Co-Hosts Face Sharpest Scrutiny as 2026 World Cup Opens
Co-Hosts Face Sharpest Scrutiny as 2026 World Cup Opens
All 48 nations are completing final preparations across training bases in Canada, Mexico, and the United States as the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, with the three co-hosts carrying expectations that eclipse those of any other participant. Mexico, which has reached the quarterfinals only when hosting in 1970 and 1986, and holds the record for the most World Cup appearances without reaching a semifinal, enters under particular pressure. The United States, bolstered by home venues and a manageable group, and Canada, seeking to recover from a difficult 2022 campaign, face similarly elevated scrutiny given the logistical and financial investment each nation has committed to staging the tournament.
The expanded 48-team format, which allows eight third-placed group-stage sides to advance to the knockout round, broadens the competitive landscape and creates genuine pathways for nations such as Haiti, Curaçao, Cape Verde, and Scotland to reach the later stages. Among established contenders, England and France are widely cited as the heavyweights most vulnerable to early exits. England carry more than six decades without a major international trophy, while France, despite a squad of considerable depth, face a demanding group that includes Norway, whose attack is built around Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, and Senegal. Argentina, the defending champions, present a further risk profile: retaining largely the same squad that won in Qatar in 2022 raises questions about hunger and the effects of age.
Croatia midfielder Luka Modrić, who could reach 200 international appearances at this tournament, and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal are identified as veterans capable of decisive contributions despite their careers being in their final stages. Haaland, appearing in his first senior major tournament, joins Kylian Mbappé of France and Colombia’s Luis Díaz – who spent the 2024-25 Bundesliga season at Bayern Munich alongside Harry Kane – as the forwards with the strongest claims to individual awards. Japan, described as a tactically cohesive unit, and Colombia, which can draw on substantial local support across the United States, are among the sides analysts expect to exceed preseason projections.
Group-stage fixtures already earmarked as significant include the United States against Türkiye on 25 June in Los Angeles, which is set to determine the winner of Group D, and Portugal against Colombia on 27 June in Miami. A potential quarterfinal meeting between Messi and Ronaldo would represent the final competitive encounter between the two players most associated with the sport’s recent era. How Mexico performs at the Estadio Azteca – the venue where both Pelé and Diego Maradona lifted the World Cup trophy – will be among the most closely watched storylines of the group stage.
