This summer the 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup will take place right here in the United States as they are co-hosting the tournament in conjunction with Canada and Mexico. This year’s tournament is set to be one of the largest world cup fields in history as it has been expanded to include 48 teams representing different nations throughout the world. There are 16 cities that will be featured in the tournament, including 11 within the United States and the World Cup Final is set to take place on July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The format of the tournament has shifted, and the number of competing teams has expanded. The 48 national teams are divided into 12 groups of four, with each team playing three opponents in a round-robin style group stage. Resulting in the top two teams in each group advancing to the round of 32, and the eight third-place teams across the groups with the most points advancing to the next round.
Following group play, the tournament follows a single elimination style format for each successive round up until the final where each match will consist of two 45-minute halves in regulation. A successive overtime and penalty shootout will follow if the match-up remains tied following the conclusion of regular time.
The United States national team is currently ranked as the 15th best team in the world and are seeking to make a deep tournament run on home soil as it is the first time in 32 years that the United States is hosting the World Cup. Headlined by star players Christian Pulisic, and rising talents lie Gio Reyna, Yunus Musah, and Johnny Cardoso, this year’s squad presents itself as one of the most talented American sides in recent memory. As the top seed in Group D, comprised of the United States, Paraguay, Australia, and yet to be determined team from the fourth pot, the United States journey towards a deep World Cup run begins with a strong showing in the group stage.
They seek to replicate the recent success of the 2022 World Cup Winner’s in Qatar when Lionel Messi and the Argentinian national team hoisted the trophy for the third time in their storied history. Evidently, Argentina and other perennial World Cup contenders including the likes of Germany, Portugal, France, and Brazil also seek to cement themselves in the history books for world soccer in this year’s World Cup.
I had the opportunity to speak with fifth year senior Mohammad Azem who is a lifelong team USA fan and ask him what he is looking forward to the most regarding this year’s edition of the world cup. Azem stated that “I plan on travelling to the East Coast for the first time this summer and watching one of the over 104 matches that will take place in person” going on to state that despite the immediate financial burden, it will be a worthwhile experience.
If you yourself are a soccer fan or want to catch a game in person, your best bet will be to visit the official website of the Fifa World Cup at fifa.com and see what host cities/games pique your interest the most. Be sure not to miss out on a once in a lifetime opportunity to be a part of the most coveted sporting event of the year.
Daniel Silva is a Dakota Student General Reporter. He can be reached at daniel.a.[email protected].
