The 2026 World Cup officially begins this Thursday, the 11th. The first day of the competition, hosted in three countries (Mexico, United States and Canada), focuses the program on Mexican territory, with the opening ceremony and two matches in Group A.
The inaugural ceremony takes place at 2:30 pm (Brasília time), at the Azteca Stadium, in Mexico City. The show includes performances by artists such as Shakira, Burna Boy, J Balvin and the band Maná, as well as Mexican cultural attractions. The stadium, renovated and with capacity for around 87 thousand fans, is the first to host games in three different editions of the World Cup.
Mexico x South Africa
The first ball rolls in the tournament at 4pm (Brasília time), also at the Azteca Stadium. The home team faces South Africa in a rematch of the opening game of the 2010 World Cup, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
South Korea x Czech Republic
To end the day’s program, the South Koreans and Czechs will face each other at 11pm (Brasília time), at the Akron Stadium, in Guadalajara. The duel represents the Czech Republic’s return to the World Cup after 20 years of absence, with a place in the European playoffs guaranteed.
Where to watch
Brazilian fans have several alternatives to watch the opening ceremony and the games this Thursday:
- Open TV: Globo and SBT
- Pay TV: SporTV
- Streaming and digital: Globoplay, ge tv, CazéTV (YouTube) and N Sports (YouTube)