Around the world, soccer fans are gathering in homes, stadium plazas, and public viewing venues to watch the World Cup and share in the excitement of the tournament.
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This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
A family watches a world cup opening soccer match, in Vereeniging, South Africa, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
A family watches a world cup opening soccer match, in Vereeniging, South Africa, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
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Jesus Vasquez Martinez reacts with others after Mexico’s Julian Quinones scored his side’s first goal on South Africa during the opening match of the FIFA World Cup soccer tournament, Thursday, June 11, 2026, as supporters gathered for a watch party in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Jesus Vasquez Martinez reacts with others after Mexico’s Julian Quinones scored his side’s first goal on South Africa during the opening match of the FIFA World Cup soccer tournament, Thursday, June 11, 2026, as supporters gathered for a watch party in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
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A Mexico fan is tossed into the air in celebration at a fan festival while waiting to watch a broadcast of the World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Sydney Shankman)
A Mexico fan is tossed into the air in celebration at a fan festival while waiting to watch a broadcast of the World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Africa in Mexico City, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Sydney Shankman)
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Supporters of Mexico sing the national anthem before the opening match of the World Cup soccer tournament between Mexico and South Africa, Thursday, June 11, 2026, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Supporters of Mexico sing the national anthem before the opening match of the World Cup soccer tournament between Mexico and South Africa, Thursday, June 11, 2026, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
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People watch the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 between Mexico and South Africa, in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Khaled)
People watch the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 between Mexico and South Africa, in Cairo, Egypt, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Khaled)
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Fans react as they watch a broadcast of the World Cup soccer match between Mexico and South Africa in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Fans react as they watch a broadcast of the World Cup soccer match between Mexico and South Africa in Berlin, Germany, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
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Fans watch the first match of the World Cup between Mexico and South Africa on the National Mall, Thursday, June 11, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
Fans watch the first match of the World Cup between Mexico and South Africa on the National Mall, Thursday, June 11, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
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Soccer fans celebrate during the opening of the Damascus World Cup Festival, a public fan zone featuring giant screens for World Cup match broadcasts, at the Damascus Fairgrounds in Damascus, Syria, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)
Soccer fans celebrate during the opening of the Damascus World Cup Festival, a public fan zone featuring giant screens for World Cup match broadcasts, at the Damascus Fairgrounds in Damascus, Syria, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Omar Albam)
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A soccer fan watches the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup between Mexico and South Africa on his phone in Dakar, Senegal, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Misper Apawu)
A soccer fan watches the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup between Mexico and South Africa on his phone in Dakar, Senegal, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Misper Apawu)
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Mexico fans celebrate their team’s first goal against South Africa as they watch a public viewing of the opening match of the World Cup soccer tournament between Mexico and South Africa in San Francisco, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Mexico fans celebrate their team’s first goal against South Africa as they watch a public viewing of the opening match of the World Cup soccer tournament between Mexico and South Africa in San Francisco, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
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Fans gather to watch the first match of the World Cup between Mexico and South Africa at a coffee shop in Aden, Yemen, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdulnasser Alseddik)
Fans gather to watch the first match of the World Cup between Mexico and South Africa at a coffee shop in Aden, Yemen, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdulnasser Alseddik)
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A group of fans use a Mexican flag for shade as they watch the opening World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Africa on beachfront big screens, in Miami Beach, Fla., Thursday, June 11, 2026. AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
A group of fans use a Mexican flag for shade as they watch the opening World Cup Group A soccer match between Mexico and South Africa on beachfront big screens, in Miami Beach, Fla., Thursday, June 11, 2026. AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
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Fans gather to watch the first match of the World Cup between Mexico and South Africa on the National Mall, Thursday, June 11, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
Fans gather to watch the first match of the World Cup between Mexico and South Africa on the National Mall, Thursday, June 11, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
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Mexico fans watch a public viewing of the opening match of the World Cup soccer tournament between Mexico and South Africa in San Francisco, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Mexico fans watch a public viewing of the opening match of the World Cup soccer tournament between Mexico and South Africa in San Francisco, Thursday, June 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
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Members of the Mariachi Mexicanisimo de Fort Worth play a celebratory tune as a large screen shows a replay of Mexico’s Julian Quinones scoring his side’s first goal on South Africa during the opening match of the FIFA World Cup soccer tournament, Thursday, June 11, 2026, as supporters gathered for a watch party in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Members of the Mariachi Mexicanisimo de Fort Worth play a celebratory tune as a large screen shows a replay of Mexico’s Julian Quinones scoring his side’s first goal on South Africa during the opening match of the FIFA World Cup soccer tournament, Thursday, June 11, 2026, as supporters gathered for a watch party in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
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