#fifa-world-cup-2026

#fifa-world-cup-2026

At PayPal Park, a few hundred people file in to the stadium on a chilly Friday morning in December. San Jose Earthquakes season ticket holders, politicos and other VIPs gather in a few luxury suites for coffee and burritos. Those with general admission tickets gather in the fan zone behind the jumbotron, either on chairs or their feet. I see US National Team supporters, several Germany scarves, a few England jerseys and many Mexico shirts.

Germany's last two FIFA World Cup outings have been disastrous. The four time World Champions first failed to make it out of the group stage in 2018 under Joachim Löw after losing final game against Soouth Korea 2-0. A similar fate awaited Hansi Flick in the 2022 World Cup when Germany's 2-1 loss to Japan and 1-1 draw to Spain was only enough to secure a one way ticket back home. After two monumental disappointments, Julian Nagelsman will be hoping for brighter fortunes, but the odds may already be stacked against 38-year-old manager.

Following the World Cup draw at the Kennedy Centre in D.C., Germany's opponents were revealed to be the Caribbean island nation Curaçao, the African powerhouse Côte D'Ivoire and South America's Ecuador. Having placed in what can be considered a fairly easy draw, Germany must begin their preparations at the soonest. By June, the DFB must not just finalize a squad but find reliable options to give their best at the World Cup.

Despite the below-freezing temperatures, soccer fans packed out Father Duffy Square and its iconic ruby-red steps for the U.S. Soccer Federation-hosted 2026 FIFA World Cup Draw watch party in Times Square on Friday. The host nation's soccer governing body and the NY/NJ Host Committee collaborated to create a jumbotron for spectators to watch the draw and a hard-court, four-a-side soccer pitch for the event, inviting local New York youth and community teams to compete in a tournament for silverware.

For marketers adrift in a sea of media fragmentation, sports have remained a dependable - if pricey - anchor, representing one of the few remaining pillars of monoculture. Look no further than the Super Bowl, which continues to draw record ratings and diverse audiences on linear TV despite the acceleration of cord-cutting. That said, sports are as dynamic and fast-changing as other content types, and deep-pocketed companies like Unilever are adjusting their marketing strategies to recognize growing digital- and social-first consumption habits.

"People care less about labels than results," Wilson has said, regarding criticism of her democratic socialist views. FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks alongside U.S. President Donald Trump during a meeting of the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the Oval Office on November 17, 2025.Win McNamee / Getty Images Support justice-driven, accurate and transparent news - make a quick donation to Truthout today!

Qatar's defender Assim Madibo, left, drops to the floor to celebrate with Qatar's Spanish coach Julian Lopetegui after the FIFA World Cup 2026 Asian qualifier football match against the UAE [Karim Jaafar/AFP] Qatar's players celebrate at the full-time whistle against UAE as they reached a World Cup final for the first time through the qualification route [Karim Jaafar/AFP] Qatar's players celebrate their achievement with fans at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha [Karim Jaafar/AFP]

The Super Eagles' task is momentous: Benin lead them by three points and by two on goal difference, making the fixture a must-win for the Nigerians if they want to have any chance of qualification, either as the group winners or as the runners-up who could potentially compete in November's interconfederation playoff for a possible 10th African World Cup spot.

The tournament is the first ever World Cup to be played in three different countries, with the US, Canada and Mexico all hosting games, and will also be the largest edition ever, with 48 teams competing to lift the famous trophy. Played across 16 different cities, including here in the Bay Area at Levi's Stadium, fans will be offered plenty of opportunities to see the highest level of international soccer and some of the biggest names in the game take to the pitch.

Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane has scored in added time to give Tunisia a 1-0 win in Equatorial Guinea and qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in North America. The away victory on Monday night gave Tunisia an unassailable lead in Group H, and they became the second African nation to secure a place at the tournament after 2022 semifinalists Morocco.

It's the first region to have a Super Bowl and a World Cup in the same year,

I had some offers to play in the [Club] World Cup but I think it didn't make sense because I prefer to have a good rest, a good preparation, because this season will be very long as it is the World Cup season at the end of the year.