FIFA World Cup Day 1 recap: Mexico and South Korea open with victories

Here’s where things stand in World Cup Group A following Mexico and South Korea’s victories on Thursday:

GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Hwang In-beom scored a goal and set up another as South Korea rallied to defeat the Czech Republic 2-1 in the second match of the 2026 World Cup on Thursday night.

After a lackluster first half in which both teams were jeered as they left the field, the Czech Republic took the lead in the 59th minute on a header by captain Ladislav Krejci after a long throw-in into the penalty area.

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Highlights from South Korea’s 2-1 win over Czechia in Group A play at the World Cup on Thursday.

South Korea equalized in the 67th, when Hwang scored after faking a shot with a nifty move to clear two Czech players. He then made the cross from the right flank for Oh Hyeon-gyu’s decisive strike in the 80th in a match played in front of hundreds of empty seats at Guadalajara Stadium.

Let by star forward Son Heung-min, South Korea controlled possession and outshot the Czechs, who were making their first World Cup appearance since 2006. The Koreans, ranked 25th by FIFA, had most of the significant scoring chances against the 38th-ranked Czechs but failed to capitalize early.

The announced attendance was 44,985 at the 45,664-capacity Guadalajara Stadium. Sections in the middle of the stands had many unoccupied seats and there were other empty seats scattered across the stadium.

In the other Group A match on Thursday, co-host Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0 in the tournament opener in Mexico City.

Azzoni writes for the Associated Press.

⚽ South Korea 2, Czechia 1 — FINAL

South Korea rallied in the second half behind goals from Hwang In-boem and Oh Hyeon-gyu to defeat Czechia in World Cup Group A play at Guadalajara, Mexico, on Thursday night.

Czechia captain Ladislav Krejci scored the match’s first goal in the 59th minute before Hwang tied the score in the 67th minute. Oh then gave South Korea the lead in the 80th minute.

LAFC star Son Heung-min had six shots, including one on goal, but couldn’t capitalize.

South Korea goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu made two diving saves late in the second half to stymie two prime scoring chances for Czechia.

South Korea will continue group play against Mexico on June 18 and Czechia will face South Africa on the same day.

South Korea 2, Czechia 1 — 80th minute

Oh Hyeon-gyu scored sprinting into the box on a lighting-fast cross pass from Hwang In-boem to give South Korea the lead for the first time.

Oh made his kick at point-blank range in front of Czechia goalkeeper Matej Kovar, who got a hand on it, but the power the deflection was too much to stop it from flinging into the net.

South Korea 1, Czechia 1 — 69th minute

South Korea’s Hwang In-boem scored in the 69th minute, taking a great outlet feed from Lee Han-boem before kicking the ball over the top of the Czechia defense to tie the score.

Hwang made a beautiful move after gaining control of the ball, pulling back on the approaching defenders before lopping a soft-footed ball over goalkeeper Matej Kovar and into the net.

Czechia captain Ladislav Krejci scored in the 59th minute off a header from a deep thrown-in ball to give the Eastern European nation its first World Cup goal in 20 years.

The throw by Matej Kovar went deep into the box and Krejci timed his jump perfectly, deflecting the ball past South Korea goalkeeper Kim Seung-Gyu.

It was Czechia’s first shot on goal. South Korea has four shots on goal and has controlled the ball for 60% of the match. Like it did at the start, South Korea opened the second half with a couple of decent scoring chances but failed to capitalize.

Despite some good scoring chances for Son Heung-min and South Korea, the game remains scoreless after 45 minutes in Guadalajara.

One of the best changes for Heung-min came in the 38th minute, when he showcased his speed and agility to find an open lane at the top of the goal box, only to shoot just wide.

Heung-min has five shots on a 21 touches so far.

South Korea had one shot on goal and controlled the ball for 55% of the first half. Most of the prime scoring chances came in the opening minutes before Czechia was able to slow things down and control the ball more.

South Korea has had a few prime scoring opportunities, but has failed to capitalize so far.

Son Heung-Min, South Korea’s star forward, has two shots, but nothing on goal.

The second and final game of Day 1 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup is underway with South Korea taking on Czechia at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, Mexico.

South Korea, ranked No. 25 in the world, is the favorite against the 41st-ranked Czechs. Both teams will be looking to win and move into the top spot of Group A alongside Mexico, which won its World Cup opener 2-0 over South Africa on Thursday.

It is Czechia’s first World Cup match in 20 years. South Korea made it to the round of 16 in Qatar.

LAFC star Son Heung-min is the South Korea team captain and the biggest scoring threat on the field.

MEXICO CITY — FIFA president Gianni Infantino described Mexico City Stadium as a venue “blessed by the gods” and a “true cathedral of soccer.”

Azteca Stadium, as most people know it, is steeped in soccer history and is now the only venue to host three World Cup opening ceremonies. But the Mexican national team had never much World Cup success at the venue.

On Thursday, spurred on by most of the 80,824 fans in attendance and forwards Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez, Mexico managed to defeat South Africa 2-0 and securing its first opening match victory.

HONG KONG — Just hours before the World Cup kicked off, Hong Kong authorities announced they seized 230,000 suspected counterfeit items worth an estimated $20 million, including jerseys tied to the tournament.

The seizure included about 30,000 jerseys, some so finely made that they’re hard to distinguish from authentic team shirts, Wayne Chung, senior inspector at Hong Kong’s customs department, said Thursday.

Most were copies of authentic player jerseys that are generally more expensive than fan-edition versions because they’re better designed and made of higher-quality materials, he said.

All were destined for overseas markets, with nearly 80% set to be shipped to the Americas, where the World Cup is being jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Mexico and South Africa play the tournament opener on Thursday.

Footwear, watches, speakers and handbags were also seized in the operation, part of which took place at logistics centers from late May to early June. Goods modeled on Louis Vuitton’s handbags and Rolex watches were showcased at a news conference Thursday.

Chung said he believed these other seized items were possibly meant to serve tourist demand elsewhere. Authorities were still investigating the origins of the goods.

A truck driver was arrested at a border checkpoint at a bridge that linked Hong Kong to mainland China and Macao, the neighboring casino hub. Another five people were arrested in relation to the sale of fake jerseys online. All of them have been released on bail.

Chung said anyone who imports, exports, sells or possesses counterfeit goods for sale faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of about $64,000 if convicted.

Leung writes for the Associated Press.

Chris Richards was a lock for the World Cup in 2022. As a big, mobile and physical central defender who had played at the top levels of European club soccer, he was just what the U.S. needed on its back line.

Then two months before the tournament, he was sidelined because of a hamstring strain that wouldn’t heal. The day before the World Cup roster was announced, a devastated Richards said he wouldn’t be ready.

The first time a World Cup game was played in the U.S., the opening ceremony featured Oprah Winfrey tumbling off a stage and Diana Ross shanking a penalty shot several yards wide of the goal.

“At the time, it was a little bit of a panic,” said Alan Rothenberg, the man who organized that tournament. “But ultimately, once the competition started, it flowed nicely.”

So nicely that the 1994 World Cup remains the most successful in history, averaging crowds of 68,991 a match and earning a $50-million surplus for the host committee. Both figures are still records 32 years later.

Julian Ryerson hadn’t learned to walk the last time Norway played in the World Cup. He was just 7 months old then, and if he had known his country was going to go 0 for the 21st century when it came to World Cup qualifying, he might have considered pursuing a sport other than soccer.

But that drought will finally end next week when Norway plays in the World Cup for the first time in nearly three decades.

“It’s been a long wait, especially for the Norwegian people,” he said. “They’ve been waiting as long as I am old. So yeah, I think everybody’s ready.”

It was an hour before the start of the Mexico-South Africa FIFA World Cup opener, but Isuri Ramos was already in full campaign mode at Mission Control Bar Arcade in Santa Ana.

The 27-year-old nonprofit executive is running for a council seat in Orange County’s most Latino city. She’s hosting public watch parties for all Mexico matches during the Cup “because I was going to watch the games anyways, so might as well invite people to hang out and let them know about me, you know?”

Campaigning at soccer watch parties has become part of the Southern California political landscape in recent years. I watched the thrilling 2022 World Cup final at Pershing Square in downtown Los Angeles at one held by then-councilmember Kevin de León, who was just weeks removed from the City Hall audio leak scandal that would ultimately sink his career and was looking for any chance to clean up his name.

Many members of the Los Angeles City Council are holding watch parties in their district throughout this Cup, including Hugo Soto-Martínez, who just won his reelection campaign for District 13.

“Few things can bring people together across cultures and backgrounds the way soccer can,” said the avid soccer player, who plays right back and defensive midfielder. “In a district as diverse as ours, these watch parties are a chance to build community, make new friends, and celebrate what we have in common.”

Banners with Ramos’ name hung on a staircase leading to Mission Control and below the large screen that would show the game. She went from table to table not talking about her progressive vision for the city where she was born and raised but rather letting people know about the $10 chilaquiles special from the restaurant below.

“You always hear in community organizing that you gotta to meet the community where they’re at,” said Ramos, who wore a replica of Mexico’s solid-green 1986 jersey. She reached into her pockets to give arcade tokens to any children she saw. “For something like the Mundial, this is where so many are going to be.”

Ramos sat with friends and recorded the Mission Control crowd of about 100 as it cheered when El Tri took the pitch at Estadio Azteca. When Mexico scored its first goal, she high-fived anyone within reach.

When it was halftime, Ramos made her pitch.

It was just a few minutes, but people listened and cheered as she laid out her main goals of housing affordability and protection for residents against ICE, which runs a detention center just a half mile away from Mission Bar and whose raids essentially shut down Santa Ana most of last summer. She also introduced Santa Ana council member Jessie Lopez, who’s moving on to the general election to represent the 68th assembly district.

“Thank you all, have fun!” Ramos concluded as volunteers handed out campaign fliers and QR codes for people who wanted to know more. One of them was Santa Ana resident Isidro Rangel.

“I think it’s cool she’s doing this,” said the 36-year-old truck driver just before the second half began. “If you’re a politician and you don’t like futbol, something’s wrong with you.”

Times reporter Kevin Baxter and Times en Español reporters Eduard Cauich and Jad El Reda help readers prepare for the World Cup.

You have attended many World Cups in your careers. What advice do you have for fans attending for the first time?

Baxter: Don’t treat it like just another sporting event because it’s not. This is not a World Series or even a Super Bowl. It’s the world’s Super Bowl. So drink in the passion, enjoy the international flavor. Get there early and stay late because it will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

MILAN — Haiti has been forced to change the design of its World Cup jersey after it was deemed too political by FIFA just months after the Caribbean nation had to amend its Winter Olympic uniforms.

The jersey, by Colombian sportswear manufacturer Saeta, originally included a depiction of the final battle of the Haitian War of Independence in 1803 on its front. The image was rejected during FIFA’s approval process.

Saeta said in a statement Wednesday that it would comply with the ban even though the design “was not intended as a political statement,” but rather as a “tribute to the men and women who contribute every day to Haiti’s future.”

The jersey featured blue to mirror the sea and red for the nation’s “strength and passion,” the sportswear maker said. Players wore the now-banned jersey in a warmup match against Peru last week. The original design was currently marked as sold out on the SaetaUSA online shop.

Similarly, the International Olympic Committee required the removal of an image of Haitian founding father Toussaint Louverture from Haiti’s opening ceremony uniforms for the Milan-Cortina Winter Games, ruling that it violated Olympic rules barring political symbolism.

Haiti gained independence in 1804 and is widely regarded as the world’s first independent nation founded by formerly enslaved people after a successful slave revolt.

Italian-Haitian designer Stella Jean, who designed the Olympic uniforms, came up with a creative solution: Painting over the figure, leaving just a horse against the background of tropical foliage. The designs were so much in demand that Jean later created a production version featuring the original Louverture image.

“Either way, Haiti has to be setting a record: Two rebukes from the highest international sports authorities in just a few months,” Jean told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Haiti opens World Cup play on Saturday against Scotland in Foxborough, Mass., then plays five-time champion Brazil on June 19 in Philadelphia and Morocco on June 24 in Atlanta.

Barry writes for the Associated Press.

MEXICO CITY — The star-studded opening ceremony for the 2026 World Cup will unfold Thursday afternoon in Mexico City.

The Mexican capital joins Guadalajara as the only cities to host games during three editions of the World Cup. Shakira will headline the pre-match spectacle alongside Mexican music stars Alejandro Fernández and Los Ángeles Azules.

Fans who paid thousands of dollars for tickets will then cheer on the Mexican team as it faces South Africa at Azteca Stadium, opening an ambitious tournament co-hosted by three countries.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin defended his agency’s decision to turn away a Somali World Cup referee who was barred last week from entering the U.S.

During a news conference Thursday at the Department of Justice, Mullin said Omar Artan was turned away for a specific security reason — not because the administration harbors anti-Somali sentiment. Artan would have been the first Somali to referee at the World Cup finals.

Mullin wouldn’t explain why Artan was denied, but he said broadly that the administration won’t allow individuals with criminal ties or “who may be perceived” to have such ties to enter the U.S.

“There’s a reason why this person was denied,” he said. “Now, the left media wants to go out there and report and say ... we’re anti-Somalia. No, we’re not. We work closely with FIFA and the administration on a regular basis, we talk to FIFA and their directors constantly. Anybody that was denied, we made the case for and showed them why they were denied.”

Mullin also defended the administration’s response to the Iranian national soccer team. DHS said this week that Iran’s team, which is training in Tijuana, will be allowed to enter the U.S. the day before each of their three World Cup matches. U.S. officials denied visas to some of the Iranian football federation staff but granted visas to all of the players.

“If there was any country we [weren’t] going to allow in here, Iran would probably be the reason why we wouldn’t allow them in here — but we did,” he said.

“We have a World Cup here,” Mullin added. “We got a lot of countries that don’t exactly have access to the United States, and we did a phenomenal job on getting as many people cleared as we could. But some people just can’t clear, and that’s just the way it works with getting a visa to come to this great country.”

NEW YORK — The World Cup, a 48-team, 104-match behemoth kicking off this week in Los Angeles and across 15 other cities in the United States, Mexico and Canada, presents an unprecedented security challenge, with more countries, games and a larger footprint than ever before.

It also comes against the backdrop of the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran, mounting political violence in President Trump’s orbit and growing fears of artificial intelligence-fueled disruptions, creating a complex threat environment for authorities.

Overseeing the sprawling security apparatus is a legion of federal agencies, state and local police departments and private entities. Their responsibilities include securing stadiums and fan zones, escorting teams and protecting dignitaries.

A few hours after Lionel Messi and the Argentine World Cup team checked into their training base in Kansas City, a series of thunderstorms pounded the area, knocking out power, felling trees and bringing flood and tornado warnings.

Hardly ideal conditions for the world’s biggest soccer tournament. Yet that’s likely just the opening salvo of a disruptive weather system that could affect the 38-day competition, which kicks off next week with games in Mexico, Canada and the U.S.

The World Cup arrives in L.A. on Thursday. This marks the first time the festivities have taken place in the Southland since 1994, when Pasadena’s Rose Bowl hosted the final between Brazil and Italy, which famously ended in a scoreless tie and was decided by a penalty shootout that led to Brazil winning its fourth World Cup title. (The U.S. hosted the Women’s World Cup in 1999 and 2003, with the finals at the Rose Bowl and Home Depot Center [now known as Dignity Health Sports Park], respectively.)

Soccer is art and art is soccer and soccer is life — and also one of the most beloved sports on the planet — and thankfully for you, dear arts lover, you can mix your passion for art and fútbol by heading to a free public viewing party at a number of local museums and cultural institutions.

In 1986, when Mexico became the first country to ever host the FIFA World Cup a second time, actor and director Diego Luna was only 6 years old. The year before, his hometown of Mexico City had been ravaged by a massive earthquake. That the World Cup happened at all in a nation recovering from such destruction seemed miraculous to a young Luna.

“It felt as though it wouldn’t happen. It was impossible given the magnitude of the disaster,” Luna, now 46, recalls in Spanish during a recent video interview. “And then when it did happen, you could witness what a balm it was for the people of Mexico City to host the opening ceremony, to welcome so many people from around the globe, and to receive such an outpouring of affection.”

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is underway, with Mexico defeating South Africa and South Korea prevailing over Czechia in Group A play Thursday.

The tournament headed north Friday, with Canada and Bosnia-Herzegovina playing to a 1-1 draw in Toronto before the United States opened Group D play with a 4-1 win over Paraguay.

Here’s everything you need to know about matches being played on Friday and Saturday in the 48-team tournament across the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

As nearly 300,000 fans prepare to arrive in Los Angeles for the men’s World Cup soccer championship in mid-June, the international soccer federation is coming under fire for what climate scientists and advocates are calling the most polluting World Cup in history.

This year’s event is being held in 16 stadiums across three giant countries: Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.

That’s despite the fact that climate change is worsening, the risk of playing in dangerous heat is rising and the federation, FIFA, has a commitment to reduce its carbon emissions 50% by 2030.

Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was denied entry into the United States for the World Cup after enduring an 11-hour interrogation in Miami, according to media reports. Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House Task Force on the World Cup, indicated Artan was suspected to having ties to a Somali militant group.

“We want to make sure we are not going to allow a soccer tournament to be the opportunity for terrorists to potentially get in the country or anybody who is actually talking to them,” Giuliani told the British Broadcasting Corporation.

Mexican midfielder Edson Álvarez underwent surgery on his left ankle after getting injured during a match with his club team, Fenerbahce, last February. It kept him sidelined from both his Turkish squad and the Mexican national team.

At times, his participation in this summer’s World Cup was in jeopardy.

But thanks to his resilience, Álvarez will be Mexico’s captain as he plays in his third World Cup. He is one of the key leaders of coach Javier Aguirre’s team that will aim to reach at least the quarterfinals — a feat that has eluded El Tri in the last eight World Cups.

Tim Ream is the only player on the American World Cup team who was alive the last time the tournament was played in the U.S. But he was only 6, so the memories are kind of sketchy.

“I remember bits and pieces of 1994,” he said.

Still, it’s fallen on Ream, as both the captain and the oldest man on the roster, to prepare the team for what they’re about to experience when the U.S. opens play Friday at SoFi Stadium.

Brooke Mayo was just 4 when she started playing soccer. She was about 4½ when she started fantasizing about participating in the World Cup.

“I just fell in love with the game,” she said. “Like any soccer player, you dream about the World Cup, you know?”

That dream came true three years ago, though not quite in the way Mayo had imagined. Although she took part in four matches at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, she did so as an assistant referee, not a player, running up and down the field with a flag in her hand, not a ball at her feet.

The 10th in an occasional series of profiles on Southern California athletes who have flourished in their post-playing careers.

The play started innocently enough with Tab Ramos bouncing a one-hop pass to Paul Caligiuri, who played the ball off his chest 40 yards from goal. But everything changed when a Trinidadian player stepped lazily out to meet him.

Caligiuri faked right then cut left, the beaten defender sticking his right leg out wildly in protest. Suddenly surrounded by nothing but space, Caligiuri let the ball take one small hop before striking a left-footed volley from about 28 yards that arced softly between the right post and the outstretched arms of diving goalkeeper Michael Maurice.

This week one of the world’s most popular sporting events returned, and some of its matches will take place right here in Los Angeles. But the 2026 FIFA World Cup hasn’t been without its difficulties: Fans are furious at ticket costs, which can run $850 apiece, plus hundreds more in parking, and SoFi Stadium’s workers are weighing a labor strike. For some, watching from home might be most prudent — and if that’s the case, your game day can still be just as festive thanks to a matchup-inspired meal.

Of course there are dozens of restaurants and bars hosting viewing parties, some opening early and running themed specials, and you can find our guide to that here. If you have managed to grab tickets to L.A.’s matches, some of the region’s favorite restaurants can be found near SoFi or the Coliseum, the latter of which is hosting the multiday, sprawling Fan Fest event.

If you are watching at home, kick things off with these recipes. Here are a few ideas for some of the World Cup’s matches, with serving a crowd in mind, whether you’re hoping for something snackable like Australian sausage rolls or sweet like Norwegian orange cake.

Simon Kuper’s first World Cup memory is of watching the 1978 final in his pajamas from the living room of his home in the Netherlands.

He was 8. But he quickly was smitten with the game and the tournament — so much so he has attended every World Cup since 1990. It’s an odyssey Kuper, one of the sport’s preeminent journalists, muses on in his latest book “World Cup Fever: A Soccer Journey in Nine Tournaments.”

And in many ways it’s an odyssey that sets the stage for Kuper’s 10th World Cup, which kicks off next week in the U.S., Mexico and Canada. It’s a World Cup that, in many ways, will be like no other.

Hours before the 2018 World Cup kicked off in Russia, delegates representing more than 200 FIFA member states filed into a massive conference center rising above the left bank of the Moscow River.

There they would be voting to pick a host for the 2026 tournament and the ballot held just two candidates: Morocco, bidding for the World Cup for the fifth time, and a joint bid from the U.S., Mexico and Canada, marking the first time three countries offered to share host duties.

Months earlier it had appeared to be an election in name only. This World Cup, with 48 teams, would be the most complex sporting event in history and the North American bid was unique in both size and scope. The three countries had all the resources, infrastructure and logistical know-how to put on the tournament, having already combining to host six men’s and women’s World Cups.

Temperatures in Los Angeles are expected to warm up this week, just in time for the first game of the U.S. men’s World Cup on Friday at SoFi Stadium.

An upper level trough across the Pacific Northwest, which has been keeping temperatures cooler, is expected to break down, according to the National Weather Service. It should begin warming up Monday, resulting in highs in the 70s and lower 80s in the valleys and the mid- to upper 80s in the desert.

FIFA has revoked the ticket allocation for Iran fans at the team’s three World Cup group games, the country’s football federation said Tuesday.

Each federation for the 48 teams taking part in the World Cup typically receives and distributes 9% of stadium capacity. However, with Iran scheduled to begin play June 15 against New Zealand in Inglewood, the federation said in a statement that it is unable to provide any tickets to its supporters.

MEXICO CITY — On the eve of the World Cup kickoff, FIFA President Gianni Infantino called for patience in the face of a series of crises that threaten to overshadow the start of the tournament, led by the case of Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was denied entry into the United States.

On Thursday, Mexico faces South Africa at the Mexico City Stadium, kicking off the 38-day tournament with matches in Mexico, the United States and Canada . The run-up to the global spectacle has been marked by controversy, including the U.S. denial of participant and fan visas and high ticket prices that have triggered attorney general inquiries in the United States.

History tends to repeat itself at the World Cup. Such is the case with Mexico and South Africa, two teams that will face off in the World Cup opening match for the second time in history, just as they did in Johannesburg on June 11, 2010. The score that night was 1-1.

Many still remember Siphiwe Tshabalala and his powerful shot into the top corner that beat Mexican goalkeeper Óscar Pérez, and a celebration that remains etched in the collective memory of the soccer world. Unfortunately for the South African team that night, Rafa Márquez equalized for El Tri with 11 minutes remaining during what turned out to be a disappointing World Cup for the host nation.

Sixteen years later, the 2026 World Cup kicks off, curiously enough, with the same matchup, but with the roles reversed. Mexico is now the host at Azteca Stadium, known during this competition as Mexico City Stadium, at 7,216 feet above sea level. It will be the third World Cup the venue has hosted.

The Los Angeles Organizing Committee has collaborated with an array of agencies to create one primary fan festival and 10 official fan zones throughout the L.A. area during the 39-day World Cup.

Match broadcasts there will be available via Fox and Telemundo, allowing attendees to follow the tournament live throughout the competition. Each venue will have different programming.

Here’s the watch party schedule:

FIFA Fan Festival at the Coliseum: Thursday-Sunday

The Coliseum will host a festival that includes live match broadcasts on big screens, music, cultural programming, interactive experiences and food. Tickets are $10, with free admission for children ages 12 and under. The box office will be open during the festival at Gate 29. Fans with tickets can enter through gates 1, 4 and 28. A clear bag policy will be enforced during the festival. The event will be cashless, with only credit cards, debit cards or mobile pay accepted. For more event details, visit lacoliseum.com.

With its World Cup opener just four days away, the U.S. team moved into its temporary home in Irvine on Monday, where the players found thousands of new Southern California neighbors waiting in line to watch them kick a ball.

After the U.S. announced that Orange County Great Park would be its base for at least the group stage of the tournament, the City of Irvine held a raffle for passes to see the team train in its only public workout.

After a break of more than three decades, the FIFA World Cup returns to North America where it will be shared by the continent’s three countries, the U.S., Mexico and Canada. It will be the largest and most complex tournament in history, with 48 teams playing 104 games in 16 cities over 39 days.

But it hasn’t been without its controversies. High ticket prices and exorbitant transportation and parking fees have angered fans and drawn the attention of politicians and state attorneys general. Visa restrictions have blocked residents from four qualifying nations from entering the U.S. and fear of immigration agents has discouraged fans of other countries from coming.

For the U.S. and Mexico the goal is to get beyond the quarterfinals, the high-water mark for both countries in the modern era. Canada, meanwhile, will play in its third World Cup looking for its first win.

Group A

The tournament will kick off with Mexico facing South Africa in Mexico City on June 11, a rematch of the 2010 opener in Johannesburg, which was played on the same date 16 years earlier. That match ended in a draw, and South Africa went on to become the first host country to be eliminated in the group stage. With Mexico welcoming the World Cup for a record third time alongside South Africa and South Korea (2002), this is the only group with three former host countries.