Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

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Damien - Phil, do you think it was a gamble too far to leave Jarrod Bowen at home with Bukayo Saka not on form, and Noni Madueke not proven? Everyone could see Saka was not at his best and Madueke is not the assist machine Bowen is, or as clinical a finisher.

I am a huge fan of Jarrod Bowen and included him in my pre-World Cup squad because he is consistent, provides assists – even in a struggling West Ham United team - and is the perfect squad man with his exemplary attitude.

Look at Bowen’s assist stats. He was third highest in the Premier League with 11, behind Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes with 21, and Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki (12). All in a West Ham team that was relegated.

England head coach Thomas Tuchel will have done a lot of heart searching before leaving him out. I must admit I would have taken him.

Simon King
Lead weather presenter, BBC Weather

Texas is one of the hottest states in the US and England fans waiting for their team's first match to begin will be experiencing typical hot weather on Wednesday afternoon.

Temperatures into the low thirties are expected and while it should be dry and sunny, there is a chance cloud cover could increase with a few showers.

While no thunderstorms are currently forecast, the cloud cover and increased atmospheric moisture will raise the humidity.

The 'feels like' temperature is therefore expected to approach 40C.

However, the Dallas stadium is one of the World Cup stadiums with a retractable roof and air-conditioning.

This will make it much more comfortable - and safer - for players and fans when inside the stadium during the game.

Scotland's first game is against Haiti, taking place in Boston on Saturday evening local time - 02:00 BST on Sunday.

While it will feel pretty warm with a temperature of around 25C (77F), this is typical for the time of year, and similar to a warm summer day in the UK.

There will be 104 matches at this World Cup, and you can predict them all across the BBC Sport website and app.

Our brand new game gives you the chance to guess the result of each game and build your streak as you return each day.

Players also have the chance to enter a prize draw to win an official World Cup football signed by members of the BBC World Cup team.

Get involved over here

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

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Chris - Question for Phil McNulty: of the three host nations this year, which do you think will progress furthest?

Hi, Chris. They have all got tricky groups but will still fancy their chances of getting out of them.

United States will be optimistic under the guidance of Mauricio Pochettino, while all eyes will be on Mexico as they are slated to face England in Mexico City in the last 16 if the cards fall.

Canada, under former Leeds United manager Jesse Marsch, will also feel the home support but I maybe see last 16 for all at best – although Mexico will feel they could overturn England at altitude and in what would be an incredible atmosphere at the iconic Azteca Stadium.

It would be great for the tournament if one of the hosts pushed on, but I do not see them troubling the really big hitters. *Words that will return to haunt me.

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Most people love telling stories about the legends who lifted the World Cup trophy, but it is not often anyone talks about the trophy itself- or rather, the two versions of it.

The first World Cup trophy was introduced in 1930, when Fifa launched the inaugural tournament under the leadership of Jules Rimet, the man the trophy was named after.

Designed by French sculptor Abel Lafleur, the trophy depicted Nike, the ancient Greek goddess of victory, holding a chalice aloft.

Crafted from gold-plated sterling silver, the trophy was mounted on a lapis lazuli base.

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During World War II, Fifa said Italian football official Ottorino Barassi hid the trophy in a shoe box beneath his bed in Rome to prevent it from falling into Nazi hands.

Just months before the start of the 1966 World Cup in England, the trophy was stolen during a public exhibition.

It was eventually discovered by a dog named Pickles - wrapped in newspaper, beneath a garden hedge in South London.

Brazil earned permanent possession of the Jules Rimet Trophy in 1970 after becoming the first three‑time World Cup winner.

But in 1983 the trophy was stolen from the Brazilian FA’s headquarters in Rio de Janeiro and was never found. It is widely believed to have been melted down, said Fifa.

Image source, Getty Images

By then, Fifa had already ushered in a new design for the modern era of the World Cup.

The new trophy was designed by Italian artist Silvio Gazzaniga, who also designed the Uefa Europa League trophy, at 36 centimetres tall and cast in 18-carat gold.

Fifa said the design- two human figures lifting Planet Earth- "captures football's global, unifying spirit".

West Germany were the first team to lift the redesigned accolade in 1974.

Following its predecessor’s mysterious disappearance in 1983, Fifa said the newer World Cup trophy is not awarded permanently to any nation- lesson very much learned.

Champions now get their hands on the original during the post-match award ceremony, before being presented with a gold-plated replica to keep.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

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Alex - Hi Phil. The World Cup has been won by nations from two continents - Europe and South America - so far. With the global game constantly improving, which yet-to-win continent do you think is closest to lifting the trophy?

I do think an African nation will have a real chance of winning the World Cup one year. I do not, however, think it will be this one. You can round up the usual suspects as contenders this time.

BBC News

The 2026 men's World Cup kicks off this week across the US, Mexico and Canada, with excited football fans preparing to cheer on England and Scotland.

But which World Cup players have roots near you? Our postcode lookup includes present day superstars and past greats from all four home nations since 1950 – discover how many have come from your local area.

Find out here

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

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Chris - Hi Phil, I fancy France to win the World Cup. They have an outstanding recent record, and quality all over the pitch. What's your take on them?

Afternoon, Chris. We are definitely talking about potential winners here. They have form, having won and lost in the last two World Cup finals, and they are simply overloaded with quality.

Just look at their attacking options, even with Liverpool’s Hugo Ekitike missing. They have, of course, Kylian Mbappe, but you can add Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele from Paris St-Germain, along with his team-mates Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola. And then there is Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise and the Manchester City magician Rayan Cherki.

Hugo Lloris may not be in goal any more, but they have his outstanding successor Mike Maignan from AC Milan.There is every chance coach Didier Deschamps will bow out with another World Cup win.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

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George - Q for Phil. How set are Fifa on having this number of teams? Is this a trial/could it revert back to the 32 teams? I think we will see group stage fatigue as the fans wait for more meaningful games.

Hi, George. I think there is more chance of it being increased than reduced - although maybe not for a while. Once Fifa makes these decisions they are rarely, if ever, reversed. It will be 48 from now on. Whether group stage fatigue sets in depends on the quality of the games.

Now, it's that time again!

BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty is here to answer all of your World Cup questions for the next couple of hours.

Just use the 'Get Involved' button at the top of this page and remember to mark your questions for Phil's attention.

Chris Sutton
Former England forward

Sutton's pre-tournament picks: England (winners) and Ghana (runners-up). Croatia to finish third and Panama fourth.

England v Croatia: 2-0

Ghana v Panama: 2-1

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England captain Harry Kane might be the most inform striker going into the tournament after scoring 54 goals for Bayern Munich this season and so, like every tournament he's played in, is one to watch.

Besides the 32-year-old, World Cup debutant Elliot Anderson is another one to keep an eye on. The Nottingham Forest midfielder had the most touches (3,300), won the most duels (297) & won the most possession (306) of any top-flight player during a season in which he had to deal with the death of his mother.

For Croatia, it's no other than legend Luka Modric. Now 40, the midfielder continues to drive standards and direct play for club and country. The man in the mask – which he's expected to wear to protect a fractured cheekbone – won the 2018 Ballon d'Or and is Croatia's greatest player of all time.

Ghana's leading man is Manchester City winger Antoine Semenyo. His dream season culminated in him scoring one of the great FA Cup final goals in May. The two-footed winger became only the second man after Andy Cole to score 10 or more goals in all competitions for two different teams within the same Premier League season.

Adalberto Carrasquilla is Panama's midfield orchestrator. His poise, athleticism and high technical level were recognised when he became the first Panamanian to win Concacaf's Men's Player of the Year award in 2024. Known as 'Coco', the 27-year-old was injured playing for his Mexican club in May and could miss the start of the tournament.

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Is it coming home? Who knows. But the perfect first step would be topping Group L.

Ranked number four in the world, a team full of young talent led by Ballon d'Or contender Harry Kane and a Champions League winning coach - this might be one of England's best opportunities.

But you'd expect 11th in the world Croatia to put up the biggest challenge to that top spot. Their aging squad has all the experience to progress far this year following successive World Cup runners-up and third-place finishes.

And of course we can't forget the heartbreak they caused England fans in 2018. Led by Luka Modric, Croatia knocked Gareth Southgate's side out of the semi-finals to stop the Three Lions reaching their first World Cup final since 1966. Although, England have remained undefeated against them since.

While Panama make their return after eight years and Antoine Semenyo's Ghana, led by new and experienced coach Carlos Quieroz, make for interesting ties in Group L.

England

World ranking - 4

World Cup appearances - 17

World Cup best performance - champions (1966)

Croatia

World ranking - 11

World Cup appearances - 7

World Cup best performance - runners-up (2018)

Ghana

World ranking - 74

World Cup appearances - 5

World Cup best performance - quarter-finals

Panama

World ranking - 33

World Cup appearances - 2

World Cup best performance - group stage

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Another obvious place to look is Portugal's captain Cristiano Ronaldo but it would be a disservice to not shine a light on Paris St-Germain's Vitinha.

The former Wolves misfit has evolved into the midfield metronome for back-to-back European champions Paris Saint-Germain and will be a key man for Portugal. The Champions League final man of the match came third in last year's Ballon d'Or.

For Congo DR, Sunderland's Noah Sadikihas added dynamism to his country's midfield since earning his first cap in September 2024. The 21-year-old has also been a revelation in the Premier League this season with his energy, athleticism and ball-carrying ability.

Another Premier League breakthrough is Manchester City centre-back Abdukodir Khusanov for debutants Uzbekistan. The rapid defender is feted in his homeland, with jerseys featuring his name and number available at bazaars across the country.

While all eyes are on Luis Diaz in Colombia. He was their top scorer in qualifying with seven goals and has been in blistering form for Bayern Munich, registering 26 goals and 19 assists in his first season in Germany.

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Is this Cristiano Ronaldo's last chance?

Portugal are heavy favourites to win Group K but in a team brimming with talent including Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes and Paris St-Germain's Vitinha, it's still 41-year-old Ronaldo who steals the headlines.

The biggest threat to that top spot is 13th ranked Colombia. Bayern Munich's Luis Diaz will be leading the charge from the front in his first World Cup alongside veteran James Rodriguez, but a wobbly end to their qualifying campaign might be playing on their minds.

Congo and debutants Uzbekistan are closely ranked at 46th and 50th in the world respectively and on paper, will be looking at finishing as one of the best third placed teams. But then you never know what to expect from a debut side.

Chris Sutton
Former England forward

Sutton's pre-tournament picks: Colombia (winners) and Portugal (runners-up). DR Congo to finish third and Uzbekistan fourth.

Portugal v DR Congo: 2-1

Uzbekistan v Colombia: 0-1