The first game of the World Cup will be co-hosts Mexico v South Africa. That was the same opening game in 2010 when South Africa were the hosts. It ended 1-1. Speaking of France playing Senegal, here's highlights of when Les Bleus were stunned by the African side in 2002.

The World Cup begins on June 11, 2026 as co-host Mexico plays the opener in Mexico City, with the USA (Los Angeles) and Canada (Toronto) kicking off a day later. The group stage runs until June 27, with synchronized start times in each group for the final matches in the round-robin.

European Playoff C includes Turkey, Romania, Slovakia, and Kosovo. The winner of matchups between those four teams in March 2026 will produce the final team in Group D that the USA will face in the big competition.

The United States is currently listed at +6600 to win the 2026 World Cup. Look no further than Group I for the 2026 edition of the "Group of Death." France, Senegal, Norway and one of Bolivia, Suriname or Iraq will battle it out to advance to the knockout stage.

This article was originally published on www.si.com as The Winners and Losers From Celebrity Laden 2026 World Cup Draw. The stage is officially set for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after Friday’s group stage draw as all 42 qualified nations and the remaining playoff hopefuls discovered their fate.

The United States will face Paraguay in its opening match in Group D, and Mexico will play South Africa in the tournament’s first game.

The Men's FIFA World Cup Draw 2026 brought out several athletes and celebrities. Here's who made an appearance.

Two of the greatest goal-scorers of their generation were drawn together in Group I for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.