The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to kick off on June 11 across the USA, Canada, and Mexico
This marks the first-ever tournament to feature 48 teams, and preparations are in full swing: national squads are playing friendlies, finalizing their rosters, and adapting to local conditions
4-0 vs Finland, 2-1 vs USA
Nine consecutive victories, with Havertz and Sané in sparkling form
5-0 vs Tunisia, 2-0 vs Croatia
De Bruyne and Lukaku are on fire, leading a clinical attack
6-2 vs Panama
Vinícius, Casemiro, and Paquetá—the Brazilian machine is running smoothly
5-1 vs Serbia, 1-0 vs Australia
The hosts look sharp, with Jimenez and Chavez hitting their stride
5-0 vs Burundi, 4-0 vs Madagascar
The 2022 World Cup semi-finalists continue to exert their dominance
Warning signs: What is worrying the managers?
1-2 vs Ivory Coast
Defeat against African opposition exposes defensive vulnerabilities
0-1 vs Algeria
A failure to score followed by an 86th-minute goal conceded
1-1 vs Iraq
They were held to a draw by an underdog, and Yamal is set to miss the start of the tournament
1-2 vs Germany, 3-2 vs Senegal
The hosts are displaying inconsistent form
Injuries and absences ahead of the kickoff
Unfortunately, not every star player will be available for the tournament's start:
Lennart Karl (Germany) — the talented 18-year-old midfielder sustained a training injury and will miss the World Cup
Lionel Messi (Argentina) — nursing a minor knock, he might sit out the friendly but is expected to be fit for the opener against Algeria on June 17
Lamine Yamal (Spain) — his recovery is ahead of schedule, though he may not be ready for the opening fixtures
Neymar (Brazil) — missing the warm-up matches but aiming for a return in time for the knockout stages
Key friendly schedule (June 2026)
June 6
USA — Germany
21:30
Chicago
June 6
Portugal — Chile
20:45
Lisbon
June 6
Belgium — Tunisia
16:00
Brussels
June 7
Brazil — Egypt
01:00
Cleveland
June 7
Argentina — Honduras
03:00
Houston
June 8
France — Northern Ireland
22:10
Lille
June 9
Spain — Peru
05:00
Puebla
June 10
Portugal — Nigeria
22:45
Leiria
Who impressed? Germany, Belgium, Brazil, Mexico.
Who raised concerns? France, the Netherlands, Spain.
Who is at risk? Teams with injured leaders.
What to expect from the 2026 World Cup?
48 teams — more intrigue and more unexpected results
16 cities in three countries — a unique geographical scale
New playoff format — a Round of 32 has been added, meaning more knockout matches
The climate challenge — physical endurance will be a key factor for success
