What to know as 2026 soccer World Cup kicks off | LIVE Updates

While Chicago is not hosting any World Cup matches, fans across the city are still finding ways to celebrate and bring the tournament's energy close to home.

The World Cup kicked off Thursday, with Mexico taking the field in the opening matchup. Across Chicago, bars and venues hosted watch parties, drawing crowds eager to take in the games together.

While Chicago is not hosting any World Cup matches, fans across the city are still finding ways to celebrate.

"Fantastic man, four years waiting, maybe this will be the year," Javy Gomez said.

Fans gathered at venues throughout the city, proudly representing their national teams and taking in the opening ceremony.

In West Town, long lines formed outside Soccer House ahead of Mexico's first match against South Africa. The bar, which has only been open for a month, quickly became a popular destination for World Cup viewing.

"I think with the way ticket prices have been, and the way getting to games have been, a lot of people in this country are going to experience the World Cup at bars like this. And it's gonna be a lot of fun," said Garrett Drexler, owner of Soccer House.

The Chicago Fire FC also organized daily watch parties at Recess in Fulton Market, aiming to create a central gathering space for fans throughout the tournament.

"Obviously sad we're not hosting games here in Chicago, but we at the Chicago Fire Football Club said we want to give Chicago the World Cup summer we think it deserves," said Dan Moriarty, chief marketing officer for Chicago Fire FC.

Despite rainy weather in the forecast, organizers prepared covered seating areas with televisions and activities, giveaways and live music to enhance the experience.

"I'm very excited; I've been looking forward to this since the last World Cup. And yeah I think we're gonna win," Andrew Hernandez said.

"It feels really good; I'm half Mexican. So I'm proud to be here. The crowd is mostly Mexican fans," Cristian Guzman said.

With 104 World Cup matches scheduled, fans said the tournament will bring people from different backgrounds together throughout the month.

"The sport alone and how football really unites us, I mean there's two languages in my opinion, language of food and language of football. That's it," Gomez said.

Watch parties are planned at multiple locations across Chicago in the coming weeks, including daily events at Recess, featuring every World Cup game on the big screen.

Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez helped Mexico make an exuberant start to the World Cup on Thursday, scoring a goal each in a 2-0 win over South Africa in the opening match of the tournament.

With a capacity crowd of 80,824 watching at the iconic Azteca Stadium, co-host Mexico started the largest World Cup tournament in history by getting goals in each half while three red cards were shown - two for South Africa and one for Mexico.

Quiñones, who was the top scorer in the Saudi league this season, gave Mexico the lead in the ninth minute. Jiménez added the second goal on a header in 66th.

South Africa players Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane were both given red cards, forcing the team to finish the match with only nine players. Mexico defender César Montes was then given a red card in injury time.

With his 46th international goal, and his first in three World Cups, Jiménez tied Jared Borgetti for second place for the Mexican national team. He is six goals shy of leader Javier "Chicharito" Hernández.

Quiñones, a 29-year-old forward who was born in Colombia, was one of six starting players who made their World Cup debut for El Tri.

Mexico, coming of a first-round exit at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, has three points in Group A and will next play South Korea next Thursday in Guadalajara.

South Africa will play the Czech Republic on the same day in Atlanta.

This year's World Cup has 48 teams, the most in history. It is being held in Mexico, Canada and the United States.

The largest World Cup in tournament history kicked off Thursday with co-host Mexico taking on South Africa in the opening match.

Amid escalating protests and social tensions in Mexico's capital, more than 80,000 fans made their way to Mexico City Stadium - better known as Azteca Stadium. It got a much-needed facelift ahead of the 48-team tournament that Mexico is co-hosting alongside the United States and Canada.

The iconic venue will be the first stadium to host three World Cup openers - after doing so at the 1970 and 1986 tournaments.

It is the eighth opening match of a World Cup for the Mexicans, who had previously lost five and drawn the last two, including against South Africa in the 2010 World Cup.

South Africa is playing in its first World Cup since hosting the 2010 tournament. Bafana Bafana also played in the 1998 and 2002 editions.

Mexico arrived with an eight-match unbeaten streak and has not lost since last November, when Paraguay beat them in a friendly.

The Mexican team is led by the 67-year-old coach Javier Aguirre, who is in his third stint with the national team.

As the world's biggest sport takes center stage during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Chicagoans will have to watch from the sidelines.

Despite being one of the country's most passionate soccer cities, Chicago is not hosting a single World Cup match.

In an interview with the Athletic, former Mayor Rahm Emmanuel expressed his frustration with FIFA's demand to have a dome over Soldier Field. It led him to say no to hosting the World Cup in 2018.

"You expect me to treat the Chicago taxpayers as the dumb money at the table. You got to be kidding me," Emanuel said. "You can't have something in there that leaves the city and the taxpayers exposed, and you get to decide it, and I have no vote in it"

He says the demand would have cost hundreds of millions of dollars for the city.