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After Tuesday’s playoff matches decided the final six spots, the World Cup field is set. Forty-eight teams will come to North America this summer for the 23rd edition of the biggest sporting event on the planet.

The tournament kicks off 11 June in Mexico City and runs until the final on 19 July in New Jersey, comprising 104 matches across the United States, Mexico and Canada. To mark the completion of the field of 48, Guardian writers answered 48 questions on topics from World Cup history and the US men’s national team to Messi, Ronaldo and mascots.

Which teams are playing?

This World Cup will feature 48 teams, the most in the tournament’s history. The three host countries, the US, Mexico and Canada, qualified automatically. Spain, the current No 1 in Fifa’s rankings, and recent champions Argentina and France are heavy-hitters. Four teams will make their World Cup debuts. New Zealand (No 85) are the lowest-ranked team in the field. Among the teams who won’t be there: four-time champion Italy. EB

How often is the men’s World Cup played?

Every four years. Fifa has recently flirted with the idea of staging the tournament biennially – or even every three years – but for now it remains every four. PM

Who are the favorites?

European Championship holders Spain have the best odds to win the World Cup this summer. England and France, the 2018 champions and runners-up in 2022, are second favorites, depending on which bookie you consult. Lionel Messi’s Argentina are seeking to become the first nation to win back-to-back World Cups since Brazil in 1962. Brazil, with their five men’s World Cups, are a favorite in just about any tournament they enter (as are Germany, with their four). EB

Why has it expanded to 48 teams?

Fifa president Gianni Infantino has described the 48-team tournament as a way to “open it to the world”. And this edition will see the most debutants – Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan – since 2006, plus the returns of Haiti, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa. The actual reason for the expansion? Probably money. When Fifa announced the expansion back in 2017, it projected the increase would generate around $1bn more income and $640m in profit from television and sponsorship. Infantino has said that money would be reinvested in Fifa’s 211 member associations. EB

How are games split between the US, Mexico and Canada?

The US gets 78 of the tournament’s 104 matches, while Canada and Mexico will get 13 each. While the United 2026 bid leaned heavily on the collaborative potential between the three North American nations, this World Cup will become an all-US affair from the quarter-final stage onwards. Vancouver’s BC Place and Mexico City’s famous Estadio Azteca will hold contests in the round of 16. A reminder: the Azteca holds a special place in World Cup lore as the only venue at which both Pelé (1970) and Diego Maradona (1986) won the World Cup. JR

How much money will the winners get?

A record $50m in prize money will go to the winners, with $33m for the second-place team. All told, Fifa is paying out $727m to the tournament’s 48 participants. PM

How did Curaçao make it?

A reasonable question, considering that Curaçao, with a population of 165,000, will be the smallest nation to ever play at a World Cup. Their qualification is downstream of the fact that host nations are guaranteed a place in the World Cup field. Since the US and Mexico (almost) always claim two of the region’s places and Canada has established itself as a third power in the North and Central American confederation (Concacaf), the field was more open than ever to the rest of the countries in the region. Concacaf still had three guaranteed berths beyond the hosts, which were claimed by Panama, Haiti and Curaçao. Of note: Curaçao head coach Dick Advocaat resigned in late February due to family reasons, leaving him as a Moses-like figure in Curaçao soccer lore. JR

When is the opening match?

Estadio Azteca will host the opener between Mexico and South Africa on 11 June. Canada play their opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina on 12 June in Toronto, and the USMNT begin in Inglewood, California, against Paraguay on the same day. EB

When is the final?

The final is set for 19 July at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, near New York City. It also hosted the 2016 Copa América Centenario final and last summer’s Club World Cup final. EB

Can I still get tickets?

This feels more like a question for your bank account than for us. But should you be somewhat flush, Fifa’s “last-minute” ticket sales phase begins on Wednesday at 11am ET/4pm BST. Tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Fifa’s official resale marketplace opens Thursday. AA

How am I supposed to watch all these games?

If you’re in a World Cup city, there will be opportunities to watch the games at fan festivals. (Our columnist believes those are the real best places to soak up a World Cup.)

If you’re watching on TV in the US, Fox has the rights to English-language broadcasts and Telemundo/Universo has Spanish-language rights. In the UK, the World Cup will air on BBC and ITV. In Australia, the tournament will be on SBS and in Canada on TSN, CTV, and RDS. EB

Isn’t it going to be hot?

Probably. Summer in North America is hot – in cities across the southern United States, from Arlington and Houston to Miami and Atlanta, temperatures can top 90F (more than 30C). Heat was a concern for visiting teams during last summer’s Club World Cup, and the global players’ union later came out to say that some games should have been postponed or delayed due to excessive heat. Many of the games this summer will take place in stadiums with roofs and air conditioning. EB

Will we see more hydration breaks – and commercial breaks?

Perhaps to the displeasure of US head coach Mauricio Pochettino, the answer is yes. Every game will include two three-minute hydration breaks. Referees will stop play 22 minutes into each half for players to take drinks and gather, regardless of the temperature or whether the stadium has a roof and air conditioning. While Fifa has said the change is in the interest of “player safety”, coaches and players have had mixed opinions on how the breaks affect the flow of the game.

The pauses could also bring a staple of American sports to the global game: the mid-game ad break. Last month, Fifa gave commercial broadcasters permission to cut away to advertisements during hydration breaks. EB

Which stadium has the best view?

Of the 16 match venues across North America, Estadio BBVA in Monterrey is the clear winner here. The steel-and-concrete marvel’s open roof features a spectacular view of the nearby Cerro de la Silla, a 6,000ft mountain range. This isn’t just the most beautiful stadium at this year’s World Cup, it’s among the most beautiful places anywhere in the world to see a match. PM

Which team will need to travel the farthest during the group stage?

Bosnia and Herzegovina have the longest estimated travel distance during the group stage, at 5,039km going from Toronto to Inglewood to Seattle. Algeria start in Kansas City before traveling to the San Francisco Bay Area for their second match, then back to Kansas City (an estimated 4,840km). EB

Where are the teams staying?

Here, there and everywhere. Each team have picked a base camp to train at during the tournament. Four teams – England, Argentina, the Netherlands and Algeria – chose the Kansas City area. The USMNT will be based in Irvine, California. Brazil chose New Jersey; Spain opted for Chattanooga, Tennessee; Germany picked Winston-Salem, North Carolina; and Uruguay chose Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. EB

Which team are likely to be the first eliminated?

It’s nothing personal, South Africa. Your installment of the World Cup hatched many fond on-field memories (and some grim off-field realities thereafter). Much of this comes down to the draw: Bafana Bafana were placed in Group A, where they’ll open the tournament by visiting Mexico at Estadio Azteca. Their second game will come against playoff qualifiers Czech Republic. With South Korea also in fine form to round out the group, the math is skewed heavily against South Africa. JR

Who is the best player in the world?

It’s Frenchman Ousmane Dembélé, if you believe the Guardian’s 219-person panel made up of journalists, players, coaches and pundits from around the world. Spain’s Lamine Yamal and Portugal’s Vitinha also earned high praise. AA

Is Lionel Messi going to play?

Realistically, yes. But Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni said last week that the Inter Miami star’s participation this summer still isn’t confirmed. In an interview with NBC News late last year, the 38-year-old (who will turn 39 during the tournament) didn’t exactly sound super convincing when he said: “I would like to be there, to be well and be an important part of helping my national team, if I am there. And I’m going to assess that on a day-to-day basis when I start preseason next year with Inter [Miami] and see if I can really be 100%, if I can be useful to the group, to the national team, and then make a decision.” Messi has dealt with some injury troubles in recent years, so it’s likely he just doesn’t want to be a burden on the squad should he suffer some of the groin issues that have affected him recently. But it’s hard to imagine Argentina at this World Cup without him – if he can run, he’ll be there. AA

Is Cristiano Ronaldo going to play?

All signs point to the 41-year-old playing at his sixth World Cup. The all-time men’s international leading scorer missed Portugal’s two March friendlies against Mexico and the USMNT with a hamstring injury, but manager Roberto Martínez said he wasn’t in danger of missing the tournament. Ronaldo has spent the past four seasons playing for Al-Nassr of the Saudi Pro League. He hasn’t played in the US since 2014 but he did visit the White House as a guest of Donald Trump in November. EB

Which breakthrough players should I look out for?

We have a list for that, too! We’ll have to wait until May to see who actually makes their country’s roster. AA

What is the deadline for countries to name their squad?

Provisional lists of up to 55 players are due in May, with final rosters due 30 May. PM

What’s the backstory to the Trump/Infantino love-in?

For a man who has said “politics should stay out of football and football should stay out of politics”, Infantino has spent quite a lot of time cozying up with politicians – and perhaps no politician more so than Trump. During the US president’s first term, Infantino traveled to Washington to attend the signing of the Abraham Accords between Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. He attended Trump’s second inauguration; has been a frequent guest at Mar-a-Lago; oversaw the opening of a Fifa office in Trump Tower in New York; and then took center stage with Trump to award him the first-ever Fifa peace prize at the World Cup draw in December. Find a deeper read on the Trump-Infantino relationship here. EB

How big of an impact will ICE have?

At a congressional hearing in February, Todd Lyons, the acting director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, described ICE’s presence as a “key part” of World Cup security. He did not rule out the use of tactical enforcement teams – the kind deployed across the country during Trump’s immigration crackdown – at or around World Cup venues. The agency often has a presence at large-scale events, including Super Bowls, but it has been under major public scrutiny after federal agents killed two US citizens in Minneapolis earlier this year. Nellie Pou, a Democratic congresswoman from New Jersey whose home district includes the site of the final, has introduced legislation to block ICE from conducting raids within a mile of matches or fan festivals this summer. EB

Are fans of some countries banned from the US?

Trump’s travel bans specifically target people arriving from four qualified countries: Iran, Haiti, Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire. There are exceptions for athletes and officials, but there may be difficulties for fans in acquiring visas to enter the US. Visitors from countries not under travel bans could still face roadblocks in reaching the US. Beginning Thursday, the state department will require travelers from certain countries to front a bond of up to $15,000 to enter the US. The policy currently applies to five World Cup qualifiers – Algeria, Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal and Tunisia – and does not have an exemption for athletes or officials.

Fans who don’t need a visa to visit the US may still be made to provide their social media history and other personal information upon entry – a move supporters’ groups criticized as “unacceptable” last year. EB

Is it possible some countries will boycott the World Cup?

In January, as Trump intensified his threats to annex Greenland, the heads of about 20 European soccer federations were said to have discussed the possibility of a Uefa-led boycott. An actual European boycott, though, is extremely unlikely – even as the list of events that would justify an international rebuttal of the US grew to include the kidnapping of Venezuela’s president, travel bans, killings of citizens by federal agents and war in the Middle East.

As for Iran? See below. EB

Will Iran play?

It’s unclear. In the weeks since the US and Israel began launching airstrikes on Iran in February, officials have given mixed messages on whether the country will participate in the World Cup. In March, the federation president said Iran would “boycott the United States” but “not the World Cup”, raising the possibility of relocating the team’s matches to Mexico. (Iran are scheduled to play two group-stage games in California and one in Seattle.) In a recent pair of friendlies, Iranian players and coaches held pictures of children and small backpacks to honor the victims of US and Israeli airstrikes.

Infantino said on Tuesday that Iran “are going to play in the World Cup” and that there was no “Plans B or C” regarding their participation. Last month, Trump said Iran should not play in the World Cup “for their own life and safety”. EB

What does Trump’s World Cup taskforce actually do?

Last spring, Trump established a taskforce to coordinate federal efforts around the tournament. Andrew Giuliani, son of former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, leads the group, with former US Soccer Federation president Carlos Cordeiro on as an adviser. The taskforce was most recently in the news when $625m requested by the 11 US host cities to cover security costs was held up by the ongoing partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. After outcry from host city representatives and elected officials, those funds were released to the host cities on 12 March. EB

Do Americans even like football?

They do! Football is a fundamental part of the American experience, with millions gathering every Sunday to watch grown men in pads smash into each other in search of a touchdown … oh … oh, right. Yeah, they like soccer as well. PM

Are the USMNT any good?

The short answer is: maybe? This US team are widely considered to be the most talented in the history of the men’s program, with more players in key roles at top European clubs than ever before. But they have yet to turn that talent into coherent results, proving just as capable of beating Uruguay 5-1 as they are of losing to Belgium 5-2. Expectations will be high for a home World Cup, but it’s just as easy to see them wilting as making a historic run. AA

Why is an Argentinian in charge of the US men’s national team?

The US has a long history of foreign and dual-national coaches, and Pochettino is the latest import to try to get something out of the Yanks. His South American upbringing and English Premier League pedigree made him, to some, an ideal candidate to attempt to finally push the US men to the next level. PM

Which country has won the most World Cups?

Brazil have won the tournament a record five times. Germany and Italy have won the tournament on four occasions, while Argentina have done it three times. PM

How many teams, cities and stadiums were involved in the first World Cup?

The 1930 World Cup, played in Uruguay, was set to be a 16-team affair until Japan and Thailand (then known as Siam) pulled out. Egypt missed the tournament after the team literally missed their boat to South America. Games were all played in Montevideo, with the majority played at Estadio Centenario – the venue is Fifa’s only recognized “historical monument of world football” and will host the opening match of the 2030 World Cup. PM

Is this the first time the World Cup has been hosted by three countries?

Yes, although the number of host nations will look downright quaint in four years’ time. The 2026 installment is just the second to see multiple nations share custody of a tournament, joining 2002’s split-hosting by Japan and South Korea. The 2030 World Cup will be held in six different countries across three different continents, in Fifa’s sprawling attempt to commemorate the tournament’s 100th anniversary: Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay in South America; Portugal and Spain in Europe; and Morocco in Africa. JR

Can anyone break Just Fontaine’s record of 13 goals at a World Cup?

The introduction of an additional game – the round of 32 – certainly puts this record into greater jeopardy. Those matchups will involve every team who advance from the group stage, creating the potential for tournament favorites to face another third-place finisher before getting on with the business end. With a finalist now slated to play eight games, an ambitious scorer would need to average 1.75 goals per game to set the record – a bit easier to pull off than Fontaine’s clip of 2.2 in 1958. JR

What’s the biggest blowout in World Cup history?

Hungary’s 10-1 blowout against El Salvador in the group stage of the 1982 World Cup is a statistician’s fever dream. It’s the only time a team have scored 10 or more goals in a men’s World Cup, and the only time a substitute in a match has scored a hat-trick. El Salvador was in the early stages of a civil war and its government filled two of the team’s 22 roster spots with a pair of federal officials who simply wanted to go on vacation. The rout was so complete that the Salvadoran team played an impromptu friendly against the waiters at their hotel afterwards to help build their confidence. It didn’t work, as La Selecta were sent packing soon after. PM

Who is the best ever male player?

It’s a matter of interpretation that can fill hours of otherwise dead air at bars around the world. Pelé still carries considerable cachet for elevating the sport’s profile while scoring goals for fun. Maradona is fiercely beloved for pushing Argentina to their second World Cup title. The legacies of both men are securely preserved even after their deaths in 2022 and 2020, respectively. Since winning the 2022 World Cup, Messi seems to have won the debates of who’s the “best of this era” between him and Ronaldo, although either one remains a popular answer. Others often cited among the very best in the men’s game include Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer, Lev Yashin, Eusébio, Ronaldo Nazário and Ferenc Puskás. JR

How close to winning the World Cup have the US got?

Way back in 1930, the US made the semi-finals of that very first World Cup in Uruguay. The US advanced directly into the semis after beating Belgium and Paraguay in group play, and their 6-1, tournament-ending loss to Argentina was one of the most violent World Cup matches ever played. US forward Billy Gonsalves – known then as the “Babe Ruth of American soccer” – called the match, simply, “a murder”. PM

What happened to the US when they were hosts in 1994?

The US were among the surprises of that tournament, riding a shock result against dark-horse favorites Colombia in the group stage to make the round of 16. They fell to Brazil in the round of 16 in a hard-fought, 1-0 battle that was a lot less close than the scoreline suggested. Nevertheless, the respectable showing was instrumental in pushing along soccer’s still-burgeoning popularity in the US. PM

Did hosting the World Cup in 1994 really change soccer in the US?

No event in the history of American men’s soccer had a more fundamental impact on the trajectory of the game in the US than the ’94 tournament did. Major League Soccer was formed on the back of the tournament and interest in the country’s national team skyrocketed as well. It also proved to the world, once and for all, that America was a viable market for the sport, and the tournament remains (until this one, at least) the most well-attended World Cup in history. PM

What is VAR?

Your new best friend, the Video Assistant Referee. It’s soccer’s version of instant replay, with the VAR (or “Var”, if you must), being a real person whose job it is to sit in a room with a lot of TV screens, watching the same game you are, and call out incorrect decisions. This will occasionally result in great goals that you’ve already celebrated being disallowed due to some minor infraction, and like all instant replay systems, it will be frustrating at least as often as it is useful. AA

What are the mascots for this World Cup?

Say hello to Clutch the Bald Eagle (US), Zayu the Jaguar (Mexico) and Maple the Moose (Canada), the latest additions to the time-honored tradition of anthropomorphic animal World Cup mascots. Remember Striker? EB

Are half-times going to be longer in the US so shows can take place on the pitch?

For the most part, no. An exception: Fifa has said it will be staging an inaugural World Cup final half-time show. The 2024 Copa América final in Miami had a half-time show starring Shakira and stretched the break from its standard 15 minutes to 26. Last year’s Club World Cup final featured J Balvin, Doja Cat, Tems, Coldplay and Emmanuel Kelly at half-time. Coldplay’s Chris Martin is said to be involved in the production for the World Cup final festivities. EB

Why is everyone joking about Diana Ross?

Italian legend Roberto Baggio may have written himself into footballing infamy in 1994 when he missed a penalty to cost Italy the title, but Baggio’s failed attempt wasn’t even the worst penalty of the tournament. During the opening ceremony, soul legend Diana Ross tried to put one on frame, failing miserably. At least Baggio got kind of close. PM

What happens to the World Cup trophy between tournaments?

It is paraded around the world to be touched “by winners only,” according to Infantino – who also made a big show of letting Trump touch the trophy in the Oval Office. AA

When do the kits come out?

They’re out! Many of them, at least. Nike, Adidas and Puma have released their slates. Some shirts receiving early praise: Curaçao away, US home, South Africa away, Germany home and Japan away. EB

What is the official song and why isn’t it as good as Waka Waka?

We don’t know yet. At the World Cup draw in December, Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger dueted on a song called Desire, which Fifa calls its “official anthem” to be played before all tournaments. The first song of Fifa’s official 2026 World Cup album was released on 17 March, a pop-country-worship-lite tune called Lighter featuring American artist Jelly Roll and Mexican singer Carín León. The lyrics didn’t exactly scream “football”. Among them: “Wear me down like a broke-down Chevy” and “Same old boots, but they’re off the ground / devil try to catch me now”. We’ll see what the rest of the album has to offer, but hopes aren’t high. EB

What’s the best place to read about the World Cup?

The Guardian, of course. You can find all of our World Cup tagged content here. Follow the Football Weekly podcast here. Subscribe to the Football Daily newsletter here. Subscribe to Soccer with Jonathan Wilson here. And a new offering: sign up for the World Behind the Cup newsletter with Jonathan Wilson and friends here.