After Mexico kicked off the tournament on Thursday, attention shifts north, with Toronto and Los Angeles hosting the next matches of FIFA’s biggest-ever World Cup.
Canada and the United States both begin their campaigns on Friday, but there is already plenty happening in the matches and outside, too. From a record number of red cards to a surprise retirement and warnings for influencers travelling to the US, here is what you need to know.
What’s the World Cup schedule on June 12?
The World Cup continues on Friday with the first matches on home soil for Canada and the US.
Canada begins their campaign against Bosnia and Herzegovina at BMO Field in Toronto. Kickoff is scheduled for 3pm local time (19:00 GMT).
Later, the US face Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, with kickoff at 6pm local time (01:00 GMT on June 13).
Where can you watch the games?
Fans in the US can watch every match in English on FOX and FS1, with all 104 games also available to stream on FOX One and the FOX Sports app.
Spanish-language coverage in the US is available on Telemundo and Universo, with streaming through Peacock. Cord-cutters can also watch via services that carry FOX and FS1, including Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream.
In Canada, TSN is the primary English-language broadcaster, with selected matches also shown on CTV. French-language viewers can follow the action on RDS and RDS2.
What do the predictions say for Canada vs Bosnia-Herzegovina?
Canada and Bosnia-Herzegovina have never faced each other before, making Friday’s meeting in Toronto a first for both sides.
Canada are still looking for their first World Cup win after losing all three of their matches in the two previous editions they reached – 1986 and 2022. However, the team has made huge progress in recent years, rising from outside FIFA’s top 100 in 2017 to 30th in the world rankings.
As for the prediction, the Opta supercomputer makes Canada clear favourites. In 10,000 pre-match simulations, the hosts won 58.3 percent of the time. Bosnia-Herzegovina came out on top in 20 percent of simulations, while 21.7 percent ended in a draw.
What do the predictions say for USA vs Paraguay?
The US’s only previous World Cup meeting with Paraguay came at the inaugural tournament in 1930, when the North Americans secured a 3-0 victory.
The teams have rarely met since. Paraguay got the better of the US at the 2007 Copa America, while the Americans returned the favour with a narrow victory at the 2016 edition.
Opta expects a close encounter in Inglewood. Across 10,000 simulations, the US won 39.8 percent of the time, Paraguay emerged victorious in 33.6 percent, while 26.6 percent finished level.
What else is shaping the World Cup?
From record-setting red cards to viral social media moments, several storylines are already competing for attention.
Red cards steal the spotlight
Mexico’s 2-0 win over South Africa produced an unexpected piece of World Cup history by becoming the first opening match to feature three red cards.
South Africa’s Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane were both sent off before Mexico’s Cesar Montes saw red deep into stoppage time. None of the dismissals came via a second yellow card.
Only Portugal’s infamous 2006 clash with the Netherlands, which produced four sendings-off, has seen more expulsions in a World Cup game.
For comparison, the entire 2022 World Cup in Qatar saw only four red cards in total.
Japan captain Wataru Endo out of the World Cup
The Samurai Blue suffered a major blow before their opening match after captain Wataru Endo withdrew from the squad with a foot injury before announcing his retirement from international football.
The 33-year-old Liverpool midfielder said he had “no regrets” over the decision after struggling to recover from surgery earlier this year.
Mexico’s Quinones scores first goal at World Cup
Julian Quinones made history by scoring the first goal of the 2026 World Cup, joining a list of players that includes Pele.
Born in Colombia, the 29-year-old played for the country’s youth teams but never the senior Colombian side. After moving to Mexico in 2016, he became a Mexican citizen in 2023 and was quickly called up to the national team.
Quinones has been in excellent form since joining Saudi club Al Qadsiah in 2024, finishing the 2025-26 season as the Saudi Pro League’s top scorer with 33 goals. His powerful finish against South Africa showed exactly why he has become such an important player for Mexico.
A warning for World Cup influencers
With thousands of content creators expected to descend on North America, a report by El Pais said US authorities had reminded foreign influencers that tourist visas do not permit visitors to earn money from content produced while in the country.
According to the newspaper, a joint statement from US Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security said creating monetised content in the US constitutes work and requires the appropriate visa.
Al Jazeera could not independently verify the report.
Argentina fans denied US visas get free TVs to watch World Cup
For some Argentina fans, missing out on a trip to the World Cup came with an unexpected consolation prize. Argentinian company Newsan, through its Noblex brand, gave away 100 televisions to supporters who could prove they had been denied a US visa between January and June this year.
“They rejected my visa, so I came here,” Argentinian fan Tomas Vageller told Al Jazeera. “I found out because my cousin told me about Noblex, and they really came through.”
Vageller had hoped to travel to North America to watch what many believe could be Lionel Messi’s final World Cup appearance.
“I applied for the visa because we all think this could be Messi’s last World Cup,” he said. “I’m very sad I won’t be able to see him, but I’m leaving with a gift and, honestly, I’m very happy about this,” he added.
Seattle braces for the heat
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport unveiled its renovated Terminal C just days before the city hosts its first World Cup match.
But organisers may also have to contend with unusual June temperatures, with highs of about 29 degrees Celsius (85 degrees Fahrenheit) forecast for Belgium’s meeting with Egypt on Monday, threatening Seattle’s record high for June 15.
The Spain and Barcelona player is already being tipped as a future Ballon d’Or winner and, before long, could be considered the best player in the world.
But this week, he was doing something much more ordinary: Shopping at Walmart.
Spain is preparing for the 2026 World Cup in Georgia, and Yamal was spotted by fans at a Walmart in Fort Oglethorpe, apparently picking up a few things. Videos of the surprise sighting quickly went viral on social media.
Empty seats?
Ticket prices remained a talking point at the World Cup after thousands of empty seats were seen during South Korea’s 2-1 win over the Czech Republic in Guadalajara.
Large sections of Estadio Akron appeared empty throughout the Group A match, adding to the debate over FIFA’s ticket prices. FIFA President Gianni Infantino had defended the tournament’s dynamic pricing policy just a day earlier.
Despite the empty seats, the atmosphere inside the stadium was lively.
The Czech Republic took the lead through Ladislav Krejci before South Korea fought back. Hwang In-beom equalised before Oh Hyeon-gyu scored the winner to complete the comeback.
The 2026 edition is the biggest World Cup in history, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches across 16 cities in the US, Canada and Mexico, up from 32 teams and 64 matches in Qatar four years ago. FIFA expects the tournament to generate a record $13bn in revenue over its four-year cycle, compared with the $7.5bn earned during the previous World Cup cycle.
But the expansion has also brought criticism. Dynamic pricing has sent ticket prices soaring, with the most expensive seats for the final rising from the $1,550 originally outlined in the hosts’ bid to nearly $14,000 at one stage before settling at more than $7,000 in the days before kickoff. Following England through the group stage has been estimated to cost fans more than $11,000 once tickets, accommodation and travel are factored in.
Environmental groups have also raised concerns over the impact of staging a tournament across three countries. Independent researchers estimate the competition’s carbon footprint could reach between five and nine million tonnes of carbon dioxide, potentially making it the most polluting sporting event ever staged.
The increasingly crowded football calendar has also renewed debate over player welfare. Players who reach the final could play eight World Cup matches after gruelling domestic campaigns, with some top players already surpassing 60 appearances this season before joining their national teams.
Scientists have also warned that about one in four matches could be played in temperatures above recommended player safety thresholds.
