Argentina — Iceland 3:0: Messi came on and scored immediately
On the night of June 9–10, the reigning world champions played their last warm-up match before the World Cup. At Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama, Argentina comfortably defeated Iceland 3-0. The goals were scored by Valentín Barco, Lionel Messi, and Thiago Almada.
Head coach Lionel Scaloni fielded a largely youthful starting lineup, saving his key players for the tournament. Messi came on as a substitute in the 70th minute and within minutes converted a penalty — his 117th goal for the national team in his 198th appearance. The Albiceleste captain also assisted on the third goal, playing the ball to Rodrigo De Paul, who laid it off to Almada.
With that strike, Messi also set a new record, becoming the oldest player in history to score for the Argentine national team. Argentina will begin their title defense on June 16 against Algeria (Group J).
WC-2026 Opening: Mexico vs. South Africa at the Azteca on June 11
Tomorrow, June 11, the legendary Mexico City Stadium (formerly the Azteca) will host the World Cup opening match: tournament hosts Mexico will face South Africa in Group A. Fittingly, this pairing mirrors the opening match of the 2010 World Cup in Johannesburg.
The opening ceremony begins 90 minutes before kick-off — at 11:30 local time. Performers include Shakira and Burna Boy, who will perform the official tournament song "Dai Dai," as well as J Balvin, Tayla, Belinda, Lila Downs, and other artists. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has promised a "historic and exceptional" celebration.
Mexico arrives in top form: eight consecutive clean sheets in 2026, including wins over Ghana (2-0), Australia (1-0), and Serbia (5-1). South Africa, by contrast, has managed only draws and defeats in their last five matches and heads to Mexico City as the underdog.
Format and scale of the tournament
The 2026 World Cup is record-breaking in scale: for the first time in history, 48 national teams will participate, divided into 12 groups of four. A total of 104 matches will be played across 16 cities in the three host countries — the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The final will take place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
- Group A: Mexico, South Africa, Republic of Korea, Czech Republic
- Group I: France, Norway, Iraq, Senegal
- Group J: Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan
- Group K: Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, DR Congo
The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage, along with the eight best third-placed teams. The tournament's prize fund is a record $871 million, with every participating team receiving $10 million simply for qualifying.
Opening ceremonies in three countries
The 2026 World Cup will be the first to open simultaneously across three countries. After Mexico City (June 11), the baton passes to Toronto (June 12, Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina), with the trio of ceremonies completed in Los Angeles (USA vs. Panama). The Canadian ceremony will feature Alanis Morissette and Michael Bublé, while the American ceremony will star Katy Perry and Future. FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated that the ceremonies will "unite music, culture, and football in a way that reflects both the individuality of each nation and the unity that defines this tournament."
