"An Away Quarterfinal Run"... A Mega World Cup Full of Variables, the Opening of a 39-Day 'Football War' [2026 FIFA World Cup]

[Financial News] Football fans around the world are turning their attention to North and Central America. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the planet's biggest sporting festival, just two days away, anticipation is reaching a fever pitch.
The tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, will kick off on the 12th, Korea time. Over the next 39 days, through July 20, the world is expected to be swept up in football fever. In major host cities, including the pedestrian streets of Zapopan Historic District near Guadalajara, Mexico, the local atmosphere is already festive, with World Cup installations bearing national symbols on display.

The official opening match, which signals the start of the tournament, will be held at 4 a.m. on the 12th at Mexico City Stadium. Host nation Mexico and African powerhouse South Africa will take center stage in the opener. Interestingly, the two sides also met in the opening match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, which ended in a 1-1 draw. It is a strange rematch, coming 16 years later. Mexico, unbeaten in eight warm-up matches this year, will look to ride the passionate support of home fans to an opening victory. South Africa, meanwhile, enters as the underdog but is aiming for an upset in a must-win contest.
This year's World Cup, the 23rd edition, will be the largest in history. The biggest change is the expansion of the field. The number of teams in the finals has jumped from 32 to 48. With the barrier to entry lowered, countries such as Curaçao and Jordan will reach the dream stage for the first time.
As the number of teams increases, the total number of matches will also rise sharply from 64 to 104. The tournament format has been completely revamped. The 48 teams will be divided into 12 groups of four, from Group A to Group L, for the group stage. The 24 teams finishing first or second in their groups will advance directly to the next round, while the eight best third-place teams will also join to compete in the newly introduced round of 32.

The pressure of a winner-take-all knockout match, which used to begin in the round of 16, will arrive one stage earlier. With third-place teams also given a path to advance, the many possible scenarios that could shape the group stage have emerged as one of the tournament's key points of interest. For title contenders, the longer schedule will inevitably increase the physical burden, making careful squad rotation and tactical management from the bench crucial to success.
Amid these historic changes, South Korea, which has secured an 11th consecutive berth in the finals, is also taking on a bold challenge. Led by head coach Hong Myung-bo, the national team's immediate goal is to reach the quarterfinals, which would be its best-ever result on foreign soil.

After working up a sweat at Zions Bank Training Center in Herriman, Utah, the national team completed its preparations with a friendly against El Salvador. South Korea will face the Czech Republic, a dangerous opponent that came through European qualifying, in a must-win Group Stage opener at 11 a.m. on the 12th at Guadalajara Stadium.
It will then meet host Mexico at the same venue at 10 a.m. on the 19th, before traveling to Monterrey for its final group match against South Africa at 10 a.m. on the 25th. Even with the many variables in play, attention from Korean football fans is focused on the Taegeuk Warriors as they chase the great milestone of a quarterfinal run on foreign soil.
jsi@fnnews.com Jeon Sang-il Reporter