Billions of hopes, 39 days of intense action, and 48 teams in contention — the historic 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup is set to take off on June 11. It’s the first time the premier football event will be formatted as a true quadrennial mega show, expanding boundaries across an entire continent.Three nations — the United States, Mexico, and Canada —will co-host the event across 16 cities (11 in the US, 3 in Mexico, and 2 in Canada).Sweeping changes introducedThe 2026 edition introduces sweeping changes designed to accelerate gameplay, reduce time-wasting, and strictly enforce discipline.Expanded grid: Moving away from the traditional 32-team format in Qatar 2022, the tournament expands to 48 teams. This setup features 72 group-stage matches and 32 knockout games before crowning the World Champion.Continental milestones: The expansion allows the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to field 9 teams, while the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) secures 11 direct entries.Record prize pool: Total financial rewards have hit an all-time high of $727 million, with a staggering $50 million reserved exclusively for the title winners.High-tech innovationsTo ensure precision, technology is deeply embedded.The ‘Trionda’ smart ball: Equipped with internal motion-sensor chips that require charging before matches, the official ball provides real-time data to track touches and the exact moment of contact.Advanced offsides and safety: The tournament debuts a semi-automated offside system alongside dedicated extra substitutions specifically tailored for head injuries.Legends and debutantsThe tournament takes off on June 11 at Mexico City’s legendary Estadio Azteca, where the hosts face South Africa. This historic venue previously hosted World Cup matches in 1970 and 1986, making Mexico the first country ever to host three men’s World Cups.Reigning champions Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, will aim to lift the trophy for a consecutive time — a feat achieved only by Italy (1934, 1938) and Brazil (1958, 1962).Four nations — Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan — will make their tournament debuts.Roster of who’s whoAs many as 1,248 players will take to the pitch across 104 matches. A total of 357 players will be returning after playing at least one previous World Cup, while 891 will be experiencing the competition for the first time.The generational breadth is equally striking, with over 25 years separating the oldest player (Scotland’s Craig Gordon at 43 years and 162 days old) from the youngest (Mexico’s Gilberto Mora at 17 years and 240 days old).For icons like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Luka Modric, this will likely be their final World Cup curtain call.Indian broadcast landscapeAfter months of standoff, FIFA finalised a mega deal with Zee Entertainment to bring the tournament to Indian screens. Following a negotiation process where FIFA lowered its initial $100 million demand to $60 million, a comprehensive package was secured. Reports indicate a highly value-driven agreement that spans 39 FIFA events over eight years (through 2034).Matches will stream on Zee5 and air on the newly launched Unite8 Sports network. The final is scheduled to take place in New Jersey on July 20 at 12:30 am IST.While the late-night and early-morning kickoff times initially dampened domestic broadcaster appetite in a market accustomed to the massive viewership of the IPL, the surging craze for football among India’s youth promises a passionate, sleepless audience for this commercially unprecedented event.The new rules for the 2026 event— Players who cover their mouths with their hands/arms/shirts in confrontational situations will receive a red card.— Players who leave the field of play to protest against a referee’s decision will be shown a red card.— Five-second countdown for throw-ins and goal kick.— Teams that cause a match to be abandoned will forfeit the match.— Players have 10 seconds to leave the field on the showing of substitution board. The field must be left from the nearest point on the boundary line.— A three-minute hydration break in each half in every match.