The 2026 FIFA World Cup officially kicks off on Thursday, June 11, when Mexico will face South Africa at Mexico City Stadium. Throughout the competition, hundreds of accredited photographers will shoot thousands of players from the sidelines of 16 stadiums across the host nations of Canada, Mexico and the United States.
And yet, while the technical aspects of photography have advanced immeasurably during the World Cup’s 96 years in existence, the process – like the beautiful game – really hasn’t changed all that much. Look no further than these images from the very first World Cup Final for proof.