In association football, the 2026 FIFA World Cup consisting of 48 national teams for the first time begins with matches in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. An opening ceremony is held at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

The development was among the significant sport stories being followed from World. Contemporary coverage attributed the principal details to AP on 11 June 2026.

This report belongs to The Belfast Herald's retrospective archive. It was compiled from the cited reporting and preserves the information available on the date shown; later developments are covered separately.