Here we go then, the 2026 World Cup has finally arrived and the opening match of the competition is set to get under way this evening.
Mexico host South Africa at the Estadio Azteca in the first of 104 matches at this expanded World Cup in what is also, of course, a repeat of the 2010 curtain raiser.
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There will also be the first of three opening ceremonies taking place in the Mexican capital on Thursday, with Shakira performing the World Cup song Dai Dai alongside Burna Boy.
The tournament then gets into full swing, and South Korea face Czechia in the early hours of Friday morning in the other match in Group A.
On Friday evening, it will be the turn of Canada to launch their tournament, welcoming Bosnia and Herzegovina to Toronto, with Michael Buble leading opening ceremony proceedings there.
And in the early hours of the morning UK time on Saturday, the United States will get their World Cup campaign up and running in Los Angeles.
Mauricio Pochettino's men host Paraguay at the Sofi Stadium and in the third and final opening ceremony, Katy Perry is the headline act.
England, fresh from a 3-0 win over Costa Rica, have their first match on June 17 against Croatia, in what is a repeat of the 2018 semifinal.
Meanwhile, reigning champions Argentina will launch their title defence in the early hours of June 16 UK time, facing Algeria, with Lionel Messi and his team hoping to avoid an early setback like in Qatar 2022.
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