World Cup 2026 Is Here: USA Hopes, South American Giants and Where to Watch in CT

World Cup 2026 is underway. Mexico kicked off the tournament on Thursday with a 2-0 win over South Africa at the Estadio Azteca, and tonight the United States open their campaign against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium. Over the next five weeks, 104 matches across the USA, Canada and Mexico will decide who lifts the trophy at MetLife Stadium on July 19. Here is your guide to the opening result, what to expect from Mauricio Pochettino’s USA team, how Argentina and Brazil are shaping up — and the best matches to watch at MyWinners venues in Connecticut.

Mexico Open the Tournament With a Win

Goals from Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez gave Mexico a 2-0 victory over South Africa in Thursday’s opener at the Estadio Azteca. Quinones put El Tri ahead in the ninth minute to score the first goal of World Cup 2026, and Jimenez doubled the lead with a header in the 67th minute that pushed him to joint-second on Mexico’s all-time scoring list.

The match made World Cup history for the wrong reasons as well. Three red cards were issued in the second half — two for South Africa, one for Mexico. Cesar Montes was dismissed in injury time for denying a goalscoring opportunity, meaning he misses the next group game. South Africa face the rest of the group stage two goals down in the standings and short of two players through suspension.

The Estadio Azteca became the first stadium to host matches at three different men’s World Cups, having previously staged games at the 1970 and 1986 editions. Group A after matchday one:

Mexico vs South Korea is up next on June 18. South Africa face the Czech Republic the same day.

How the 48-Team Format Works

This is the first 48-team World Cup. Twelve groups of four play through June 27. The top two in each group advance automatically, joined by the eight best third-place finishers across all groups, to create a new Round of 32. From there it is straight knockout football to the July 19 final.

The expansion means a team can lose its opening game and still qualify. It also multiplies the live betting angles as the final group matchdays arrive and qualification permutations stack up.

Can Pulisic and Pochettino Deliver on Home Soil?

The USA open tonight against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, with kickoff at 9:00 PM ET. The schedule is a genuine structural advantage. All three US group games are on the West Coast: SoFi for the opener and the group closer against Turkiye on June 25, Lumen Field in Seattle for the Australia game on June 19. No opponent in Group D gets that kind of logistical stability.

Squad Depth and Key Players

Mauricio Pochettino has built a high-pressing 3-4-2-1 around Christian Pulisic, playing in the number ten role underneath striker Folarin Balogun. Balogun has been the standout performer of the cycle with 19 goals for AS Monaco this season. Weston McKennie arrives off a career-best Juventus campaign with 9 goals and 8 assists. Yunus Musah anchors the midfield base.

The defensive questions are real. The US conceded seven goals across spring friendlies against Belgium and Portugal, and Tim Ream is 37 at center back. But Pochettino beat both Paraguay and Australia in warm-up games, Pulisic ended his goal drought before the tournament opened, and a packed SoFi Stadium gives the US an edge that shows up on the pitch. The 2002 quarterfinal is the benchmark this squad was built to match.

Connecticut has its own stake in tonight’s game. Center back Chris Richards — a Crystal Palace defender who has been managing torn ankle ligaments — was named to Pochettino’s 26-man squad, and goalkeeper Matt Freese of New York City FC is Pochettino’s first-choice keeper. Two players with strong local ties are in the XI or close to it.

The Group D Picture

Paraguay are back at a World Cup for the first time since 2010, rebuilt under Gustavo Alfaro into a compact defensive unit. Australia reached the Round of 16 in both 2006 and 2022. Turkiye are at their first World Cup since finishing third in 2002, with Arda Guler and Hakan Calhanoglu giving them the highest individual ceiling of the three challengers. USA are -575 to reach the knockouts and around +6000 to win the tournament.

Argentina and Brazil Lead the South American Challenge

Six CONMEBOL nations made the field: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay. Two of them carry genuine title expectations.

Messi and the Title Defense

No nation has retained the World Cup since Brazil in 1962, and Argentina start their defense at +1000. Lionel Messi leads the squad for a record sixth World Cup appearance at 38, captaining a side that has barely changed since Qatar. Emiliano Martinez keeps goal, Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martinez defend, Enzo Fernandez and Alexis Mac Allister control midfield, Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez press ahead. Those three forwards have 167 international goals between them.

Argentina won their last five matches, scoring 15 and conceding once. They open in Group J against Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on June 16, then face Austria and Jordan in Dallas. They are -290 to win Group J and +1000 to win the tournament. A settled squad, the softest draw of any major contender, and a coach who does not tinker for the sake of it — the case for Argentina running deep is straightforward.

Brazil Under Ancelotti

Brazil are the shortest-priced side from outside Europe at +850. The qualifying campaign was underwhelming — fifth in CONMEBOL — and warm-up results under Carlo Ancelotti have not been convincing, with defeats to Japan and France and a narrow 2-1 win over Egypt. The talent is not in question. Vinicius Junior and Raphinha are two of the most dangerous wide forwards in the tournament, Marquinhos anchors the defense, and Ancelotti has won everything there is to win in club football.

Brazil open against Morocco at MetLife Stadium on June 13, then face Haiti in Philadelphia on June 19 and Scotland in Miami on June 24. Back-to-back quarterfinal exits as favorites in 2018 and 2022 have reset expectations. Going in without the target on their back might be exactly what this group needs. No Brazilian side has won the tournament since 2002.

World Cup 2026 Winner Odds

Tournament-winner odds at leading US sportsbooks as the group stage gets underway.

Spain lead the market off a dominant qualifying campaign, with France and England close behind. The value debate centers on Brazil at +850 with reduced pressure, and Argentina at +1000 with a settled squad and the softest draw of any major contender.

Key Upcoming Fixtures

The Best Matches to Watch in Connecticut

Connecticut has one of the most diverse soccer fanbases in the country. The Latin American community — Brazil, Mexico, Uruguay, Paraguay, Colombia and across Central America — follows international soccer with genuine passion. England has a strong following carried by the expat community and a generation of Premier League watchers. Add in the Turkish community across parts of the state and there is a fanbase here that cares about almost every match on the schedule.

The USA played Turkiye in East Hartford last June. 34,000 fans showed up on a rainy Connecticut evening for a pre-Gold Cup warm-up, and Turkey won 2-1 on goals from Arda Guler and Kerem Akturkoglu. Those same players could be lining up against the US on June 25 for the real thing. This tournament is personal here.

The June 25 Turkey vs USA clash deserves a special mention. The 10pm ET kickoff adds to the drama, and with Turkey coming in having beaten the US in this state last summer, Connecticut fans will have more than a little riding on the result.

For all of these games, the flagship venue is Bobby V’s Stamford — multiple screens, full sports bar setup, and a licensed betting environment if you want a bet running alongside the match. There are nine MyWinners venues across Connecticut, all with Fanatics Sportsbook locations offering betting on the World Cup. Find your nearest at the link in our venues section below.

Watch the World Cup at Winners Venues

World Cup 2026 runs for five and a half weeks, and Winners and MyWinners venues across Connecticut are showing every match. From tonight’s USA opener right through to the July 19 final at MetLife Stadium, every group game and knockout fixture is live on wall-to-wall screens with full food and drink service.

The flagship venue is the Fanatics Sportsbook at Bobby V’s Stamford. Multiple screens, a proper sports bar setup, and a fully licensed betting environment so you can back your call in real time while you watch. We are hosting watch parties for the biggest matches of the group stage — the six games that matter most to Connecticut fans, from the USA opener tonight to the Turkiye revenge match on June 25.

Can’t make it to Stamford? There are eight other MyWinners venues across Connecticut. Find your nearest on the link below.

Find your nearest venue: MyWinners CT Venues

Bet World Cup 2026 at Fanatics Sportsbook

Want a bet running alongside the match? Fanatics Sportsbook has a presence in every Winners and MyWinners venue, including Bobby V’s in Stamford. Fully licensed sports betting, in person, for the full five weeks of World Cup 2026.