July 13, 1930, marks the day the world’s largest and most exciting sporting event was born. What started in Uruguay, where over 93,000 fans squeened into Estadio Centenario to watch the first final, has grown into a global phenomenon that drew over 1.5 billion viewers during the 2022 championship match. But as massive as the World Cup has become, the 2026 tournament is set to break every expectation the past World Cups have set.
For the few individuals who may not be familiar, the World Cup is a global men’s soccer tournament held every four years to determine which nation truly stands at the top of the sport. 48 countries earn their spots through months of intense and rigorous qualifying matches, all fighting for the chance to compete on the world’s biggest soccer stage.
After years of planning and high-stakes bidding, Federation Internationale de Football Association, more commonly known as FIFA, selects the host nation, or in this case nations. The 2026 World Cup will be hosted by three countries: Mexico, Canada and the United States; marking this the first time in history that three countries will share hosting duties. With that, this tournament is also projected to become the highest-grossing and most-attended sporting spectacle the world has ever seen.
Research analyst from Gabelli, Alec Boccanfuso, said, “FIFA expects $11–14B in revenue, nearly double 2022, driven by unprecedented global sponsorship and hospitality demand. Global Reach: Over 5B total viewers are anticipated, with the final alone drawing around 1.5B, the largest single-sport audience ever recorded.”
Not only do sports professionals and analysts weigh in on the tournament’s impact, but students are joining the conversation as well. Sophomore and devoted Spain fan, Sabreen Thurkal is no stranger to the world of soccer, being a fan since her youth.
She truly sees the beauty, talent and global unity that the tournament brings, but she can’t feel anything but disappointment by the current ticketing system, which she believes takes away from the truly deserving fans. Thurkal said, “It’s like a concert, if you’re there and able to buy it you should be able to get one.”
Along with that, as much as Thurkal loves that the tournament is during the summer when she has all the free time in the world, she can’t help but reminisce about the 2022 World Cup. This is a tournament that she will never forget, she said, “Watching it in school and cheering on your teams with your friends will be a memory I will never forget. Hearing everyone talk about it was such a core experience.”
On the other hand, junior and varsity soccer player Yehor Bodak thinks that the new ticketing system is fair, even though he wasn’t able to secure tickets himself. Bodak said, “I think it’s very fair because I don’t think there is another way to control how many and how orderly tickets are bought.”
While Bodak holds firm opinions about the ticketing system, he is even more confident in his predictions for the quarterfinals. Based on past tournaments, he predicts that Argentina, Portugal, France and Spain will make it to the quarter finals, battling out but ultimately Argentina emerging on top once again.
Countless argue that Argentina doesn’t have the luck to repeat their success, but Bodak remains convinced. He believes that Argentina’s superstar Lionel Messi will lead the team to victory once again. Bodak said, “I know Messi is getting older, but he is still full of so much talent and potential that will lead him to win another World Cup.”
Sophomore Hannah Yuan is also enthusiastic about her predictions for the quarterfinals. Although Yuan’s prediction is quite similar to Bodak’s, she believes the qualifying and winning team will be Brazil. Yuan said, “Brazil is definitely going to win, with their talented players and years of success they definitely deserve it.”
At the end of the day, whether you watch the World Cup or not, everyone should admit that it is the most exhilarating and entertaining sporting event in the world. Win or lose, the passion, unity and unforgettable moments are what makes the World Cup so special. “Football is the most beautiful game in the world,” Brazilian legend Pelé said in his autobiography.
