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:Canada Soccer League Chief Shares His Big World Cup HopesThe 2026 World Cup offers a chance to drive soccer into Canada's mainstream, boost commercial revenues and elevate the Canadian Premier League, said James Johnson, commissioner of the country's top-tier domestic competition.The tournament - the first edition of the global showpiece to feature 48 teams - will be co-hosted by Canada, alongside the United States and Mexico, from June 11 to July 19."Like any World Cup, there is always a big opportunity to grow the sport and grow the business of the sport," Johnson, who is also the Group CEO of Canadian Soccer Business, told Reuters in an interview."Canada, for the first time in our history, will co-host the 2026 World Cup. From our perspective, we see an opportunity to break the sport into the mainstream, to really grow commercial revenues, and ultimately to put the Canadian Premier League at the very centre of the Canadian sports agenda."Canada will appear at the men's World Cup for a third time, following previous appearances in 1986 and 2022.Coached by American Jesse Marsch, their squad includes Bayern Munich left back Alphonso Davies, the team's captain, and Juventus forward Jonathan David."We've got two great national teams, the men's and the women's. We've got players playing at big clubs and in top leagues around the world," Johnson said.The Canadian Premier League was founded in 2017 and played its first season in 2019. Johnson believes the league is now entering a more mature phase."We have a new league, a relatively new league, that is maturing in the Canadian Premier League, developing great players for the national teams and for big clubs around the world," he said."All the right ingredients are there. It's about bringing those ingredients together and making magic happen. That's what we're focused on doing as we co-host a World Cup."The Canadian Premier League has also positioned itself at the forefront of innovation. In April, a goal scored under soccer's experimental "daylight" offside rule was allowed for the first time in a professional match.The concept, long advocated by former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger in his role as FIFA's head of global football development, is now being assessed in Canada as a potential future change to the laws of the game."What we're doing with FIFA and Wenger is something new. It's innovative. We think it's great for the sport," Johnson added."It's created a lot of debate, both around video football support and the daylight rule, and that's a good thing. We see our role as creating interest in our league."We want more discussion in Canada, but we also want to be part of a global conversation that is driving the sport forward. We think we're doing that through the implementation of these new rules."See All UpdatesClose
Canada Soccer League Chief Shares His Big World Cup Hopes
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:Canada Soccer League Chief Shares His Big World Cup HopesThe 2026 World Cup offers a chance to drive soccer into Canada's mainstream, boost commercial revenues and elevate the Canadian Premier League, said James Johnson, commissioner of the country's top-tier domestic competition.The tournament - the first edition of the global showpiece to feature 48 teams - will be co-hosted by Canada, alongside the United States and Mexico, from June 11 to July 19."Like any World Cup, there is always a big opportunity to grow the sport and grow the business of the sport," Johnson, who is also the Group CEO of Canadian Soccer Business, told Reuters in an interview."Canada, for the first time in our history, will co-host the 2026 World Cup. From our perspective, we see an opportunity to break the sport into the mainstream, to really grow commercial revenues, and ultimately to put the Canadian Premier League at the very centre of the Canadian sports agenda."Canada will appear at the men's World Cup for a third time, following previous appearances in 1986 and 2022.Coached by American Jesse Marsch, their squad includes Bayern Munich left back Alphonso Davies, the team's captain, and Juventus forward Jonathan David."We've got two great national teams, the men's and the women's. We've got players playing at big clubs and in top leagues around the world," Johnson said.The Canadian Premier League was founded in 2017 and played its first season in 2019. Johnson believes the league is now entering a more mature phase."We have a new league, a relatively new league, that is maturing in the Canadian Premier League, developing great players for the national teams and for big clubs around the world," he said."All the right ingredients are there. It's about bringing those ingredients together and making magic happen. That's what we're focused on doing as we co-host a World Cup."The Canadian Premier League has also positioned itself at the forefront of innovation. In April, a goal scored under soccer's experimental "daylight" offside rule was allowed for the first time in a professional match.The concept, long advocated by former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger in his role as FIFA's head of global football development, is now being assessed in Canada as a potential future change to the laws of the game."What we're doing with FIFA and Wenger is something new. It's innovative. We think it's great for the sport," Johnson added."It's created a lot of debate, both around video football support and the daylight rule, and that's a good thing. We see our role as creating interest in our league."We want more discussion in Canada, but we also want to be part of a global conversation that is driving the sport forward. We think we're doing that through the implementation of these new rules."See All UpdatesClose
