Just days away from the opener, the tournament has yet to feel fully real for fans and even some players Sign up for the World Behind The Cup newsletter Just days away from the opener, the tournament has yet to feel fully real for fans and even some players Sign up for the World Behind The Cup newsletter O rganizationally speaking, the 2026 World Cup began on 13 June 2018, when then-Fifa general secretary Fatma Samoura sternly instructed the delegates to cast their vote in a cavernous