The 2026 World Cup comes to a close with the final between Spain and defending champions Argentina, after a record 104 matches played across nearly six weeks and three host nations (United States, Mexico and Canada). It was the biggest tournament in history, delivering drama, upsets, and controversy.
The new 48-team format raised concerns about one-sided matches, but the underdogs proved they belonged. Cape Verde held Spain to a draw in the group stage, advanced to the round of 32, and pushed Argentina to extra time before losing 3-2 in an instant classic. Their 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha became a global sensation with millions of social media followers. Congo also advanced beyond the group stage and gave England a scare, while Curaçao stayed in contention until its final group match. Nevertheless, four former champions — Argentina, Spain, France and England — made it to the semifinals.
The Golden Boot race featured the world's best players. Kylian Mbappé led with 10 goals in the tournament and a record 22 career World Cup goals. Lionel Messi had eight in this edition and 21 total, with one match to play. Cristiano Ronaldo could not lead Portugal to success in what he said was his last World Cup, while Spain's teenage sensation Lamine Yamal — the star of Euro 2024 — overcame injury to shine.
VAR was at the center of several controversies. Goals disallowed for Germany, Croatia and Egypt sparked furious reactions. Egypt coach Hossam Hassan spoke of "suffering injustice" after Argentina's comeback from 2-0 down. The sensor-equipped match ball cost Croatia a dramatic late equalizer against Portugal, detecting the slightest touch from Igor Mantanovic in an offside position. "All these decisions take the joy out of football," said Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić, who stepped down afterward.
Ticket prices ranging from $140 to $8,680 for the final drew accusations of a "monumental betrayal" of fans. FIFA responded by offering $60 tickets for every match to the 48 participating federations. Despite the criticism, stadiums reported full houses throughout the tournament, even for non-marquee matchups.
The hydration breaks midway through each half — a World Cup novelty — were met with loud jeers. Former Ireland international Roy Keane likened them to an NBA timeout. Coaches used them to relay tactical instructions, while broadcasters took commercial breaks. The English FA has said they are unlikely to be used at Euro 2028.
On the political front, Iran participated despite the war in the Middle East, moving its training camp from Arizona to Mexico and facing visa issues for several delegation members. President Trump did not attend any matches but called FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review Folarin Balogun's one-game suspension, raising questions about FIFA's disciplinary independence. The decision did not help the U.S., which lost 4-1 to Belgium in the round of 16.
Sources
- AP News – The biggest takeaways from the 2026 World Cup: https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-final-spain-argentina-e45fd30932bb9885812805cafa99ca33
