadcasts on FOX, NBCUniversal networks, and various streaming platforms.
What Happened
The tournament began on Thursday, June 11, with Mexico playing South Africa in Mexico City. The United States’ opening game against Paraguay took place on June 12 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The U.S. team is scheduled to play three group-stage games in June against Paraguay, Australia, and Turkey at venues in California and Seattle. Broadcasters FOX and NBCUniversal hold rights to the matches played in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, with comprehensive coverage both in English and Spanish.
Key Facts
- The 2026 World Cup features 104 matches across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
- FOX will air a record 40 matches in primetime in the U.S.
- NBCUniversal’s Telemundo and Universo networks will broadcast all matches in Spanish.
- Seventy matches will be available free over the air on FOX’s main channel and the remainder on Fox Sports 1 cable.
- The U.S. group stage matches kick off at 9 p.m. ET on June 12, 3 p.m. ET on June 19, and 10 p.m. ET on June 25.
- Initial matches are available for streaming free on Tubi, with all matches accessible via FOX One and Peacock streaming apps.
- Subscription streaming services such as YouTube TV, Fubo, and Hulu + Live TV also provide full access.
Why It Matters
The tournament is the largest FIFA World Cup ever, significantly expanding from 64 to 104 games and bringing high-profile matches to U.S. soil, promoting soccer’s growing popularity across the nation. The broad broadcast arrangement ensures accessibility for a diverse U.S. audience in both English and Spanish, supporting growing fan engagement.
Background
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first edition to be jointly hosted by three countries: the United States, Mexico, and Canada. This expansion from prior tournaments allows for more matches and wider geographic spread of venues. The U.S. previously hosted the World Cup in 1994.
Analysis
U.S. national team captain Tim Ream highlighted the magnitude of the event, comparing it to “a Super Bowl every single day for five weeks,” emphasizing the tournament’s massive global and domestic viewership, estimated at around five billion worldwide.
Who Is Affected
This event directly affects soccer fans in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, especially those in the 16 host cities including Inglewood, Seattle, Houston, and Toronto. The extensive broadcast and streaming coverage impacts viewers, broadcasters, advertisers, and the sports media industry.
What Remains Unclear
- This information was not confirmed in the reviewed sources.
What Comes Next
The tournament will continue through July 19, culminating in the final match at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Viewers can follow ongoing World Cup news and highlights on CBSSports.com and through various broadcast and streaming channels.
Sources
This article is based on reporting and publicly available information from the following source:
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