Every four years, massive soccer fans unite for the biggest sporting event in the world: the World Cup. Having your country represented on such a level is a huge and prestigious honor. The World Cup generates deep national pride among fans and unites the celebration of many cultures under a common interest: soccer. For smaller nations, it is a way to spread recognition and knowledge of their country. Regardless of political situations in home nations, this event creates a small escape and a focus on such a passionate sport. Iconic songs have emerged from this event, and many memes have gone viral on the internet. Above all, however, for players, it is a chance to create their own legacy, make a name for themselves, and have a chance at winning the soccer world’s most decorated and coveted trophy. Every player dreams of eventually winning a World Cup for their country.
The World Cup is organized and governed by FIFA, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association. FIFA has created the rules and precedent for all international soccer. The current president of FIFA is Gianni Infantino, a Swiss-Italian football administrator. Infantino has held this position since 2016 and was re-elected to maintain power until 2027. FIFA also controls the decision behind the selection for host countries. The organization invites interested countries to submit a bid requiring them to meet certain qualifications. Bidders are required to submit a plethora of documentation including facilities, transportation, security, finances, etc. Following this is the evaluation phase where FIFA evaluates the different bids, and ultimately, the FIFA congress decides it with a vote. Countries are eager to host World Cups as they largely promote tourism and attract a large amount of wealth to the local economy. In the past, FIFA has had a largely shady and corrupt selection process including bribes. It has led to many arrests, controversies, and the deposition of officials, like former FIFA president Sepp Blater.
Notably, the 2026 World Cup will be hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. This makes it the first World Cup to be hosted by three nations. It will take place over roughly the span of one month. The opening match will be played between Mexico and South Africa at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on Thursday, June 11th. This match is special, as it recreates the opening match of the 2010 World Cup played in South Africa. The final of the 2026 World Cup will be played in the United States at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, near New York City, on Sunday, July 19th.
What makes this World Cup especially unique, is that it is the first to be played by 48 teams as opposed to the typical 32. For the 2026 World Cup, the teams were divided into 12 groups of four, with the top two of each group automatically advancing to the knockout stage Round of Thirty Two, occupying 24 of the spots in the round. The remaining eight teams to make it to the Round of Thirty Two will be the best performing third place teams in their group. So the top eight remaining unqualified teams will advance to the knockout rounds. These changes have expanded the chance for nations to progress through the tournament and make it past the group rounds. Previously, the first knockout stage was the Round of Sixteen; these changes doubled the number of teams making it out of the group stages. Additionally, the total number of matches has almost doubled, incrementing from 64 to 104. Up to four matches will be played per day during the group stages.
This World Cup will also feature a total of 16 different host cities: 11 in the United States, three in Mexico, and two in Canada. For the US, this includes major cities like Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, and Seattle. In Mexico, games will be played in Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey. In Canada, games will only be played in Toronto and Vancouver. The mascots were also developed for each host nation and officially unveiled in September 2025. Maple the Moose (Canada), Zayu the Jaguar (Mexico), and Clutch the Bald Eagle (US).
For sports fans, the real question is: who do we watch out for? Which teams do we keep our eyes on? Every tournament has its “favoured teams”, those expected to advance and do well in the overall competition. Although the full country list is not yet complete, there have been many analysts looking to predict the outcomes of the 2026 World Cup, and who will lift the most desired trophy in the end. Opta’s supercomputer was used to predict the outcomes and the percentage of chances at victory for distinct nations. Placed with the highest percentage was Spain, looking at a 17 percent chance. The squad is full of young and eager players looking to prove themselves, and Spain’s win of the 2024 Euro Cup proves the ability of the young team. Many didn’t expect to see Spain go so far in the European competition, and now are very eager to see how far technical director Luis de la Fuente can take them in this high stakes tournament.
Following Spain with the second highest percentage of 14.1 was another European nation, France. Winning the 2018 World Cup, and reaching the final in 2022, France is nowhere near under the radar for viewers. This extremely powerful and cohesive team has been successful time and time again, only losing to Spain in the 2024 Euro Cup Semi-Final. Didier Deschamps has been managing the French National team since 2012 and seeks to bring home another trophy. France has many star players and arguably the current best striker in the world, Kylian Mbappe.
Trailing France with the third highest prediction is England with a percentage of 11.8. In addition to the previous two nations, England also went far in the Euro Cup of 2024. Losing to Spain in the final after a very competitive match, England has the tactical skill and mentality to go all the way in the World Cup. The team also has a strong balance of both young and experienced players which offers a major strong point. As these European nations look to perform well in the upcoming World Cup, looking at their past performances and matches against one another provides large insight. Following these countries in percentages are reigning champions Argentina (8.7%), Germany (7.1%), Portugal (7.1%), Brazil (5.8%), Netherlands (5.2%), Norway (2.3%), Colombia (2.0%) etc.
This sports event is excessively streamed, with enthusiasts watching games closely. For huge soccer fans, this is the time of the year in which they are glued to the screen with no games missed. This competition is so special in the way that it celebrates different cultures at such a large stage and creates deep pride for peoples’ countries. Wearing your country’s jersey with the crest over your chest is deeply fulfilling, and seeing your team go far in the competition is full of celebration. Moments like this are remembered for many years, and players have the opportunity to get noticed at the global level and signed by the biggest club teams. The World Cup unifies people of different cultures, ages, race, etc. under one passion and the shared viewing of a sport.