The 23rd FIFA Men's World Cup gets under way on Friday with a record 48-team tournament staged across three North American countries for the first time in 96 years, bringing a larger schedule, a richer prize pool and new viewing patterns for fans in India and around the world.

Three nations hosting

The tournament — played in the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 12 to July 20 — marks the first time three countries have jointly hosted the World Cup. Mexico will host the opening match in Mexico City on June 12, when the hosts take on South Africa. According to FIFA, 16 host cities will stage 104 matches, the most in the competition’s history.

Bigger field, new format

For the first time since the World Cup expanded in 1998, the field has grown again: 48 teams are split into 12 groups of four, with each side playing three group-stage matches. The top two teams from each group (24 in total) qualify directly for the knockout round, while the eight best third-placed teams also advance, creating a 32-team first knockout stage. That change extends the tournament schedule and guarantees more knockout fixtures than previous editions.

Prize money jumps

FIFA has increased the overall prize pool significantly. The organisation said the total distribution for the 48 teams will be about USD 655 million (roughly ₹5,600 crore), up nearly 50% from 2022. The champions will receive approximately USD 50 million (around ₹429 crore), the runners-up about USD 33 million (₹283 crore), with third and fourth place teams getting roughly USD 31 million and USD 29 million respectively, according to tournament figures released by FIFA.

Standout teams and groups

Defending champions Argentina are placed in Group J. Heavyweights France and Spain landed in Groups I and H respectively, while England, Germany and Portugal occupy Groups L, E and K. Early analyses by pundits and data models have flagged Groups H through L as especially competitive, dubbing several of them “groups of death” because they pack multiple top-ranked nations.

Debuts and veterans

The 2026 World Cup includes first-time appearances from Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan, while Haiti has reached the finals for the first time since 1974. Scotland, Austria and Norway return after lengthy absences. FIFA’s official squad lists also show striking age contrasts: Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon is the oldest player at 43 years and 162 days, while Mexico’s Gilberto Mora is the youngest at 17 years and 240 days.

Local context and fan impact

In Mexico City’s Azteca and other host stadiums, organisers say they are ready for packed crowds and complicated logistics as fans move across borders and time zones. Matches will be played across venues spanning North America, producing kick-off times that translate into a wide range for Indian viewers — from early morning to late-night slots. Broadcast rights holders in India, Zee Entertainment’s Unite8 Sports Network, will stream live matches via the Zee5 app and website, with additional highlights and reports available on Indian news apps.

Historic notes

Mexico becomes the first nation to host the men’s World Cup three times (1970, 1986, 2026). The World Cup itself began in 1930 in Uruguay; the tournament has grown steadily in size and commercial scale since then, with interruptions only during World War II. Brazil remains the most successful nation with five titles, while Argentina captured the last World Cup in 2022.

What's next

As the group stage unfolds over the next three weeks, teams will jostle for the 32 knockout slots that now follow a larger group phase. Fans should expect more upsets and extended tournament drama, with an unusually dense schedule of fixtures and new storylines emerging from debutant nations and veteran stars alike.