Brazil

World ranking - 6

World Cup appearances - 23

World Cup best performance - champions (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002)

Morocco

World ranking - 8

World Cup appearances - 7

World Cup best performance - semi-finals (2022)

Haiti

World ranking - 83

World Cup appearances - 2

World Cup best performance - group stage

Scotland

World ranking - 43

World Cup appearances - 9

World Cup best performance - group stage

Image source, Getty Images

Brazil are two places above Morocco in the world rankings, and the opening group game between the sides on Saturday (23:00 BST) is likely to decide the group.

Given Morocco's run to the semi-finals of the last World Cup, and with Brazil yet to reach any great heights under Carlo Ancelotti, many would say the African nation are in pole position.

It is a tight call, and both sides, regardless of that result, will be looking to make a deep run into the knockout stages.

The game between Haiti and Scotland on Sunday (02:00 BST) could be vital for one of those sides progressing in third place.

Image source, Getty Images

I'm here for the excitement, Sam. And I'm starting to feel it too.

Later today, we'll be shining a light on Scotland, competing at their first World Cup finals since 1998.

For now, let's have a look at who they'll be coming up against in Group C.

That's right, it's our brand new Who am I? game.

The rules are simple. Each day there's a new footballer and the challenge is to guess who they are in as few attempts as possible.

After each wrong guess you unlock a new clue. But, the quicker you guess the answer, the more points you get.

Three is a good score, four or five points is exceptional.

Click here to have a go and let us know how you get on!

Today's player and clues are set by BBC Sport's Joe Rindl.

Edin Dzeko, you say?

Well, he arrives in the Americas having already sealed his status as a World Cup legend in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

With his team already eliminated in 2014, Dzeko opened the scoring in their final group game against Iran to help Bosnia and Herzegovina seal their first ever World Cup win.

Do you think you know your World Cup legends? Then boy, do we have a mid-morning distraction for you.

Bayern Munich defender Alphonso Davies is hoping to regain full fitness after a hamstring injury and could play a key role once he returns.

Bosnia-Herzegovina striker Edin Dzeko, 40, relishes the big occasion and has waited 12 years to grab another chance at competing at a World Cup.

Qatar's Akram Afif, a winger with licence to roam, scored a hat-trick of penalties to win the 2023 Asian Cup.

Cameroon-born striker Breel Embolo was Switzerland's top scorer in qualifying and has pedigree; he is one of only five players to have scored multiple goals in both the 2022 World Cup (netting against Cameroon and Serbia) and the 2024 Euros.

Sunderland's Granit Xhaka will be taking part in his fourth successive World Cup at the age of 33.

Image source, Getty Images

Hosts Canada will fancy their chances of progressing as group winners.

Switzerland, ranked 19th in the world, are the highest-ranked side in the group and the only one of the three teams to have progressed beyond this stage.

It may not contain many big hitters, but this group should provide plenty of intriguing match-ups.

Having stunned Italy in the play-offs to reach the World Cup finals for the first time since 2014, Bosnia-Herzegovina will relish their underdog status.

Image source, Getty Images

Canada

World ranking - 30

World Cup appearances - 3

World Cup best performance - group stage

Bosnia-Herzegovina

World ranking - 65

World Cup appearances - 2

World Cup best performance- group stage

Qatar

World ranking - 55

World Cup appearances - 2

World Cup best performance - group stage

Switzerland

World ranking - 19

World Cup appearances - 13

World Cup best performance - quarter-finals

Image source, Getty Images

Striker Raul Jimenez, 35, who re-signed for Wolves this week, usually delivers when Mexico need him most - just as he did in last year's Gold Cup final against the USA.

Burnley's Lyle Foster, 25, is expected to lead South Africa's attack, although head coach Hugo Broos says he needs a confidence boost after a tough season in the Premier League.

Former Spurs forward Son Heung-min is just two goals shy of Cha Bum-kun's all-time mark of 58. Without an MLS goal this season, he joked that he been saving them all for what is his fourth - and probably - final World Cup.

Bayer Leverkusen's Patrik Schick, 30, was the joint-top scorer at Euro 2020 and his strike for Czech Republic from the halfway line against Scotland was named goal of the tournament.

Image source, Getty Images

Given the heat, home advantage and their status as the highest-ranked side in the group, Mexico will be favourites to top it.

South Africa are back at the World Cup for the first time since hosting the tournament in 2010 and will aim to entertain once again, as they did 16 years ago.

Mexico and South Africa famously opened the tournament in 2010 and will do so again.

Despite going unbeaten in their 16 qualifiers, scoring 40 goals and conceding just eight, optimism is in short supply among South Korean fans.

A lack of trust in the tactics of coach Hong Myung-bo, who is regularly booed, has led to a sense of apathy.

The Czech Republic are appearing at their first World Cup in 20 years and may fancy their chances of progressing from this group.

Image source, Getty Images

Mexico

World ranking - 15

World Cup appearances - 18

World Cup best performance - quarter-finals

South Africa

World ranking - 60

World Cup appearances - 4

World Cup best performance - group stage

South Korea

World ranking - 25

World Cup appearances - 12

World Cup best performance - semi-finals (2002)

Czech Republic

World ranking - 41

World Cup appearances - 10*

World Cup best performance - runners-up (1934, 1962 as Czechoslovakia)

*includes appearances by former Czechoslovakia, whose records are recognised by Fifa.

Image source, Getty Images

Between Shakira and Raul Jimenez, there's something for everyone at this evening's curtain raiser.

Will you be tuning in as the 2026 World Cup kicks off at Estadio Azteca?

Thumbs up for yes, thumbs down for no.

In the meantime, let's take a look at the football which will take the stage once Burna Boy & co have warmed up the crowd.

We'll start with the teams that hosts Mexico will face on their quest to qualify from Group A.

Image source, Getty Images

Colombian pop star Shakira will perform her official song for the 2026 World Cup at the competition's opening ceremony in Mexico.

Shakira will perform Dai Dai, along with Burna Boy, on Thursday, 11 June at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, before Mexico and South Africa play the first of the tournament's 104 games (20:00 BST).

Dai Dai - an Italian phrase meaning "let's go" or "come on".

Colombian reggaeton star J Balvin and South African singer-songwriter Tyla will also perform at the show in Mexico.

Opening ceremonies will precede each of the first matches played in the host nations of USA, Canada and Mexico.

Canadian singer-songwriters Michael Buble and Alanis Morissette will headline the opening ceremony at BMO Field in Toronto before Canada take on Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday, 12 June (20:00 BST).

In the USA, pop star Katy Perry and rapper Future will perform before the USA take on Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday, 12 June (Saturday, 02:00 BST).

Shakira, along with Madonna and K-pop boyband BTS, will also co-headline the Super Bowl-style half-time show at this summer's World Cup final on 19 July.

This summer’s World Cup spans three host nations, and each will stage its own opening ceremony ahead of its first match.

• Mexico opens the tournament on Thursday 11 June, before their match against South Africa at 20:00 BST
• Canada follows on Friday 12 June, ahead of their game with Bosnia-Herzegovina at 20:00 BST
• The USA hosts its ceremony on Saturday 13 June, before facing Paraguay at 02:00 BST

All ceremonies begin 90 minutes before kick-off. The first opening ceremony will begin later at 18:30 BST.

The BBC will show the opening ceremonies for the matches.

Image source, Getty Images

The World Cup begins later today as Mexico host South Africa (20:00 BST) at Mexico City Stadium.

It is a repeat of the fixture that opened the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Siphiwe Tshabalala's stunning left-footed strike went down in history to open the scoring, with the game finishing 1-1.

Who will open the scoring this time?

Image source, Getty Images

Right, that's enough England chatter for today.

But don't fret - there will be plenty more of that to come across the duration of this massive tournament.

And remember we've got BBC Sport chief football writer Phil McNulty joining us later today to answer any questions you may have - England or otherwise.

Start getting your questions into him now by clicking 'Get Involved' at the top of this page.

For now, we're going to take a look at what's happening later today when it all kicks off in Mexico.

Then we'll start guiding you through what to expect from the group stage as a whopping 48 teams battle it out to advance to the knockout rounds.

I hope you're sitting comfortably!

Charlotte Coates
BBC Sport

England's friendly with Costa Rica was not the first to be hit by extreme weather before the start of the World Cup.

The incident in Orlando followed last week's warm-up game between Saudi Arabia and Puerto Rico in Austin, Texas, which was stopped for almost two hours.

The match was brought to a halt in the 21st minute as thunderstorms and lightning forced players off ⁠the pitch, with ⁠spectators told to seek shelter.

Repeated lightning strikes led to multiple resets of ⁠the mandatory 30-minute delay before play eventually restarted.

While the Q2 Stadium will not host any World Cup matches, two stadiums in Texas will be used during the tournament.

There will be seven matches at the Houston Stadium, while the Dallas Stadium will host nine games, including England's group game against Croatia - although both venues have retractable roofs which can reduce the impact of the conditions.

Charlotte Coates
BBC Sport

England head coach Thomas Tuchel said the delay to their World Cup warm-up game with Costa Rica gave them a "little taste of what can happen" - but will that prove to be an understatement?

The match was due to start at 21:00 BST in Orlando, Florida, but heavy rain and thunderstorms pushed it back an hour to 22:00 BST.

Weather delays have been a major talking point in the build-up to this year's World Cup, with several matches in last year's Fifa Club World Cup in the United States impacted by thunderstorms.

This was not the first tournament warm-up game to suffer delays caused by storms either - and many fans are concerned it could become a theme throughout the World Cup.

"We were aware of that before - now we experience it," Tuchel told ITV before the game. "It's no problem.

"It should not be an excuse to lose our mood or patience or to lose our hunger to play the game.

"No problem at all. We realised it when we were still at the hotel so it was easy. We just said half an hour later in the bus and let's go."

Fans who had already arrived at Inter&Co Stadium were told to evacuate from the stands and retreat to a safe position on the concourses to avoid lightning strikes.

Thunderstorms in the US are not uncommon, but when it comes to them impacting matches, Fifa has no power to make its own rules and must adhere to the advice of local authorities.