World Cup 2026 LIVE: Latest news and updates as opening ceremony nears

In partnership with

Evening Standard

·11 Juni 2026

World Cup 2026 LIVE: Latest news and updates as opening ceremony nears

World Cup fever is building with tournament’s opening game just hours away

The biggest sporting competition the world has ever seen begins TONIGHT as the United States, Mexico and Canada welcome 45 other nations to their shores for the 2026 World Cup. A record-breaking tournament will see the most matches ever - 104 games across 16 host cities - and, organisers claim, the biggest attendances. Mexico host South Africa this evening in a hotly anticipated opener at the Azteca in Mexico City, finally getting the on-pitch action underway after the opening ceremony.

The biggest stories ahead of the tournament so far are Somali referee Omar Artan being denied entry into the United States, despite having his visa initially approved. Selected as one of 52 lead officials this summer, he will not be able to officiate on the world stage this summer after FIFA confirmed that he had been turned away at the US border. Iranian football fans, however, have seen their tickets for the tournament revoked by the US.

England comfortably beat Costa Rica at the Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida, in their final warm-up match, before the squad fly out to their World Cup base in Kansas City, Missouri, on June 13. You can follow all the latest news and updates from across the tournament - including insight and analysis from Dom Smith in the States - with our rolling news live blog below!