At the iconic Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, the national flags of participating countries were officially raised during a protocol ceremony organized ahead of the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Among the global symbols displayed on the stadium's perimeter was the State Flag of Turkmenistan. In accordance with international protocols and English alphabetical order, the Turkmen flag was positioned between the flags of Turkey and Tuvalu.

In the highly anticipated opening fixture of the tournament, the host nation, Mexico, will face the national team of South Africa. The match is scheduled to kick off at 23:55 Ashgabat time. Football fans in Turkmenistan will be able to watch the live broadcast of the opening ceremony and the inaugural match through the digital streaming platform Belet.

The final stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be contested from June 11 to July 19, 2026, across various host venues in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The group stage matches will run from June 11 to June 27, with each national team scheduled to play three matches in a round-robin tournament format within their respective groups.

According to the updated tournament regulations, the top two teams from each group, along with the eight best third-placed teams across all groups, will successfully advance to the knockout stages. A total of 104 matches will be played throughout the entire competition, establishing a new record for the highest number of fixtures in the history of the FIFA World Cup.