- World Cup teams are playing friendlies before the tournament starts.
- Coaches use friendlies to experiment with strategies and finalize their roster.
- The World Cup starts June 11 with Mexico facing South Africa in Mexico City.
The World Cup kicks off next week, but before the tournament officially begins, all 48 teams will play in warm-up friendlies to prepare for soccer’s biggest competition.
The U.S. Men’s National Team will play in a pair of friendlies as it and 47 other soccer-loving teams prepare for the FIFA World Cup.
While the World Cup kicks off with its usual pageantry and excitement next Thursday (June 11) at sites in the United States, Mexico and Canada, the national squads are using friendlies to stay tuned up ahead of pool play.
The U.S. squad jumped into friendly action on Sunday against Senegal and will take on Germany on Saturday.
Here’s what you need to know about the friendlies ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
What are friendlies? Are they ... well, friendly?
World Cup friendlies are exhibition matches played by national soccer teams ahead of the FIFA World Cup. The games don’t affect tournament points or qualification.
The games are also played in a variety of locations, not just in official World Cup stadiums.
Provo, Utah, is a friendlies host location. Last Saturday, South Korea played Trinidad and Tobago at Brigham Young University’s South Field. According to KSL, a sellout crowd enjoyed the contest, a 5-0 victory for South Korea.
The university will host another game, between South Korea and El Salvador, on Wednesday.
Why are they played?
If the games don’t generate official points, why are they played at all?
These lower-stakes games allow coaches to experiment with tactics, evaluate younger players, finalize rosters and test squad depth without competitive pressure, according to ESPN.
The games also benefit the national teams’ organization and allows it to generate money for sponsorships and media broadcast deals. The matches help fund the federation, which includes extended and youth national teams, employees and other expenses.
Playing in these matches can also help players, according to ESPN. For some players, it has been multiple weeks since they played with their club teams, so the friendlies help them get back into game intensity ahead of the tournament.
A look at some of the notable friendlies
While the friendlies don’t count to anything, there are still some fun matches coming up this week.
On Thursday, France, a tournament favorite, is playing against the Ivory Coast. Sports Illustrated predicted that the game may bring some surprises.
On Saturday, there are a number of notable matches: Portugal vs. Chile, England vs. New Zealand, U.S. vs. Germany and Brazil vs. Egypt.
Argentina, the reigning world champion led by Lionel Messi, plays against Honduras on Sunday.
Friendly matches extend into next week as well. The Democratic Republic of the Congo — playing in its first World Cup this year — is pitted against Chile. Other notable games next week are: Argentina vs. Iceland, England vs. Costa Rica and Portugal vs. Nigeria.
When does the World Cup start?
The World Cup will officially begin next Thursday, June 11, when Mexico and South Africa play against each other in Mexico City. Later that day in Guadalajara, Mexico, South Korea will go against Czechia.
The tournament is co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico, marking the first time a cup is hosted by three countries. This is also the first World Cup to feature 48 teams, making it the largest World Cup ever, per USA Today.
On June 12, games will begin in the two other host countries. The United States will play Paraguay in Los Angeles, and Canada will face off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto.
The group stage includes the 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four. The top two teams in each group will automatically advance as well as the eight best third-place teams. The knockout round will start with 32 teams, so the championship winning team will play in five knockout matches instead of four, according to USA Today.
Here’s a look at the schedule for the knockout round:
- Round of 32: June 28-July 3
- Round of 16: July 4-7
- Quarterfinals: July 9-11
- Semifinals: July 14-15
- Third-place game: July 18
- Final: July 19