AP
Canada WCup Soccer
Canada's Cyle Larin speaks to media during a World Cup soccer training session in Toronto, Tuesday, June 9, 2026.
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After years of preparation, a supersized World Cup has finally arrived. This year’s tournament is hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico. It was expanded to 48 teams that will play in 16 stadiums in a record 104 matches over the 39-day tournament. Mexico gets the World Cup started on Thursday and will be a heavy favorite when it hosts South Africa in Mexico City. The second game of the day will be between South Korea and the Czech Republic in Guadalajara, Mexico. All four teams are part of Group A. Canada and the United States will host their first games on Friday.
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