Taking stock of 2026 World Cup: Football's biggest show yet
A worthy world champion, a call from the US president, security concerns and a few pleasant surprises: The biggest World Cup ever is now over
A worthy world champion, a call from the US president, security concerns and a few pleasant surprises: The biggest World Cup ever is now over. So what will we remember about the 2026 World Cup? Football didn't have it easy at the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. There were questionable decisions by FIFA, the sport's governing body, as well as a lot of spectacle and a final in which only one team actually played football. After a total of 104 games in this biggest-ever World Cup, Spain were deservedly crowned champions, and, for the first time, a country's men's and women's teams are simultaneously world champions. FIFA President Gianni Infantino described the tournament as the "greatest sporting, social and cultural event in humanity." US President Donald Trump congratulated FIFA on what he called "one of the all-time greatest sporting events in history." But was it really? Here's what will be remembered. How did viewers receive the biggest Cup yet? Fears of empty stadiums — especially in the United States, where international football isn't the No. 1 sport — proved unfounded. According to FIFA, 6,810,966 fans attended the tournament, the first to be co-hosted by three countries. This set a new record for World Cup attendance. Given that the schedule featured 104 matches, instead of 64 at previous tournaments, record attendance is no surprise. The average match attendance was about 65,000, and, according to FIFA, 99.7% of all available seats were filled. However, many empty seats were visible in stadiums, especially during the group stage. Hydration breaks draw criticism Fans criticized the newly introduced hydration breaks. Most coaches, however, supported the breaks — or, at least, did not complain about them. Uruguay’s now-former coach, Marcelo Bielsa, on the other hand, criticized the additional opportunity to influence the game.
"Playing four halves instead of two changes the culturally shaped perception of football," he said. "These breaks add nothing to the game, but take a lot away from it." Germany felt both the advantages and disadvantages of the hydration breaks Image: Jan Woitas/dpa/picture alliance Were there any surprises at this World Cup? World Cup newcomer Cape Verde caused quite a stir. The small African nation held eventual world champions Spain to a 0-0 draw and narrowly lost to defending champions Argentina in extra time in the round of 32. The Democratic Republic of Congo celebrated a 1-1 draw against Portugal and its superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo. Paraguay knocked Germany out of the tournament in the round of 32. Curacao, the smallest World Cup participant, made history by scoring their first-ever World Cup goal against Germany and earned their first-ever World Cup point against Ecuador. Price madness at World Cup This World Cup was expensive. Fans had to dig deep into their pockets for tickets, hotels, parking fees or flights. However, prices inside the stadiums caused additional frustration. In the US, visitors had to pay up to €20 ($22) for a beer, more than €17 for French fries or about €7 for a bottle of water. In Mexico, too, food and drinks were significantly more expensive than usual. At the Azteca Stadium, where the opening match took place, a beer cost the equivalent of about €15.50 — almost as much as the country's minimum daily wage. Tickets for the final were unaffordable and unattainable for most people Image: Martin Rickett/PA Wire/dpa/picture alliance What role did Trump play at the World Cup? There was widespread concern that Trump might use the World Cup to advance his political agenda. After all, the US president had repeatedly declared the tournament to be his personal prestige project.
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