By Reshelle Bihasa, Staff Writer 

One of the most anticipated events of this year, the FIFA World Cup 2026 is soon set to host matches in the United States, Mexico and Canada. 

The FIFA World Cup is the most prestigious international football (soccer) tournament which occurs every four years with a different country serving as the host nation. This event is considered the most popular sporting event in the world, expanding internationally and uniting fans all over with a shared passion for the game.  

The last FIFA World Cup was in November to December 2022, hosted in Qatar. The winner of the last tournament was Argentina, after defeating France 4-2.  

This upcoming 2026 event will span from June 13 to July 19, with a total of 104 games.  Additionally, this is the first time in history that the World Cup will feature 48 teams worldwide, including France, Argentina, England, Brazil, and more.  

In the U.S., there are 11 cities set to host the tournament. These notable cities include Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle. All hosting stadiums will use natural grass instead of turf. 

Team Base Camps will be used for teams to train between games, which includes some U.S. colleges and sports facilities. The Ecuador team is placed at the OhioHealth Performance Center in Columbus, Ohio. Colleges like Penn State University and Coastal Carolina University will be utilized as well. 

“With matches occurring within different locations, some games will be hosted right in Xavier students’ home city. There will definitely be a strong economic impact in the city of Boston, but especially in Foxborough where Gillette Stadium is,” senior marketing major Brenden Reardon from Boston said. 

“Hosting the World Cup (in Los Angeles) is going to bring tons of tourists to the city, and we  will be able to show people from around the world how LA really is. I’m looking forward to  seeing the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) open their World Cup play in LA,” sophomore sports management major Will Rowley from Orange County said.  

Ticket pricing remains controversial among fans. Tickets can range from $60 to  $6,730, with most being at the higher end. The tickets are divided into four categories from  Category One being the most expensive and Category Four being the lowest cost. Compared to the last World Cup in 2022, tickets now are significantly higher priced. 

Many well-known football players are expected to return. Christiano Ronaldo, a forward for Portugal is set to return for his sixth World Cup appearance at 41 years old, which will most likely be his last one. Christian “Captain America” Pulisic will be returning for the USMNT at 27 years old.

Currently, it is unclear if Lionel Messi, 38 years old, will be playing in the upcoming World Cup for Argentina. 

“I’ll do everything possible for Messi to be there at the World Cup. I think for the good of  football he has to be there, but he’s the one who will decide,” Lionel Scaloni, head coach of Argentina stated.

Kylian Mbappé will return for France as captain. Previously, he was the top goal scorer of the 2022 World Cup tournament with eight goals, with Messi following close with seven goals. Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior from Brazil is still up in the air due to recovery from a knee surgery after tearing his ACL.  

With all the excitement and anticipation, there does pose some potential challenges hosting in the U.S. Some of the cities have not received funding because of a partial federal government shutdown, resulting in a $900 million shortage for 11 cities. Many countries face a travel ban which would cause fans from other countries to attend games in the U.S. including Iran, Haiti and Senegal. Along with the increased prices of tickets, the cost of travel and accommodation can also be an obstacle for fans.  

“The World Cup is a global event that unites people from all around the world that share a common love of soccer. This is especially important in today’s world because of the division that exists in our country, and the world as a whole,” Rowley said.