Everyone’s Talking About the World Cup—Here’s How This Summer’s Biggest Event Will Be Uniquely American, for Better and for Worse
My first introduction to World Cup mania came courtesy of a soda can. In 1989, I was a kid visiting Italy for the first time, and Coca-Cola released special-edition cans in honor of the country hosting the following year’s FIFA World Cup. One featured a jaunty stick figure in red, white and green—the colors of the Italian flag—with a soccer ball for a head. I brought one of those cans back home and kept it on my dresser for years because it reminded me of how much I had loved Italy. As for soccer? Not so much. For decades, that souvenir can was pretty much the extent of World Cup fever in my life.
Now, the sport—along with all its heated global rivalries and wild superfandom—is descending on North America. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, the largest in history, will run for 39 days, from June 11 to July 19, and feature matches in 16 host cities. The United States will hold games in 11 cities across the country (78 of the 104 World Cup matches), while Mexico will host in three cities and Canada in two.
We know what you’re thinking: The U.S. kind of seems like an odd choice for a host country. Yes, we certainly have our sports obsessions, from the NFL to MLB, but soccer—or football, as most of the world calls it—has long been more associated with after-school sports programs and youth leagues.
That could all change this summer. America loves nothing more than an over-the-top spectacle, and the World Cup (which the U.S. actually hosted back in 1994) is undergoing a major and, for some fans, controversial makeover. For better or worse, the tournament’s 21st-century North American debut is shaping up to be one for the record books.
So whether you’re a die-hard sports fan or just want to understand what everybody’s even talking about, we’ve rounded up the most interesting facts, controversies and cultural moments surrounding this year’s World Cup. Read on to find out why this summer’s must-watch event is going to be uniquely American.
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Why the World Cup is such a big deal
Scarcity makes the World Cup special. Like the Olympics, it’s held just once every four years, and it’s the culmination of a yearslong process involving more than 200 national teams competing around the world for a shot at glory in the final tournament. After roughly three years of qualifying matches, the massive field is narrowed to just a few dozen teams—this year’s top contenders include Spain, France, Argentina, Brazil and England. The two final victors then head to the coveted main event, to be held this year on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
With so many teams from every corner of the globe competing, calling the World Cup a worldwide sensation is an understatement. The last time the World Cup was held—in Qatar, in 2022—it reached 5 billion fans across all media. Yes, that’s billion with a b. The final game between Argentina and France became the most-watched World Cup final ever, drawing a live audience of nearly 571 million viewers globally. To put that kind of number into an American perspective, the NFL’s biggest game that year, Super Bowl LVI between the Rams and Bengals, averaged just over 112 million viewers—massive by NFL standards, but less than 20% of the World Cup viewership.
Just imagine if American football or baseball fans had to suffer through years of highs and lows, watching and anxiously waiting to see if their favorite team would make it to the championship. That’s what’s happening for soccer fans right now.
The buzz around the 2026 World Cup
Love it or leave it, soccer is going to be pretty inescapable this summer in the U.S., and the head of FIFA, soccer’s governing body, insists it’s a subject that’s about so much more than just sport. “Football is about joy, happiness and smiles, while bringing people together from all over the world to create shared moments for billions of fans,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino recently said. He added that it’s not only “the biggest sporting event on the planet” but also “a chance to invest in something that connects and inspires with a truly global audience.”
On that note, we scoured the internet to find out what’s really landing—and what’s missing the net—with World Cup fans, along with the background and buzz you need to get up to speed on North America’s place in this year’s games.
Prices are causing major sticker shock
We don’t need to tell you that things are pricey in America right now. But sky-high World Cup costs have taken things to a new level. Thanks to dynamic pricing set by FIFA, premium tickets for the World Cup final could set a fan back nearly $33,000 per person! Even an average ticket for a normal match will cost you around $1,000 (though there are some “cheaper” tickets available). Let’s just say some of the host cities are none too pleased. New York and New Jersey’s attorneys general just launched a probe into FIFA about its ticket practices to see whether it violated consumer protection laws.
Hotels in host cities had originally anticipated large crowds and more demand, and they reportedly jacked up rates initially. But fan backlash and sluggish bookings have complicated those overly rosy projections. As Vijay Dandapani, president and CEO of the Hotel Association of New York City, told the Athletic, “it is not the cornucopia that FIFA talked about.”
Read more on USA Today, NPR and The Athletic
The World Cup is getting its first-ever halftime show
Is this the World Cup or the Super Bowl? The most-anticipated soccer match of the last four years will be entertaining in one very American way: For the first time ever, it will feature a halftime show, starring Madonna, Shakira and the K-pop band BTS. Coldplay’s Chris Martin will curate the event, which aims to raise $100 million for the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.
But while the money will go to a good cause, not everyone is thrilled about the glitzy spectacular. Some international fans are complaining that interrupting the game will disrupt the pace of play and take the focus away from the competition and its players.
Read more on FIFA.com and The New York Post
The tournament will be bigger than ever—maybe too big
In past World Cups, 32 teams were split into eight groups of four. Each team played three matches, with the top two teams from each group advancing. That created a 16-team knockout round, which then went into quarterfinals, semifinals and the final championship match. With this year’s World Cup, however, FIFA has expanded the field to 48 teams, taking the total number of matches from 64 to a whopping 104.
Critics point out the expansion could allow weaker teams to progress further, encourage teams to manipulate outcomes by playing for math rather than wins, and strain players due to a heavier schedule. Fans are divided: Some see the added games as a money grab that dilutes the competition, while others say it makes the tournament more inclusive and competitive.
Read more on Reddit and Reuters
Hydration is suddenly controversial
Previously, hydration and cooling breaks were used only in cases of extreme heat, but now they will be universal features in all matches. As with the new halftime show, those opposed to the addition say the scheduled stops, which will last three minutes in each half, affect the flow and rhythm of play and could even potentially influence the outcome of games.
FIFA counters that the change is intended to prioritize players’ well-being. Last summer, temperatures at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 (which involved pro soccer teams instead of national ones), soared to around 100 degrees Fahrenheit—a very real possibility in several North American host cities during this year’s big tournament.
Politics and border issues are posing problems
Many international travelers have expressed concern about attending the World Cup, in part due to the changing rules around travel into the U.S. For example, last year, visitors from 50 countries were required to pay travel bonds of up to $15,000 before entering the country. Several of those nations—Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Tunisia—have World Cup teams, raising concerns among fans hoping to see the game in person. The Trump administration has since said it will waive the visa bond requirement for qualifying fans who purchase match tickets.
Other worries surround the potential scrutiny of travelers’ social media histories by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, as well as an increased immigration enforcement presence at airports and an ICE presence at the matches. These and other issues—including the possibility for visitors to be detained by ICE or refused admission to the country at the last minute—have prompted multiple rights groups to issue World Cup travel advisories ahead of the tournament. These issues may also be contributing to lower-than-anticipated travel bookings.
Read more on ESPN and Gothamist
Iran will be taking the field
Well, this is awkward. Despite the war between the U.S. and Iran, the Iranian team will be participating in the World Cup. “They have qualified, and they’re actually quite a good team as well,” said FIFA president Infantino. “They really want to play, and they should play. Sports should be outside of politics.”
However, they will be staying in Mexico and commuting to the U.S. stadiums on the days of their matches. President Trump has discouraged their participation, writing on Truth Social, “I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety.”
Read more on CNN
Americans are still deciding how much they actually care about watching soccer
Whether or not soccer appeals to Americans remains up for debate. According to a Harris Poll, 45% of Americans indicate their interest in the sport is increasing. However, only about a third of the general U.S. population says it plans to watch the World Cup matches, data that’s backed up by both Numerator and Nielsen. However, that figure rises to 67% among self-identified U.S. World Cup soccer fans. Nielsen additionally notes that soccer fans skew younger, with 76% falling into the Millennial or Gen Z categories.
Still, these numbers are low when it comes to sports in the U.S. According to an S&P Global report, more than half of Americans surveyed said they regularly watch football, underscoring that football remains firmly entrenched as our country’s dominant sport.
Read more at The Harris Poll, Nielsen and S&P Global
How you can dive deeper
Want to learn even more about soccer and the World Cup before the games start? We’ve rounded up a few more links to read, watch and listen to so you can get plugged into the action.
- Read, Watch and Listen: Men in Blazers
- Read: We Are the World Cup and The Soccer 100
- Watch: Soccer Meets America
- Listen: Total Soccer Show
- Discuss: r/worldcup subreddit
Where you can watch the World Cup
Fox Sports holds the English-language broadcasting rights in the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup games and will air roughly 70 matches on Fox, with an additional 34 matches on FS1. NBCUniversal has exclusive Spanish-language broadcast rights through Telemundo.
Streaming the matches will also be available through the Fox Sports app and Fox streaming platforms, while Spanish-language coverage will stream on Peacock and Telemundo’s digital platforms.
The World Cup
The best way to understand World Cup mania? Tune in!
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Sources:
- FIFA: “Global Engagement & Audience Report”
- NFL: “Super Bowl LVI averages audience of 112.3 million viewers, is most-watched show in five years”
- FIFA: “Gianni Infantino lauds potential impact of FIFA World Cup 2026 at Washington DC forum”
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