World Cup fans from 12 nations light up 2026 host cities

World Cup supporters from Canada, Switzerland, Bosnia, Qatar, Mexico, South Korea, South Africa, Haiti, Morocco, Brazil, Czechia and Scotland packed stadiums and public fan zones across the three host countries as the 2026 tournament moved through the last round of group play. The scenes gave the first 48-team, 104-match World Cup a distinctly cross-border feel, with the final set for 19 July in New York/New Jersey after matches began on 11 June in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

The biggest civic crowds gathered at the 13 FIFA Fan Festival sites spread through the host cities, where FIFA said 1,992,302 visitors had come through during the first phase of matches. The 2 million mark was passed on 18 June, with Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara leading attendance, while several sites in Canada and the United States operated at capacity. That scale has turned the fan festivals into more than a celebration space: they have become the public face of a tournament built to move large crowds through transit systems, downtown districts and secure perimeter zones in three countries at once.

The tournament’s first days set the tone. Mexico opened with a 2-0 win over South Africa on 11 June, and Korea Republic beat Czechia 2-1 the same day. Canada followed on 12 June with a 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina, a result that fed celebrations in Toronto and other host-city gathering points as co-hosts and visiting supporters mixed under one tournament banner.

FIFA has confirmed 1,248 players from 48 national teams on the final rosters, underscoring the breadth of the event and the logistical burden behind it. Gianni Infantino, FIFA’s president, called the fan festival a key part of the tournament’s offer, saying the response from visitors reflected the vision and dedication of the host cities. In practice, the fan scenes have given the joint-hosting model its clearest public test, with culture, music and football sharing the same streets, plazas and stadium districts from Mexico to Canada to the United States.