World Cup 2026 Coverage Starts June 11

The wait is almost over.

World Cup 2026 gets underway on Wednesday, June 11 with the opening match at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. This tournament is the biggest in the competition's history — 48 teams, 104 matches, three host nations across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

What to Expect Here

Hatch FC will cover the tournament from kickoff to the final:

• Recaps after every notable match
• Previews ahead of key fixtures and knockout rounds
• Stats deep-dives on the numbers behind the games
• Opinion — the hot takes and big calls nobody else wants to make

The Groups

With 48 teams comes a new group stage format — 12 groups of four, with the top two and eight best third-placed sides advancing to a 32-team knockout round. More matches, more surprises, more drama.

Check Back Wednesday

First posts go up after the opening game. Bookmark this page, follow along, and come ready to argue.

It's going to be a long, brilliant summer.