June 11, 2026
Argentina’s captain and forward #10 Lionel Messi (C) lifts the FIFA World Cup Trophy as he celebrate with teammates winning the Qatar 2022 World Cup final football match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium in Lusail, north of Doha on December 18, 2022. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP)
By Ayobami Okerinde
Defending champions Argentina will head into the 2026 FIFA World Cup as the highest-ranked team in the world, according to the latest FIFA rankings released on Thursday.
The expanded 48-team tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, kicks off today, with South Africa facing Mexico in a repeat of the 2010 World Cup opening fixture.
