The eyes of the world will be on the United States, Canada and Mexico as the three countries are just days away from hosting the FIFA 2026 World Cup.

While soccer has billions of fans worldwide, there are plenty of Americans (and others) who may be turning the sport on the for the very first time.

Worried about keeping up with the matches this summer? Here’s what to know about World Cup matches as the tournament begins.

How long is a World Cup match?

Matches are scheduled for 90 minutes, a typical regulation length. However, just like in professional matches, referees can add “stoppage time” to the end of each half to account for the amount of time play was stopped for substitutions, goals, injuries and other interference.

The match is played in two, 45-minute halves with a 15 minute halftime. Typical matches last around 100 minutes once additional time is added.

However, during the knock-out stage of the tournament (after the group stages), if there is a tie at the end of regulation and additional stoppage time, then the match will go to “extra time,” similar overtime in American football.

An additional 30 minutes is put on the clock in two, 15-minute halves. If it is still tied after extra time, then the match goes to a penalty shootout, which means each team will send a player to try and score on the goalie one-on-one. This can add an additional 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how many shootout rounds there are to finally declare a winner.

How many players are on the field?

There are 22 players on the field at any given time, 11 from each team. This includes 10 outfielders and one goalie on either side of the field.

Each team will typically keep 26 players on their roster because coaches are able to make substitutions throughout the game. A player may get injured, tired or a coach may just want to switch up strategy and replaces one player on the field with one from the bench. Each team is allowed five substitutions per match, plus an extra substitution if the match goes into extra time.

What are common penalties? What is a penalty kick?

Like any sport, soccer has a set of rules that help the game keep moving and prevent players from interfering with the ball. Soccer players are unable to touch the ball with their hands or arms, and if they do it earns them a handball penalty.

Other common soccer penalties include tripping, kicking, holding or pulling jerseys, pushing or charging players, and dangerous plays like high kicks or kicking near another player’s head.

If a player is hit with a penalty, the other team will get a penalty kick. This means the ball will be placed at a specific spot, depending on the penalty, and the non-penalty team will get to kick the ball off again to a teammate, typically close to the goal.

What are yellow and red cards?

Some penalties are worse than others, and they can earn yellow or red cards for players.

For more severe penalties, or “reckless fouls,” players will be issued a yellow card. This includes deliberately wasting time, persistently breaking rules, trying to trick the referees or unsportsmanlike behavior. Warnings to players are typically issued before a yellow card is called. If a player receives two yellow cards in a match, it leads to a red card.

A red card issued to a player means they are ejected from the match and can not come back. It also means another player cannot join the field in their place, so a match could become 11-on-10. In extreme cases, like intentionally punching another player, a referee can go straight to a red card and eject a player from the match.

How many teams are playing in the World Cup?

For the first time, the World Cup tournament has been expanded to 48 teams from around the world.

These teams are divided into 12 groups of four teams for the group stage matches. These matches are not elimination rounds, and teams will play in multiple matches during this stage against the other teams in their groups.

The United States, for example, is in Group D with Paraguay, Australia and Turkey. The team plays their first match on June 12 against Paraguay. No matter the outcome of that match, the United States will play again on June 19 against Australia. The U.S. team plays Turkey on June 25 to round out the group stage.

Then, from the results of the group stage, 32 teams will make it to the elimination rounds. The winners of those matches will play in the round of 16. There will then be four quarterfinal matches, two semifinal matches and a match for third place, and one World Cup Final played on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium.

In total, there will be 104 matches played between June 11 and July 19 across three countries.

When are the World Cup matches in Atlanta?

Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta Stadium) will host five group stage matches, a round of 32 match, a round of 16 match and one of the tournament’s semifinal match.

• Monday, June 15 — Spain vs Cabo Verde, Group H – Shop tickets
• Thursday, June 18 — South Africa vs Czechia, Group A – Shop tickets
• Sunday, June 21 — Spain vs Saudi Arabia, Group H – Shop tickets
• Wednesday, June 24 — Morocco vs Haiti – Shop tickets
• Saturday, June 27 — Uzbekistan vs Congo, Group K – Shop tickets
• Wednesday, July 1 — Group L winners vs third place from Group E/H/I/J/K – Shop tickets
• Tuesday, July 7 — Match 86 winners vs Match 88 winners – Shop tickets
• Wednesday, July 15 — tournament semifinal, teams TBD – Shop tickets

The World Cup is over. Does Atlanta have a professional soccer team?

The end of the World Cup does not mean you have to turn off professional-level soccer in Atlanta.

Atlanta United, the city’s MLS team, paused their season with the rest of the league for the World Cup, but will pick back up again.

The MLS season resumes July 16 and 17, and the All-Star Game will be played on July 29. The end of the regular season is Nov. 7, with an international break, then playoffs will begin for the MLS Cup Final.

Irene Wright covers the FIFA World Cup as the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Today’s Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Cancer patients in the Augusta area will soon have access to a new, non-invasive treatment option for brain tumors and other neurological conditions through the Elekta Gamma Knife Esprit system at Wellstar MCG Health and the Georgia Cancer Center.

Leaders from both organizations will celebrate the technology’s launch during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, alongside patients, elected officials and community leaders.

According to the news release, the Gamma Knife Esprit uses highly focused radiation to treat brain tumors, lesions and vascular abnormalities without incisions or general anesthesia.

The advanced system can reduce recovery times, shorten hospital stays and minimize side effects compared to traditional surgical procedures.

Physicians have already begun treating patients with the new machine, which replaces a previous Gamma Knife model following months of installation and preparation.

The ceremony will take place at Professional Building 1, 1481 Laney Walker Blvd., Augusta.

The ethics board for the D.C. government has censured Council member Trayon White and fined him $900 for failing to disclose his personal finances three separate times.

White violated the city’s code of conduct and undermined the public trust when he missed the deadlines to disclose his finances in November 2024, May 2025 and November 2025, the D.C. Board of Ethics and Government Accountability said in its decision Monday.

Council members are required to file a Public Financial Disclosure Statement (PFDS) twice a year and White was aware of his obligation to file, the board said.

“Public service is a public trust. The requirement for elected officials to file public financial
disclosures stems from the recognition that they should be held to a higher standard,” Norma Hutcheson, chairperson for the board, said in the decision. “The Council held themselves to that higher standard by requiring that Councilmembers file semiannual disclosure reports, instead of the annual reports required for other public officials … [White’s] failure to file the three reports at issue undermines that public confidence.”

White is back on the D.C. Council months after fellow legislators expelled him.

White is expected to go to trial later this year for a federal bribery charge. He was indicted in 2024, accused of agreeing to accept $156,000 in exchange for using his position to pressure employees of the D.C. Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement and the D.C. Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) to extend several contracts, prosecutors said.

White received $35,000 in four cash payments in the alleged scheme, according to court documents.

He was reelected to the Ward 8 seat after the D.C. Council expelled him in February 2025.

In January, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said she “can’t wait” for White’s trial.

“I expect a conviction,” she added. “I think the evidence is solid. I’ve seen the evidence. I don’t like individuals who work for government – whether it’s federal, state, local – and who use that as an opportunity to line their pockets. It’s unacceptable.”