World Cup season is finally upon us. Over the next month, teams from 48 countries will compete in over 100 matches spread across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
For most of the world, it’s the premier sporting event: bigger than the Super Bowl, the World Series, and Game 7 of the NBA finals combined. But if you’re American — or just not a "sports person" — it’s understandable if you aren’t clued in on how this international tournament works, or why everyone's talking about it.
That’s why we’ve put together a beginner’s guide to help get you up to speed before the World Cup kicks off on June 11. Here’s everything you need to know about the tournament format, how to watch, the favorites and underdogs, and the biggest controversies swirling around the event.
World Cup schedule and format
This year will be the largest-ever World Cup, featuring 48 teams which have been split into 12 groups of four.
In the first round, known as the group stage, each team plays the three other teams in their group once. Then, the top two teams from each group go on to the next round, called the knockout stage. The next eight third-place finishers will also advance, for a total of 32 teams.
From there, teams either win or go home. So there’ll be a round of 32 teams, then 16 teams, the quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final. (Phew.) Here's a little visual aid:
The first two games of the tournament will be played on June 11. Host nation Mexico will kick off against South Africa at 3 pm EST in Mexico City, and then South Korea and Czechia will face off at 10 pm EST in Guadalajara. (The U.S. men’s national team’s opening match will be in Los Angeles on June 12 at 9 pm EST against Paraguay.)
Group-stage matches will be played from June 11 to June 27. The Round of 32 will take place from June 28 to July 3, followed by the Round of 16 from July 4 to July 7. The quarterfinals are scheduled for July 9 to July 11, with the semifinals set for July 14 and 15. The tournament will conclude with the final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
How to watch the World Cup
Fox has exclusive rights to broadcast the games in English in the U.S., with 72 of the games airing on Fox and the rest will be on FS1. All the games can also be streamed on the Fox One app or services like Fubo or DirecTV.
Spanish-language broadcasts are available on Telemundo and Universo, and can be streamed on Peacock.
Why is this World Cup so controversial?
There has been a lot of controversy in the lead-up to the world’s most watched tournament — some of it having to do with FIFA (soccer’s governing body), some of it involving the poor planning and outrageous ticket prices, and yes, some was even about President Trump.
Even if you don’t follow international soccer, you may have noticed that FIFA’s president, Gianni Infantino, has become unusually cozy with Trump in recent months, despite the organization’s mandate of political neutrality. In December, when the tournament bracket was picked, he even awarded Trump a newly created “FIFA Peace Prize.”
As part of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, the U.S. has tightened its visa rules, which has made it tricky — and in some cases impossible — for fans from participating countries to attend games here. Fans from both Iran and Haiti, for instance, are completely barred from entering the U.S.
Then there’s the astronomical price of tickets. When seats first went on sale, they were going for thousands of dollars each, and in recent weeks there have been several complaints of price gouging and unfair sales practices. It’s become such a mess that New York, New Jersey, California, and Texas have all opened investigations into FIFA’s ticketing practices. Meanwhile, many games still haven’t sold out — including the U.S.’s opening match against Paraguay.
Who are the favorites to win the World Cup?
Only eight nations have ever won the World Cup, all of which are either in South America or Europe. And the odds are that one of these past champions will win it all again in 2026. Many observers like Spain’s odds: The team boasts wunderkind Lamine Yamal and has proven itself with its commanding performance in the UEFA European Championship in 2024.
France is also a strong contender, with a squad led by Kylian Mbappé. Les Bleus (the French team's nickname) nearly went the distance in 2022, but fell to Argentina in penalty kicks. Argentina, who will once again be led by Lionel Messi in his sixth World Cup appearance, has a shot at defending its title — as do perennial powerhouses like Brazil, England, and Portugal.
For five weeks, the World Cup will offer moments of brilliance, heartbreak, controversy, and joy. So even if you arrive as a casual observer, don’t be surprised if you leave as a fan.
