Japan and Tunisia will face each other on Saturday, 20 June at Monterrey Stadium in what will be the 1,000th match ever played at a FIFA World Cup. The encounter between an Asian side and an African side, held in North America, stands as a vivid symbol of how far the beautiful game has traveled.

A milestone shaped by football's expansion

The fixture arrives 96 years after Uruguay hosted the inaugural FIFA World Cup in 1930 with just 13 nations. At the 1954 tournament in Switzerland — when the 100th FIFA World Cup match was played — only 36 countries took part, and a mere seven of those came from outside Europe or South America. The world has changed dramatically since then.

A record 209 national teams began qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026, which is co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Africa and Asia together received 17 direct berths plus two play-off places, while Oceania earned a direct slot for the very first time. The expanded 48-team format — up from 32 — has opened the door for nations that once had little hope of reaching the finals.