Rise of a Football God-Chapter 471: FIFA World Cup 2026 [2]
(2026 FIFA World Cup fixtures:)
(Group Stage:)
(GROUP A:)
(Mexico - Ghana)
(Venue: Estadio Azteca, Mexico)
(Date: June 11, 2026)
(Time: 16:00)
…
(GROUP A:)
(Japan - Poland)
(Venue: BMO Field, Canada)
(Date: June 11, 2026)
(Time: 20:00)
…
(GROUP B:)
(France - Morocco)
(Venue: BC Place, Canada)
(Date: June 12, 2026)
(Time: 15:00)
…
(GROUP B:)
(South Korea - Peru)
(Venue: NRG Stadium, USA)
(Date: June 12, 2026)
(Time: 18:00)
…
(GROUP C:)
(Brazil - Serbia)
(Venue: SoFi Stadium, USA)
(Date: June 13, 2026)
(Time: 14:00)
…
(GROUP C:)
(Australia - Egypt)
(Venue: Lincoln Financial, USA)
(Date: June 13, 2026)
(Time: 14:00)
…
(GROUP D:)
(Argentina - Qatar)
(Venue: Mercedes-Benz, USA)
(Date: June 13, 2026)
(Time: 20:00)
…
(GROUP D:)
(Norway - Chile)
(Venue: BMO Field, Canada)
(Date: June 14, 2026)
(Time: 15:00)
…
(GROUP E:)
(Nigeria vs Croatia)
(Venue: Estadio BBVA, Mexico)
(Date: June 14, 2026)
(Time: 17:00)
…
(GROUP E:)
(Canada vs Saudi Arabia )
(Venue: Estadio Guadalajara, Mexico)
(Date: June 14, 2026)
(Time: 20:00)
…
(GROUP F:)
(Spain vs Iran)
(Venue: SoFi Stadium, USA)
(Date: June 15, 2026)
(Time: 16:00)
…
(GROUP F:)
(New Zealand vs Italy)
(Venue: Estadio Azteca, Mexico)
(Date: June 15, 2026)
(Time: 20:00)
…
(GROUP G:)
(Germany vs Colombia)
(Venue: Lumen Field, USA)
(Date: June 15, 2026)
(Time: 17:00)
…
(GROUP G:)
(Iraq vs Honduras)
(Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, USA)
(Date: June 15, 2026)
(Time: 20:00)
…
(GROUP H:)
(England vs Algeria)
(Venue: MetLife Stadium, USA)
(Date: June 16, 2026)
(Time: 14:00)
…
(GROUP H:)
(USA vs Slovenia)
(Venue: BC Place, Canada)
(Date: June 16, 2026)
(Time: 18:00)
…
(GROUP I:)
(Netherlands vs China)
(Venue: Lincoln Financial, USA)
(Date: June 16, 2026)
(Time: 20:00)
…
(GROUP I:)
(Ukraine vs Tunisia)
(Venue: Estadio Monterrey, Mexico)
(Date: June 17, 2026)
(Time: 15:00)
…
(GROUP J:)
(Portugal vs Senegal)
(Venue: AT&T Stadium, USA)
(Date: June 17, 2026)
(Time: 20:00)
…
(GROUP J:)
(Czech Republic vs Iraq)
(Venue: Mercedes-Benz, USA)
(Date: June 18, 2026)
(Time: 14:00)
…
(GROUP K:)
(Uruguay vs DR Congo)
(Venue: Estadio Azteca, Mexico)
(Date: June 18, 2026)
(Time: 16:00)
…
(GROUP K:)
(Switzerland vs Costa Rica)
(Venue: Estadio Monterrey, Mexico)
(Date: June 18, 2026)
(Time: 20:00)
…
(GROUP L:)
(Belgium vs Paraguay)
(Venue: MetLife Stadium, USA)
(Date: June 19, 2026)
(Time: 16:00)
…
(GROUP L:)
(Ecuador vs Sweden)
(Venue: BC Place, Canada)
(Date: June 19, 2026)
(Time: 20:00)
Matchday 1 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
This is the complicated fixture table for the biggest competition in football, expanded from the previous 32-team format to a new 48-team format.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first edition to feature 48 teams and is jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, hence the distribution of matches between the 3 countries.
The tournament will comprise 104 matches held across 16 cities in the three host countries.
The group stage will feature 12 groups as shown, from GROUP A to L with four teams in each group.
Each team will play three matches like in every other World Cup, and the top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams will advance to the knockout rounds, first to the newly introduced Round of 32.
After the Round of 32, 16 teams will be eliminated, the best 16 advancing to the Round of 16 where 8 more countries will be eliminated.
The best 8 would advance to the Quarterfinals where 4 more would be eliminated. The best 4 would advance to the Semifinals where 2 more will be eliminated. And then, the final 2 will play in the Final scheduled for July 19, 2026 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA.
The FIFA World Cup was set, and so were the competing teams and countries.
In the buildup to the opening game of the tournament, media coverage, training sessions, and locking in sessions dominated headlines.
A lot of players avoided the media distraction, while some relished in it as part of psychological warfare against their first opponents.
The Nigerian National Team also focused on their preparations.
Every day, they trained like mad men under Eric Chelle.
Time moved fast and in a blink, it was D-day.
It was the day for the opening game of the tournament.
…
June 11, 2026…
Mexico and Ghana opened the world tournament.
Both were no pushovers, 2 countries with illustrious histories in the FIFA World Cup and tonight, they clashed in the first encounter of the tournament.
They clashed at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico.
Both teams started with their strongest lineups. For Mexico, the likes of Raul Jimenez, Sam's former teammate in Fulham and other stars started.
While for Ghana, big names like Thomas Partey, Mohammed Kudus, and Jordan Ayew all showed up for their country, representing them in the big stage.
And then…
FWEEE!
The game started.
It was an intense encounter between 2 countries with clear footballing philosophies. Without surprise, it was a similar footballing philosophy.
South American and African footballing countries had something in common, the physicality to their footballing style.
And tonight, both nations embodied it in its full glory, playing physical football with some technical bits to spice up the game.
The first half was a slugger, a game of pound to pound football.
Neither country played defensive football, both charging out on the attack in an attempt to score. And yet, both defense stood firm like a wall, keeping the opposition attacks at bay.
The first half was a classic, but it ended goalless.
The second half was even more intense, filled with highlight points and a few players stepping up big for their country.
And still yet, no goal.
It seemed like the first game of the tournament would end in a goalless draw when in the 79th minute, the script was torn apart and rewritten.
During another Ghanian attacking raid, the center back, Salisu pushed upfield. After receiving a pass from Thomas Partey, the Mexicans marked the midfielder, leaving the center back unmarked.
They looked down on what he could do from that range.
Salisu rarely tried such crazy things, but tonight, in this hour of the game, what else could he lose?
And so he let loose from over 30 yards out.
POW!
The ball flew like a missile, nestling into the top bin to the left.
Mexico's goalkeeper was rooted to one spot.
That was the only goal of the game, the winner.
Ghana won the first game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, securing 3 points at the expense of their South America opponents.
The World Cup was on.
