The biggest, flashiest and most polarising World Cup is finally here.
The action officially gets under way on Thursday (Friday 5am AEST) when co-hosts Mexico play South Africa at the Estadio Azteca.
The following day, Canada host Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto while the United States play Paraguay.
There will be a monster 104 matches across 39 days in the new 48-team format, stretching across three countries.
But so far what's happening off the field is taking centre stage.
If some continue to argue that politics should be kept out of sports, the lead-up to this tournament has underlined how the two are always connected.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino famously declared this tournament would be "the biggest, the most inclusive, the greatest FIFA World Cup ever".
