Will Donald Trump or football be the bigger topic at the World Cup?

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be a sporting spectacle of unprecedented scale, with only the Summer Olympics rivaling its grandeur. This year's tournament, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, marks a significant expansion, increasing the number of participating teams to 48 and the total matches to 104.

This expansion introduces a new knockout round structure. Each of the twelve initial groups will advance its top two teams, joined by the eight best third-place finishers, into a 32-team knockout stage. This means teams reaching the final will play eight matches, up from seven in previous tournaments. The ball for this World Cup, named Trionda, symbolizes the three host nations.

Beyond the expanded format, the 2026 World Cup is notable for being the first to be jointly hosted by three countries. While the 2002 World Cup was shared between South Korea and Japan, this North American event presents unique logistical challenges. Travelers may face complex travel arrangements and potential visa issues due to the cross-border nature of the tournament.

The sheer geographical spread across North America, encompassing vast distances and multiple time zones, will be a defining characteristic. This necessitates extensive air travel, raising environmental concerns about carbon footprints. The numerous time zones will also lead to a wide variety of match start times, impacting global viewership. Despite the excitement, the tournament arrives amidst a changed world, with political discussions potentially overshadowing the sport, a situation reminiscent of the controversies surrounding the Qatar World Cup.