World Cup 2026: let the show begin!

The 2026 World Cup opens at the legendary Estadio Azteca in Mexico City this Thursday, June 11 at 7 p.m. GMT with one of the most historically charged posters of the tournament: Mexico against South Africa, in Group A. An exact repeat of the opening match of the 2010 World Cup, the very first played on African soil, which ended 1-1 in Johannesburg, with an unforgettable goal from Siphiwe Tshabalala and Rafael Marquez’s equalizer. This 23rd edition of the World Cup, which is on everyone’s lips, should offer a magnificent spectacle on the field, while outside, chaos reigns in particular because of restrictions from the Trump administration.

Sixteen years later, the same nations, the same poster. But this time it’s Mexico who receives, and Azteca who will vibrate. Mexico thus becomes the first nation to organize the World Cup for the third time, after 1970 and 1986, two editions whose finals had already been played in this same legendary stadium, where Pelé then Maradona wrote their most golden pages.

El Tri is favorite: Mexico is undefeated in its seven world matches played at the Azteca, with five wins and two draws, and has not lost a World Cup opening match since 1994. Faced with a South Africa ranked 60th in the world against 15th place Mexico, the hierarchy is clear on paper. But in the inaugural match, the pressure of a host nation in front of nearly 90,000 spectators can play tricks. Bafana Bafana arrive to play spoilsport, with in their hearts the glorious memory of this goal from Tshabalala which made an entire continent roar.

An extraordinary edition

For the first time in its history, the competition brings together 48 teams, playing 104 matches over 39 days in 16 host cities spread over three countries. The United States hosts the majority of matches and the final at MetLife Stadium in New York on July 19; Canada hosts its first world matches since 1986; Mexico opens the ball this evening.

The format places the 48 nations into twelve groups of four. The first two in each group, plus the eight best third-placed teams, or 32 teams in total, advance to the round of 16, an unprecedented round in the history of the Men’s World Cup. This additional net opens the door to outsiders: four nations are participating in their very first World Cup, Uzbekistan, Jordan, Cape Verde and Curaçao, the smallest country in history to compete in a World Cup.

Favorites

Spain leads the hierarchy with a 17% title probability according to the supercomputer Opta, driven by a series of 31 games without defeat and a squad at the peak of its generation. Reigning European champion, La Roja relies on a devastating duo of wingers: Lamine Yamal on the right and Nico Williams on the left, two players worried by injuries at the end of the season but whose coach Luis de la Fuente assured that they would be fit for the tournament. In the middle, conductor Pedri will be responsible for leading the dance.

The French Blues arrive as world vice-champions with a five-star squad in the offensive sector: Kylian Mbappé, the Ballon d’Or Ousmane Dembélé, the prodigy Michael Olise, the rising star Désiré Doué, and on the bench Rayan Cherki, Bradley Barcola, Marcus Thuram… It remains to resolve some defensive feverishness, and a demanding draw in Group I with Senegal will force the Blues to enter the tournament at full capacity. speed.

As for England, they can count on Harry Kane, author of 61 goals in 51 matches in all competitions this season, as well as on Arsenal players (Saka, Declan Rice) and Jude Bellingham. Under Thomas Tuchel, this is perhaps the deepest England squad in decades, and the hope of a first title since 1966 has never seemed more reasonable.

Back-to-back for Argentina?

For its part, Argentina defends its title with Messi still decisive, Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez and Enzo Fernandez. But retaining a World Cup is a historic challenge, Brazil is the last one to have achieved it, in 1962. On the Brazilian side, Carlo Ancelotti at the helm and Vinicius Jr in great form fuel the dreams of a sixth star, even if the Seleção only has a 6.6% probability according to Opta, far from its historic status as eternal favorite. Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal is also among the contenders for the coronation.

In Africa, Senegal has XXL ambitions and dreams of doing better than its best performance, a quarter-final in 2002. Morocco, semi-finalist in 2022, is also among the outsiders. Ivory Coast and its XXL squad are also among the best African chances.

Players to follow

• Lamine Yamal (Spain, 18 years old): Already winner of Euro 2024, he was named best player of the season by La Liga with 16 goals and 12 assists, guiding Barça to the title. He arrives at this first World Cup with the enormous responsibility of carrying the hopes of his country, as he did at the Euro at 17 years old.
• Kylian Mbappé (France, 27 years old): Winner of the World Cup in 2018, finalist in 2022, he is playing his third tournament. One achievement of the scorers record in the history of the Blues, he will undoubtedly surpass Giroud during this competition.
• Erling Haaland (Norway, 25 years old): His first World Cup. The Manchester City striker and Mbappé are scheduled to face each other in Group I, in what promises to be the most anticipated goleadors duel of the group stage.
• Ousmane Dembélé (France, 29 years old): Ballon d’Or 2025 after an exceptional season with PSG, he accumulated 20 goals and 10 assists in 40 matches. Finally freed from repeated injuries, he forms with Mbappé and Olise the most formidable French attack in years.
• Achraf Hakimi (Morocco): With 8 assists this season with PSG, vice-captain of the Atlas Lions, his speed is the lethal weapon in trying to repeat the feat of 2022, when Morocco became the first African nation to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup.
• Vinicius Jr (Brazil): With 16 goals in La Liga this season, he is the Seleção’s chief dynamiter, despite the return of Neymar.

This World Cup will be big…on the pitch

From Mexico City to New York via Los Angeles, Miami and Toronto, football occupies an entire continent for six weeks. There will be the confirmed superstars, Mbappé, Messi perhaps for a last act, Ronaldo in search of a title which is refused to him. There will be young people ready to reign Yamal, Ibrahim Mbaye, Haaland, Bellingham. And there will be the unexpected, this team that arrives out of nowhere and changes history.

Tonight it starts. As in 2010, with a South Africa-Mexico poster.

Oumar Boubacar NDONGO