World Cup 2026: Bigger field, bigger prices, and immigration fears as tournament begins

On the pitch

Mexico and South Africa meet in the opening match at Mexico City's Estadio Azteca, which becomes the first venue to host three World Cup openers. Kickoff is at 3 p.m. ET (Fox/Telemundo). The Azteca sits at 7,300 feet, a factor for visiting teams unaccustomed to high altitude. Later, South Korea faces the Czech Republic in Guadalajara (5,138 feet). Mexico, led by veteran Raúl Jiménez and 17-year-old Gilberto Mora, is heavily favoured against South Africa, which returns for its fourth finals. South Korea's captain Son Heung-min, 33, may be playing his last World Cup; the Czechs are back for the first time in 20 years.

The 48-team format

The tournament, co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico, runs for 39 days with 104 matches across 16 stadiums. Twelve groups of four teams each will play three group games apiece. The top two in each group and the eight best third-placed sides advance to a new round of 32, which begins on June 28. The final is July 19 at the New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife) in East Rutherford.

1. Jun 11, 2026Opening match: Mexico vs South Africa in Mexico City
2. Jun 28, 2026Group stage ends; round of 32 begins
3. Jul 4, 2026Round of 16 begins
4. Jul 9, 2026Quarter-finals begin
5. Jul 14, 2026Semi-finals begin
6. Jul 19, 2026Final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey

Immigration enforcement

Anxiety has grown among immigrant communities in the 11 US host cities after a year of aggressive federal crackdowns under the Trump administration. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said,

We're not there to go round up mass individuals.

But local assurances have not calmed fears. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, briefed by the DHS, said he trusts the information but warned,

if that starts occurring, we're going to have a whole new host of problems.

Florida authorities also said no immigration operations are planned around stadiums or fan fests. An incident in which a Somali referee was denied entry this week added to the tension.

Sticker shock

Ticket prices have hit unprecedented levels. The cheapest seats for the US team's opener are around $1,000; top regular seats for that match cost $2,735—more than a seat at the 2022 World Cup final. FIFA's official resale portals still list nearly 180,000 unsold tickets. Airbnb is offering free match tickets (knockout stage to final) with select stays in the 16 host cities, with some 1,300 tickets available.

Airbnb hosts don't just offer you a place to stay—they provide a more authentic way to experience a destination. And this World Cup, they're doing something extraordinary: helping fans follow their teams wherever the tournament takes them, with select homes including free tickets in every host city.

The average booking price is $385 per night.

Political shadows

The tournament has been dogged by controversy. Iran was forced to set up its base in Mexico and saw its fans' ticket allocations revoked, according to reports. FIFA's award of its inaugural Peace Prize to President Donald Trump has drawn criticism, dampening the usual pre-tournament buzz.