Know

• The 2026 World Cup will be the largest in history, featuring 48 competing nations, including co-host Canada and defending champion Argentina. • This represents a 50% increase in participants compared to the 32 teams that competed in the 2022 tournament in Qatar. • The event will be hosted across three North American countries, with the group stage featuring between three and six matches daily.

• The 2026 World Cup will be hosted across 16 stadiums located throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. • One featured venue, Arrowhead Stadium, holds the Guinness World Record for the loudest outdoor sporting event crowd at 142.2 decibels. • The stadium has a history of hosting professional soccer, serving as the home for Kansas City's MLS team from 1996 to 2007.

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged a current halt in fighting with Iran on June 8, 2026, but vowed to respond "with force" to any future attacks. • In response to the escalating conflict in West Asia, the Indian Embassy in Iran issued a travel advisory on Monday urging Indian nationals to avoid all travel to the country. • The situation highlights the volatile security landscape involving Iran, Israel, and the U.S., posing significant risks to foreign nationals and regional stability.

• Fox Sports lead analyst Stu Holden has released a comprehensive preview guide for the 2026 World Cup to help fans navigate the tournament. • The guide focuses on the U.S. Men’s National Team’s prospects, must-watch group stage matches, and the availability of last-minute tickets. • Holden, a former U.S. international who played in the 2010 World Cup, describes the upcoming event as potentially the biggest sporting spectacle in history.

• The FIFA World Cup 2026 will feature an expanded format and a variety of host cities across North America to accommodate more participating teams. • ZEE Entertainment has secured the broadcasting rights for the tournament in India, with live coverage available on the ZEE5 digital streaming platform. • Television viewers in India will be able to watch the matches via the Unite8 Sports Network.

• The Athletic has released a comprehensive guide detailing 100 essential facts about the 2026 World Cup, covering topics from ticketing and travel to politics and the USMNT. • The guide highlights the massive global scale of the event, noting that the previous tournament in Qatar saw five billion total views and over 300 million viewers per semifinal. • This viewership data positions the World Cup as a premier global spectacle, rivaling the 2024 Paris Olympics in reach and significantly surpassing the scale of the Super Bowl.

Hugh Marks confirms ABC secretly engaged recruitment firm and signals sweeping changes at national broadcasterFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastABC managing director Hugh Marks has confirmed he secretly engaged a recruitment company to look for a replacement for news director Justin Stevens after the two disagreed over the direction of ABC News.Marks said Stevens “did not know” he had begun an international search for a new head of news but it was a necessary move because they “couldn’t get agreement on the way forward”. Continue reading...