No, the World Cup Did Not 'Officially Kick Off This Week' — Here's What the Schedule Actually Shows

A claim spreading online this week states that the World Cup has officially kicked off. This is not supported by any verified scheduling information from FIFA, the sport's governing body. As of mid-2025, no World Cup tournament of any kind is currently in progress.

According to the FIFA official website, the most recent Men's World Cup concluded in Qatar in December 2022. The next men's tournament is scheduled for 2026, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. That event has not yet begun.

On the women's side, the most recent FIFA Women's World Cup was held in Australia and New Zealand, running from July 20 to August 20, 2023. That tournament is long over. No women's World Cup is scheduled to kick off this week either.

It is possible the claim refers to a smaller regional competition, a youth tournament, or another event that uses 'World Cup' branding — FIFA runs several such competitions. But without a specific source, that cannot be confirmed. What can be said clearly is that the flagship FIFA World Cup, the one most people mean when they say 'the World Cup,' is not happening right now.

Claims like this spread fast because they tap into genuine excitement. Millions of fans are already anticipating 2026, and a headline saying the tournament has started is exactly what many people want to hear. That emotional pull makes it easy to share before checking. If you see a sports announcement like this, a quick look at FIFA's official site takes about ten seconds and will tell you everything you need to know.