The biggest tournament and the greatest prize, this glorious trophy brings nations together even in turbulent times.

It is more than a trophy beyond the surface. It is a coveted symbol of a summer that unites billions across the globe. The World Cup in all its glory is arguably the most influential and important tournament in sports. Whether one is a fan of football or not, it is impossible not to find oneself invested in the World Cup. Though the 2026 World Cup may look a bit different than in previous years, it is one that will provide absolute cinema.

To start we need to circle back to 1994 where the United States (one of the host nations this year) held the World Cup. This World Cup was unprecedented for the market, setting the record for the most fan attendance in history, especially in a final. In the words from a MARCA article published by Nicole Somma, “Which World Cup had the most attendance in history?” she explains that “the nail-biting Final, where Brazil defeated Italy in a thrilling penalty shootout,
had 94,194 people on the edge of their seats at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles” (Somma, 2026). The scenes at this game were electric showing that the United States is and can host a World Cup. This World Cup will be an exceptional opportunity like it did in 1994 to grow the game even further such as it did in the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

There has been a lot of criticism about this World Cup for the expansion and inclusion of more teams that were able to qualify. This is beautiful for football as it opens the door to a more exciting and inviting tournament. Tyler Thrasher words it best in his article “First-time nations: The 4 teams making their FIFA World Cup debut in 2026” explaining how “The World Cup is no longer just expanding in size; it’s expanding in identity” (Thrasher, 2026). FOUR NEW
TEAMS is incredible so let’s list them off, Cabo Verde, Jordan, Curaçao, and Uzbekistan. It is an absolute joy that these teams have qualified and get the opportunity to represent their country on the grandest stage which is exactly what this tournament is about. It will and I repeat will be a fun watch.

Okay, enough about the excitement and more into the politics. Yes, this tournament is controversial because of the geopolitics, turf, weather, travel, etc. It is understandable as those are all factors that play into the difficulty of enjoying or winning the game, but sport transcends issues to unite. It is easy to look at how things are as they are, but the question lies within the
excitement. There were many questions ahead of the World Cup in 2022 whether it was ethical or not, the truth is no host country is going to be perfect. The matter of fact is that this is a game so it will be played, and it will be enjoyed.

Sources Cited

Thrasher, T. (2026). First-time nations: The 4 teams making their FIFA World Cup debut in 2026. Retrieved from https://www.fox5ny.com/news/first-time-nations-4-teams-making-fifa-world-cup-debut-2026-soccer
Somma, N. (2026). Which World Cup had the most attendance in history? Retrieved from https://www.marca.com/en/world-cup/2026/03/17/69b9bef0e2704e27768b4576.html
(N.d.). Retrieved fromhttps://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/qatar2022