liveUpdated 3m agoFollow live as Kylian Mbappe’s France begin their World Cup campaign today.The Athletic Live Team and moreJune 16, 2026 at 10:40 AM EDTKylian Mbappe is one of the stars of this tournament GettyFrance vs Senegal — LatestFrance and Senegal begin their World Cup campaigns in a mouthwatering Group I clash today.Didier Deschamps’ side are one of the favourites to win the tournament, with the 2022 beaten finalists boasting a stellar group of attackers including Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe.Meanwhile, Senegal will be hoping to repeat their shock win over France at the 2002 World Cup, when they won the opening game of the tournament against the then World Cup holders.Kick-off: 3 p.m. ET, noon PTHow to watch: FOX, Fubo (try for free)Join in by chatting to fellow subscribers or email live@theathletic.com.A reminder of the 2026 World Cup format Getty ImagesWe are going to see something new at this World Cup: a 48-team tournament for the first time. It ends a 24-year run of 32-team World Cups dating back to 1998. That affects the tournament schedule, as it means we have a group stage consisting of 12 groups of four teams, followed by the following knockout stages: round of 32, round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.At the end of the group stage, the top two teams in each group will automatically progress to the knockouts — as well as the eight third-placed teams with the best group record. For those hoping to be crowned world champions, it means winning one more match than in the past, with eight games rather than seven standing between them and the famous trophy. Sign up to our World Cup Briefing The AthleticWant an update of everything going on at the 2026 World Cup dropped into your boxing every morning?Sign up here to The Athletic’s World Cup Briefing so that you don’t miss a thing.Get involved in the chat! The AthleticWe’re here to give you all the insights, context and analysis you could ever wish for from every World Cup match — and we want you to share your thoughts too.Which player is your tip to shine at the tournament? Have you got an issue with a team you think is horribly overrated? And who is going to shine in New Jersey today?It’s super easy to share your views. You can head to the Discuss tab at the top of this feed, or you can send us an email — the address is: live@theathletic.comWe can’t wait to hear what you’ve got for us all. Our venue for today’s match Getty ImagesMetLife Stadium: East Rutherford, New JerseyIt is one of the world’s most famous cities, so it seems inevitable that World Cup football should come to New York City. Or rather just outside it, over in East Rutherford, New Jersey.For the second year in a row, MetLife Stadium will host a major FIFA final, having hosted the Club World Cup showpiece last July.The 82,500-capacity ground was opened in 2010 and was built with adjustable stands so the field can meet FIFA regulations for football and although the regular surface is artificial turf, grass has been laid down in the past without issue. While travel out to New Jersey could prove a bit of a headache for fans, there is no shortage of things to do in New York City for those based there.And of course, for FIFA purposes the venue will be officially called New York New Jersey Stadium throughout this World Cup. Subscribe to The Athletic now The AthleticThere is no better time to be a subscriber to The Athletic for all the sporting insight, analysis and live coverage you need during the World Cup and beyond.As well as the ongoing tournament in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico, you can get your soccer fix with us for the rest of the year with our Champions League and Premier League coverage, as well as Europe’s top leagues.Meanwhile, the Formula 1 season is in full swing plus we have golf, tennis and more on the cards.Subscribe to The Athletic on an exclusive offer here.How to watch France vs Senegal today Getty ImagesHere’s how you can tune into today’s action, alongside our live coverage right here of course.U.S.: FOXCanada: TSNAustralia: SBSFrance: BeIN SPORTS, myCANALSenegal: SuperSportUK: BBCWhen does the match kick off? Getty ImagesKylian Mbappe’s France will take on Senegal at 3 p.m. ET local time for those in the United States on the east coast, while for those on the west it will be midday PT.If you are watching Mexico City, kick-off is at 2 p.m. CT while in the UK, kick-off is at 8 p.m. BST.Welcome to our World Cup coverage of France vs Senegal! Getty ImagesHello and welcome along to The Athletic’s coverage of the world’s biggest and best sporting tournament: the FIFA men’s World Cup.Players, fans and officials from around the globe have descended on this year’s hosts — Canada, the U.S. and Mexico — in the hope of leaving with the ultimate prize: being crowned world champions.Today’s match takes us to Group I and a tasty contest between France and Senegal. We’re really looking forward to his one! So stick around for all the latest team news, analysis, play-by-play action and more ahead of kick-off, right here.