World Cup 2026: schedule, standings and legacy player highlights
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, has entered its second group‑stage matchday. Key fixtures include the Czech Republic vs South Africa, Switzerland vs Bosnia‑Herzegovina, Canada vs Qatar and Mexico vs South Korea on 18 June, followed by a full slate of games through 24 June across the three host nations.
After the opening matchday the group tables show Norway, France, Germany, England and several other teams leading their groups, while debutants such as Haiti, Uzbekistan, Curaçao, Cape Verde and Jordan have already earned points. The tournament also marks a record for Major League Soccer, with 45 MLS‑based players called up for 17 national squads.
A notable human‑interest angle is the “sons of art” story: Norway’s Erling Haaland scored twice in his debut, following in the footsteps of his father Alf‑Inge, while Luca Zidane, son of Zinedine Zidane, appeared for Algeria under a protective mask.
The expanded format has drawn attention to operational issues: strict U.S. visa controls have delayed several officials and fans, ticket prices are three times higher than in Qatar 2022, and extensive facial‑recognition and robot‑dog surveillance are in use at stadiums in Boston, Miami, Atlanta and Dallas.