The 2026 North American World Cup kicked off today (June 11) at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. For the first time ever, 48 nations are split into 12 groups. Here, on a single page, is the strength of every group, our honest predicted standings, the group of death, and the road ahead for Son Heung-min's Korea — drawn into the same group as hosts Mexico.
Once every four years, the planet watches the same screen. And this time, that screen got bigger. The 2026 World Cup is the first tournament ever co-hosted by three nations — the United States, Canada and Mexico, and the first staged with the field expanded from 32 teams to 48. The match count balloons from 64 to 104, and the tournament runs a full 39 days. This is a different beast from the World Cup we knew.
The format changed too. The top two from each of the 12 groups advance automatically, and on top of that the eight best third-placed teams join them in a brand-new knockout stage — the Round of 32. In plain terms: finishing third in your group no longer means you're out. That single line rewrites the fate of every underdog and mid-tier side in this tournament — Korea included.
▲ marks teams we expect to reach the knockouts (Round of 32). The standings are subjective predictions based on FIFA rankings, recent form and qualifying momentum — and the ball is round.
South Korea were drawn into Group A alongside hosts Mexico, plus South Africa and Czechia. On paper Mexico are a cut above, but the fight for the other two spots leaves Korea with plenty to play for. This is a group where "we can do this" isn't just talk.
It all hinges on Son Heung-min. Now plying his trade at LAFC, Son (33) is at his fourth World Cup — and, as captain, effectively his last big stage. Around him, PSG's Lee Kang-in and Bayern Munich's defensive rock Kim Min-jae hold the spine together. The identity coach Hong Myung-bo has built is clear — Son's moment of magic, and a side that never stops grafting.
In the old days, only the group runners-up reached the last 16. This time, the eight best third-placed teams also make the Round of 32. In other words, even if Korea slip behind Mexico into third, just one win and one draw could be enough to chase a knockout ticket. The biggest gift of the expanded format is, paradoxically, a 'second chance' for mid-tier sides like Korea.
Two great poles anchor this tournament: Argentina defending their crown (Messi's last dance) and France hunting redemption (Mbappé). Add Euro 2024 champions Spain, who — led by 18-year-old prodigy Lamine Yamal — have become the most frightening team of the next generation. Throw in eternal contenders Brazil and Bellingham's England, and the very top comes down to about five fingers.
For a dark horse, look no further than Morocco. The first African side to reach a World Cup semifinal in 2022, they're no longer a surprise — they're a force. Japan, with a squad packed full of Europe-based stars, are aiming for more than the last 16, while Haaland's Norway arrive at their first finals in 28 years determined to crash out of the group of death — and into the knockouts. And then there are the first-time guests the 48-team format finally invited — Curaçao, Cape Verde, Uzbekistan, Jordan — whose debuts may be the purest drama this World Cup has to offer.
The ball is rolling now. Until the last team lifts the trophy at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey on July 19, we'll endure 104 ninety-minute battles together over 39 days. Today, Mexico City opened the very first chapter.