Yan Diomande, Gilberto Mora and 10 potential breakout stars of the 2026 World Cup

The 2026 World Cup kicks off in just over 24 hours when co-hosts Mexico face South Africa, replaying the opening match from 2010. Over the next five-and-a-half weeks records may fall and legacies be reshaped, while a handful of lesser-known players have the chance to use the tournament as a launchpad.

Algeria’s Ibrahim Maza, 20, impressed in his Bundesliga debut with Bayer Leverkusen, contributing five goals and six assists and drawing comparisons to Florian Wirtz. Australia’s Nestory Irankunda, who reset his career with a productive season at Watford after spells at Adelaide United and Bayern Munich, arrives with a powerful left foot and set-piece threat that could make him his nation’s X-factor.

world cup, 2026, mexico, south africa, ibrahim maza, bayer leverkusen, bundesliga, florian wirtz, nestory irankunda, watford