The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in June — and HuffPost will be live-blogging every twist, turn and controversy from the buildup through the final of what’s widely shaping up to be the most political soccer tournament of all time.From the action on the pitch to the potential chaos off it, the storylines are already piling up: Iran’s possible non-participation amid Donald Trump’s war, the president’s close relationship with FIFA’s Peace Prize-awarding President Gianni Infantino, and simmering tensions between the U.S. and fellow host nations Mexico and Canada fueled by Trump’s tariffs and divisive rhetoric.Trump’s travel bans could keep some fans out, there’s been fury over soaring ticket prices, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents could be present at games as the Trump administration continues its anti-immigration crackdown.Not to mention extreme heat concerns that scorched all those involved the last time the U.S. hosted the tournament some 32 years ago, in 1994.And that’s all before a ball has been kicked.U.S. President Donald Trump received the FIFA Peace Prize from FIFA President Gianni Infantino in December.Andrew Harnik via Getty ImagesOn the field, the men’s national teams from 48 countries will compete in a record 104 matches across the three host nations in what will be the biggest World Cup in history.Mexico will take on South Africa at the iconic Mexico City Stadium in the opening game on June 11. The U.S. will play Paraguay in Los Angeles on June 12, Australia in Seattle on June 19 and Turkey back in Los Angeles on June 25, in the group games, before potentially competing in the later knockout rounds.The final will be held on July 19 at MetLife Stadium, which is being temporarily rebranded as the New York/New Jersey Stadium for the competition.Current European champions Spain are favorites to lift the trophy. Defending champions Argentina, of Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi fame, along with France, England and Brazil, are also expected to be in the mix.Check out the full games schedule on the FIFA website.Follow along with our coverage below:FIFA Adding Another Yellow Card Amnesty For World Cup: ReportFIFA is planning to add a second yellow card "amnesty" period for the 2026 World Cup, The Athletic reported Monday.The FIFA Council will meet Tuesday in Vancouver to discuss new rules ahead of the first 48-team tournament in World Cup history. That reportedly will include an additional yellow card amnesty to reduce the possibility of players missing matches in the knockout stage due to accumulation.Players' yellows were cleared after the quarterfinals in previous World Cups, but FIFA intends to wipe yellows after both the group stage and after the quarters, if the council approves the plan.A player earning two bookings has traditionally resulted in a one-match suspension, and with the tournament expanding in 2026, an additional knockout round (the Round of 32) means one more opportunity for a player to pick up a yellow before they're wiped before the quarters.With two amnesty periods, a player will only trigger the suspension for yellow-card accumulation by getting two bookings over the three group stage games or two across the first three rounds of the knockouts preceding the semifinals.See All UpdatesClose