Overview
- The 48-team tournament opened in the first days with co-host Mexico beating South Africa 2-0 at Estadio Azteca and the United States routing Paraguay 4-1, setting an assertive tone for group play.
- On Saturday, June 13, Qatar scored a stoppage-time header to earn a 1-1 draw with Switzerland, and Brazil were pegged back before Vinícius Jr. levelled in their Group C match.
- FOX's U.S. coverage provoked heavy viewer anger for not showing Mexico's opening ceremony live and for running full-screen ads during FIFA-mandated hydration breaks, with critics saying the commercials overran the required return-to-play window and caused fans to miss live action.
- Organizers are managing a string of operational and diplomatic problems, including visa and accreditation denials, protests outside venues, and state subpoenas in New York and New Jersey probing dynamic ticket pricing and authorized resale practices.
- Match management has changed this year: IFAB-approved rules require short hydration pauses, a 10-second substitution exit and visible restart countdowns, and FIFA has deployed low-latency VAR and broadcast tools to handle the expanded 104-match schedule.