Tonight’s match between Mexico and South Africa, which will be played at 9 p.m., officially kicks off the 2026 World Cup, the biggest sporting event on the planet that will attract the attention of billions of people around the world for the next month.
The start of the World Cup was marked by a spectacular opening ceremony at the legendary Aztec Stadium in Mexico City.
In front of tens of thousands of spectators, the Colombian music star Shakira and Burna Boy performed the official anthem of the championship “Dai Dai” and symbolically marked the beginning of the biggest football show.
For the first time in history, the host is shared by three countries – the United States of America, Canada and Mexico, while a record 48 national teams will participate in the tournament.
The expanded format brings as many as 104 matches, which makes this edition the biggest and most demanding World Cup so far.
Among the participants is the national team of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is returning to the world stage after 12 years. The BiH flag was flying tonight at the Azteca stadium.
The chosen ones of the Bosnia and Herzegovina selectors are placed in group B together with Canada, Switzerland and Qatar. The first challenge awaits them already tomorrow, June 12, when they will compete against the home team of Canada in Toronto.
That meeting will be followed by a duel against Switzerland on June 18 in Los Angeles (Inglewood), while they will conclude the group stage with a match against Qatar on June 24 in Seattle. All matches of the BiH national team are played from 9:00 p.m. time in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Organizers expect the magic of football to overshadow all the controversies that have accompanied the preparations for the tournament – from record ticket prices and political tensions in the United States to geopolitical challenges around the world.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino called the championship “the greatest show the planet has ever seen”, while ticket prices, especially for the final of the tournament, have been the subject of much debate.
The final match is scheduled for July 19 in New Jersey, where along with the football spectacle, a rich entertainment program similar to the Super Bowl is announced.
2026 World Cup groups.
Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czech Republic
Group B: Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland
Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
Group D: USA, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey
Group E: Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia
Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway
Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
Group K: Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia
Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
(Vijesti.ba)
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