World Cup 2026 Kicks Off: The Team Smaller Than Tel Aviv, the New Rules and Why It’s Being Called the Biggest Ever

Tonight in Mexico City, history returns to the Azteca Stadium in the biggest and most expensive version we have seen. With 48 national teams set to take the field under new and stricter rules, and revenues expected to break global GDP records, World Cup 2026 is embarking on a journey of 104 matches. From neighboring Jordan, which is making history, to the island nation smaller than Holon, N12 presents the full guide.

By Ben Goldfriend, N12. Published: 11.06.26, 06:23

When the lights in the mythical Azteca Stadium turn on tonight at 10:00 p.m., the world of sport will change shape. World Cup 2026 is no longer just a football tournament, it is an event on a monstrous scale that stretches the limits of the game and promises to break every possible record. Just before kickoff in Mexico City, we delved behind the scenes of the biggest tournament in history, from the tiny national team with fewer residents than Tel Aviv that stunned the world, through the dramatic rule revolution created to kill time wasting, to the billions that will flow into the coffers. N12 with the full guide to the month in which the ball will not stop rolling.

The new format, more teams, more matches

World Cup 2026, which opens tonight, will run until the grand final in New Jersey on 19.7, and over the next 39 days there will be 104 matches, the highest number ever. This is because FIFA, the global football governing body, expanded the tournament to 48 teams, compared with 32 teams in the previous seven tournaments. The teams are divided into 12 groups of 4 teams each, the top two advance to the next stage, along with the 8 best third-place teams.

Messi lifts the trophy at the 2022 World Cup | Photo: Reuters

The small-nation revolution, from Curaçao to the neighbor to the east

The increase in the number of participants did not affect Europe, where Israel plays, very much, but בעיקר on Asia and North and Central America, which led to teams that once could not even dream of the World Cup making it to the tournament this time. Curaçao qualified from the Central American qualifying rounds and is the smallest team in the history of the tournament. It represents a country of just 156,000 residents, fewer than Holon and of course also fewer than Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Alongside it, Cape Verde, with 556,000 residents, will also make its historic debut.

Two other teams will make their first appearance in the tournament. One of them is our neighbor Jordan, which qualified through the Asian qualifiers, yes, the qualifiers that for years Israel was told it would be better to move to in order to qualify for the tournament, and through which we also qualified for the only tournament in which we participated, in 1970. Jordan finished second in its qualifying group, thanks to a 3-0 win over Oman. Our neighbor to the east, Jordan, will also be there for the first time after finishing second in the Asian group with an impressive 3-0 win over Oman. Jordan joins Uzbekistan, which edged the United Arab Emirates for its own debut, and Iran, one of the first teams to secure its place in the tournament.

Advertisement Mbappé, World Cup 2026 | Photo: Reuters

The war on time wasting, the rules that will change the game

Ahead of the tournament, FIFA announced several new rules that will come into effect in the matches, directly affect the course of play from the opening whistle tonight and will likely continue to accompany us in various leagues as well. The main purpose of these rules is to fight time wasting, make the game flow and run at a higher pace, and prevent a leading team from "running out the clock" until the final whistle.

The first rule is the "10-second substitution rule": referees have been instructed to ensure substitutions are completed within about 10 seconds only. If the player delays, the substitute will have to wait off the field for an additional minute and his team will play with a numerical disadvantage for 60 seconds.

Another rule is the "5-second throw-in and goal kick rule": exactly as it sounds, players will be required to take a throw-in within 5 seconds, or the ball will go to the opponent. Goalkeepers will be required to take a goal kick, or a dead ball, within 5 seconds, or the ball will be turned over to the opponent for a corner kick.

Advertisement The "one-minute waiting rule for medical treatment": to prevent situations in which players on a leading team "go down" and waste time by receiving medical treatment on the pitch, any player who receives medical treatment on the grass will be required to leave the field for one minute and his team will play with a numerical disadvantage.

The "captain rule" or the "anti-Arsenal rule": this is a rule that has already taken effect in various leagues in recent years, under which only the team captain is allowed to approach the referee and speak with him, in order to prevent players crowding around the referee, crowding that does not look good to viewers and also wastes time. If the goalkeeper is the captain, an outfield player will be designated in advance who is allowed to speak with the referee.

Another development that has drawn considerable interest concerns players covering their mouths during arguments on the field. Under the new guidelines, a player who covers his mouth with his hand, arm or shirt during a confrontation with an opponent could receive a red card. In addition, VAR will be given a little more power and it will be possible to review a red card after a second yellow, a mistaken player identification and disputes over corner kicks.

President of FIFA Gianni Infantino | Photo: Reuters

Advertisement The big money, billions in the coffers and prizes for the teams

Beyond the sporting drama, this World Cup is an unprecedented economic monster. Experts estimate the tournament will inject about 41 billion dollars into global GDP, while FIFA itself, which pushed to expand the number of matches to maximize broadcast contracts and advertising space, is expected to pocket about 13 billion dollars. The battle on the field will be especially lucrative too, even an early exit in the group stage will earn teams a handsome 5 million dollar grant, while the victorious champion will receive a 50 million dollar cash prize.

Found a language error?