The FIFA World Cup is just hours away – with this year’s festival of football taking place against an intense geopolitical and sporting backdrop.
This year’s tournament will be the largest in World Cup history as 48 nations compete for the ultimate sporting prize – among them England, Scotland, and bookies’ favourites Spain. Kick-off in the first game is Thursday, June 11 at Mexico City Stadium, where a sell-out crowd of 83,000 is expected as the hosts play South Africa.
Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions will face their first opponents Croatia on June 17, while Steve Clarke’s Tartan Army go head-to-head with Haiti on June 13. England won their final warm-up friendly 3-0 against Costa Rica last night, with Jude Bellingham particularly impressing.
The last 48 hours have already seen hordes of fans arrive in the three host nations Mexico, Canada and the United States, each hoping their side will go on to book a date with destiny at the final in New Jersey on July 19.
But someone who will not be joining the fun is Somalian referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States this week after a 19-hour interrogation at Miami airport. It comes amid ongoing fears that Donald Trump’s ICE immigration enforcement officers could detain undocumented fans. And then there’s the ongoing war between the US and Iran, with their national team now playing their games in Mexico in a late rescheduling move.
‘Extortionate’ ticket fees of up to thousands of dollars per game and price gouging from hotels and public transport providers have also cast a shadow over the event. An expanding tournament means more people than ever are expected to watch the action unfold, with experts estimating over five billion people could tune in over the next six weeks.
New UpdatesToday09:13 BST
Four years of anticipation are about to be over as the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States finally gets underway today. Holders Argentina get their campaign underway on Wednesday (June 17) as they face Algeria in Group J looking to become just the third nation in history to retain the trophy.
Lionel Messi and co are amongst the favourites to win it on July 19 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, but they’ll no doubt face stiff competition from the likes of Brazil, Germany, France, Spain and England.
The tournament often throws up an unexpected success, just as Morocco proved in 2022 by reaching the semi-finals in Qatar.
Read more: World Cup kicks off and football fans believe these nations are dark horses to win it
England’s Elliot Anderson holds off Japan’s Kaoru Mitoma during the friendly match at Wembley Stadium in March
The Mirror visited England’s World Cup HQ yesterday – and found Americans ready to cheer the team to glory.
Thomas Tuchel’s side were getting ready to take on Costa Rica before Mexico kick off the biggest tournament in history tomorrow.
In the Prairie Village, just outside the city, they already have the flags out for the team.
The 26-man squad and backroom staff will be based at the Inn at Meadowbrook in the village.
The Football Association has taken over the 54-room, £260-a-night property, which is set in its own beautiful grounds and parkland. Joggers and young mums were out and about as usual yesterday while a swarm of armed police manned checkpoints.Read more: Inside England’s US base gripped by World Cup fever as tournament kicks off
Jeremy Armstrong
Today08:32 BST
England’s late World Cup kick off times are good for pubs, says one industry boss.
Simon Emeny, who runs pub firm Fuller’s, said afternoon starts for matches can actually suck trade away from other times of the day.
England’s World Cup group stage matches begin against Croatia on June 17, with a 9pm start time here. It is the same for Thomas Tuchel’s team’s next game against Ghana on June 23, then an even later 10pm start for the final group match against Panama on June 27.
“I think it is going to be a very different World Cup to previous events, mainly because of the kick off times” said Mr Emeny, executive chairman of Fuller’s.
Read more: World Cup late kick-off times are good for pubs, says industry chief
Fans are expected to settle in early ahead of England late start World Cup group stage matches(Image: Getty Images)
FIFA president Gianni Infantino urged people to “chill” and put their faith in his organisation that it was doing its best to tackle visa issues impacting the World Cup.
It comes after referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the United States earlier this week, with FIFA later confirming he would play no part in the tournament.
Asked what he meant about “chilling” by a British reporter at the Mexico City press conference, he replied: “In 2035 I think the Women’s World Cup will be in (the) UK.
“Would you find it normal that FIFA would dictate to the British Government who to let in the country and who not to let in the country? I don’t know, maybe you find it normal.
“Our world is a very aggressive world and security goes above everything. You need to respect the decisions.
“When is say ‘chill’, I don’t mean ‘chill and do nothing’, I mean to trust us.
“We always try to make the situation as positive as possible and find solutions. Sometimes we manage, sometimes we do not.”
Gianni Infantino called for critics to ‘relax’ after the latest pre-World Cup controversy.(Image: Getty Images)
Today’s opening game will begin a competition that has already seen a fair bit of controversy, with a top referee, Omar Artan, having been turned back from the US after travelling to work there earlier this week.
Artan received a hero’s welcome when arriving back home via Mogadishu, but the decision has left fans, officials and former players distressed before the World Cup has even begun. Fifa boss Gianni Infantino tried to quell outrage last night in a news conference, but only ruffled more feathers when he called for people to “chill, relax”.
He said: “It is unfortunate what happened to Omar. But we don’t control everything. We try, we discuss and we will speak.
“Maybe sometimes it is good as well to just chill and relax. We work on everything and try to solve everything. Sometimes, to start screaming and shouting has the opposite effect of finding a solution.
“Believe me when I tell you, don’t believe me if you want, we always try to find solutions. We are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces; we are a sports organisation”.
Liam DoyleToday07:30 BST
The World Cup will officially get underway today, with the first match between Mexico and South Africa set to take place latr today.
(Image: Jaime Lopez/Jam Media/Getty Images)
The two teams will face off on Mexico’s home turf in Mexico City, with the Group A match held at the Mexico City Stadium.
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
The match will get underway at 3pm ET, around 8pm UK time.
Liam DoyleToday07:30 BST
Thomas Tuchel, the German manager of England taking the reins from Gareth Southgate for this year’s competition, said he had not decided on his starting 11 for the team’s first game when asked following the warm-up yesterday.
Speaking to ITV, he said: “No. I will find now 11 for tomorrow’s game [against Miami FC, behind closed doors] and then I have another six days, I think.
“First of all we do a match tomorrow, another friendly match to get some minutes into the legs of the players who didn’t play so much today.
“And then the players get 1½ days off, switch off, switch off physically but also mentally. And then we change location, go to Kansas, and we’ll prepare for Croatia.”
Liam DoyleToday07:30 BST
England fans had some early joy on Wednesday when the team cruised to victory against Costa Rica in their final warm-up game.
The game saw England dominate the field, with Declan Rice, Anthony Gordon and Ollie Watkins all scoring during the game, while the team denied even a single goal from the opposing side. The match will have the team and fans riding a high ahead of the first official game of the cup against Croatia next week.
Declan Rice scored the first goal against Costa Rica(Image: Getty Images)