The FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to be one of a kind when it kicks off on 11 June, as it brings with it a slew of firsts ahead of co-hosts Mexico taking on South Africa in the opening match.
This year's tournament which will be jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States boasts of being the largest so far in the history of the tournament.
It also brings with it a record number of travel (teams have to travel across an entire continet), new rules including mandatory hydration breaks, and the most controversial yet as teams, referees and fans naviagate complex visa rules of host country USA.
Nevertheless, here are five new things to look out for over the next month.
The 2026 tournament will feature 48 teams, up from 32 in previous editions.
The teams will be divided into 12 groups of four, with the top two sides from each group and the eight best third-placed teams progressing to the Round of 32.
The expanded format has opened the door for several newcomers. Uzbekistan, Jordan, Cape Verde and Curaçao will all be making their World Cup debuts.
Fun Fact: Curaçao are the smallest nation to ever qualify for a World Cup with a population of around 156,000 people.
It’s pretty annoying when a player is substituted and they literally take ages to walk off, right?
Well, a new rule aimed at reducing time-wasting will require substituted players to leave the pitch within 10 seconds using the nearest exit point.
If a player fails to do so, their replacement will have to wait at least one minute until the next stoppage in play before being waved on by the referee.
Meaning a player taking too long to leave the pitch could leave their team down to 10 men.
FIFA will introduce enhanced semi-automated offside technology to help speed up decision-making.
Now a real-time audio alert will be sent to the assistant if a player is more than 10cm offside. But VAR will still be there to help referees when players are a toenail or strand of hair offside.
Police in Mexico plan to deploy robotic dogs during the tournament as part of efforts to improve security.
The four-legged machines are designed to enter potentially dangerous areas and transmit live video back to officers, allowing them to assess situations before intervening.
The purpose of the robot dogs is “to protect the physical safety of officers”, Guadalupe Mayor Héctor García said.
This year’s final will have an NFL Super Bowl-style half-time show for the first time.
Well the final is in New York’s MetLife Stadium.
If you’re not a massive football fan but want to see BTS, Madonna and Shakira perform, then put the 19 July down in your diary.
The 2026 tournament could mark the final World Cup appearances for some of the best players to ever play the game.
Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, Luka Modrić, 40, Lionel Messi, 39, Robert Lewandowski, 37 – this summer could be their last dance.
For Ronaldo and Messi, in particular, it may represent one last chance to add to their remarkable legacies on football's biggest stage.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 21st of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 22nd of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The United States has bombed Iran for an 11th consecutive night as the Pentagon says the war’s cost reach $37.5 billion. President Donald Trump threatens a heavy strike on the suspected Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site. Tehran warns that any attack could trigger a wider regional escalation.
President Donald Trump said the United States will target Iran’s heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain site “pretty soon” as he meets with Lebanese president Michel Aoun. Meanwhile, U.S. forces carried out a 10th consecutive night of strikes on Iran while Tehran continues to target Gulf countries.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier have discussed regional developments, transport connectivity, energy cooperation and the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process during talks in Berlin.
Kylian Mbappé has become the first player to win the FIFA World Cup Golden Boot on more than one occasion. The French forward won the award presented to the top goalscorer of the tournament for the second time, despite France being knocked out in the semi-finals.
Spain are world champions for the second time after Ferran Torres' extra-time winner secured a 1-0 victory over Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final at New York New Jersey Stadium.
France star Kylian Mbappé became the leading goalscorer in men’s World Cup history after scoring twice in his side’s 6-4 defeat by England in the third-place play-off.
Lionel Messi's Argentina face Spain in World Cup final with history on the line. Spain and Argentina meet on Sunday in the 2026 World Cup final, bringing together the reigning champions of Europe and South America.
France coach Didier Deschamps took responsibility for his team's "unacceptable" first-half collapse in a 6-4 defeat to England on Saturday, bringing his 14-year reign as France coach to an end.
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