The wait is almost over – the biggest World Cup ever is upon us. It promises to be a five weeks to remember.
More teams and more matches than ever before is set to deliver bucketloads of drama for the millions watching around the world.
Could it be the final hurrah for Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, two greats of the modern game? Can Carlo Ancelotti find a way to pull together Brazil and lead them to their first World Cup title since 2002?
Or is this the year, after six long decades of hurt, football finally comes home?
Here, Daily Mail Sport have boiled down the good, bad and ugly of the 2026 World Cup.
A is for Azteca
Where better to start than the stadium hosting the opening match? OK, OK, due to sponsorship reasons it’s now officially known as the ‘Estadio Banorte’. But try telling anyone who remembers tuning in for the Hand of God, or Brazil’s beautiful dismantling of Italy in the 1970 final, that this arena is called anything other than the Azteca. Expect a raucous green wall in the 83,000-capacity ground when co-hosts Mexico kick off the tournament against South Africa at 8pm on Thursday.
The Azecta was a dramatic backdrop for the most infamous World Cup goal of all 40 years ago
B is for Bleary-eyes
Time to invest in eye drops, energy drinks and an industrial strength alarm clock. Thanks to the time difference across the Atlantic, 35 of the games in the group stage alone are kicking off at midnight or later back in Blighty. Pubs in the UK have been given special permission to keep their doors open for late-night games involving the Home Nations. Scotland v Haiti at 2am on Saturday night should be tasty…
C is for Curacao
One of four teams making their tournament debut – and the best story. The Caribbean island’s population – around 155,000 at the last count – is a touch shy of Telford’s. They are managed by 78-year-old Dick Advocaat, who was in charge of the Netherlands the last time the World Cup was hosted in the US, 32 years ago.
D is for Donald
It rarely pays to make World Cup predictions, but I have a feeling you might catch a glimpse of President Donald Trump on your TV screen this summer. Still, only right that the winner of the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize should be in attendance.
E is for Expansion
Forty-eight teams, 104 games and three host nations. This is a World Cup unlike any other – for better or worse. More games and some fresh faces is a positive in my book. A group stage that runs for over two weeks to eliminate just a third of the teams less so.
F is for Followers
I’ve braced myself for games to be infested by fame-hungry influencers gurning into their selfie sticks. So let’s focus on a happier internet story for now. A few weeks ago, the Argentine TikToker Valen Scarsini went on a mission to draw attention to the least-known player at this tournament, settling on 32-year-old New Zealand defender Tim Payne. At the time, Payne had fewer than 5,000 followers on Instagram. He now has more than five million. The pair have even since met up at New Zealand’s training camp, where they shared a few glasses of champagne to toast Payne’s life-changing newfound fame.
New Zealand star Tim Payne has become one of the unlikeliest breakout stars of the build-up
Never one to shy away from the spotlight, Gianni Infantino is set to be a constant presence
G is for Gianni
Anyone else miss Sepp Blatter? His successor, FIFA’s fawning and follicly challenged supremo Gianni Infantino, will undoubtedly find creative new ways to debase himself this summer.
H is for Hydration breaks
Fittingly for a tournament in North America, matches will effectively be played in quarters, not halves. That’s thanks to the three-minute water breaks that will happen twice a game, helping players cope with the sweltering heat (and TV companies bank more advertising revenue). Unlike broadcasters around the world, the BBC and ITV won’t be cutting away from the action – even if said action is Jarell Quansah sipping from a Gatorade.
I is for ICE
While fans from around the world can expect a warm welcome in Canada and Mexico, one might not be as universal in the US. You can bet your bottom dollar there will be at least one high-profile story of the US’ Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agency (or ICE for short) running roughshod over unsuspecting supporters in the next few weeks.
J is for Jasim
Ali Jasim, to be precise. The 22-year-old forward is the young star of an Iraqi team making their first tournament appearance for 40 years. Born in Baghdad nine months after the fall of the wrecked city to US forces, Jasim also lost his father as a teenager. Now he can announce himself as a global superstar, in America of all countries. What a story.
Ali Jasim (left) is only the World Cup debutants hoping to make history over the next six weeks
K is for Kansas City
England 0-1 Argentina. When it comes to their World Cup HQ anyway – both countries are based in the Missouri city, but England’s Swope Park training facility is decidedly more… characterful than the plush, £56million performance centre the defending champions have got their hands on.
L is for last dance
A brief list of just some of the footballing icons for whom this is likely, or definitely, their final major tournament: Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric, Neymar, Manuel Neuer, Son Heung-min, Casemiro, Virgil van Dijk, Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois, James Rodriguez, N’Golo Kante. Feel old yet?
M is for MetLife
The home of New York NFL sides the Giants and Jets, the 79,000-seater arena will host the final on July 19. Critics call it ugly, soulless and difficult to get to. But it does at least hold happy memories for Reece James, who lifted the Club World Cup there with Chelsea last July.
N is for Nico
I’m predicting a big tournament for Manchester City left back O’Reilly. There’s a lot of familiarity to England’s squad, but the 21-year-old is a refreshing injection of sheer quality. Should start, too.
O is for Ochoa
There are football fans in their thirties who won’t remember a World Cup without Guillermo Ochoa. The Mexican will turn 41 during this tournament, his sixth with El Tri. His heroics in 2014 even led to a widespread (and entirely baseless) internet rumour that he has six fingers on his right hand.
Guillermo Ochoa is a living World Cup legend and has not passed up the opportunity to play at a home tournament one last time
P is for Phoned-in
Yes, we’re looking at you, BBC Sport. World Cup coverage from a green screen in Salford isn’t quite the same as a studio overlooking Times Square. ITV – who, unlike the Beeb, are actually bothering to send their pundits Stateside for the greatest show on earth – have a more impressive line-up, too. Ange Postecoglou and Juan Mata are among their star signings.
Q is for Quislings
There are two English managers working at the World Cup, though neither of them are taking charge of the Three Lions. Former Chelsea and West Ham boss Graham Potter is rebuilding his reputation with Sweden, while the New Zealand side who lost England 1-0 on Saturday are coached by ex-Watford right back Darren Bazeley. And then there’s Thomas Tuchel…
R is for Rip-off
This is the most expensive World Cup in history. Whether it’s the match ticket or even just the train fare to get there, supporters’ bank accounts will be taking a battering. ‘I wouldn’t pay that to be honest with you,’ said one Donald Trump of the $1,000 price of admission for USA’s opener with Paraguay. A ticket to the final, meanwhile, has touched £1.7million on some resale platforms.
S is for Shakira
The snake-hipped Colombian songstress has released her fourth – and worst – World Cup anthem: Dai Dai (‘Come on’ in Italian). Along with Madonna and South Korean boyband BTS, she will be performing at the final’s half-time show in a set produced by Coldplay’s Chris Martin. Yes, I’ll be making myself a cup of tea then as well.
T is for Trionda
Literally translating as ‘three waves’, adidas’ Trionda match ball is a technicolour tribute to the tournament’s trio of hosts. Each ball will contain a hi-tech motion sensor chip that relays data 500 times a second to our friends in the VAR booth (more on them in a second). The only catch? The balls need to be charged up before games!
U is for Uzbekistan
Another of the debutants. ‘The White Wolves’ pack – led by former Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro – isn’t replete with household names, with Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov their most high-profile player. Keep an eye out for young winger Abbosbek Fayzullaev.
Man City star Abdukodir Khusanov’s Uzbekistan will play at the World Cup for the first time in their history
V is for VAR
There’s no escaping it, unfortunately. Expect interminable delays, heinous handballs, and the rest. There’s more than ever before under VAR’s purview at this World Cup, too. Corner-kicks and second yellow cards can now be decided from afar.
W is for Weather warning
Thunderstorms, wildfires, oppressive heat. This is the World Cup of extreme weather. Matches were delayed by two hours due to the threat of lightning at last summer’s Club World Cup in the US, while the temperature for England’s group games could well top 35°C. Thomas Tuchel’s players will use palm-cooling devices to help them cool down during the water breaks.
X is for X-factor
Every World Cup winner needs a game-changer from the bench but, looking at England’s squad, I don’t see an array of contenders. Eberechi Eze, perhaps. Morgan Rogers, maybe. Could have done with Cole Palmer. Elsewhere, France’s Rayan Cherki, Portugal’s Rafael Leao and, of course, Neymar may offer a dash of star quality late on in games.
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Y is for Yamal
Thierry Henry remains the youngest player to win both the World Cup and the European Championship – 22 when France won the latter in 2000. Should Spain’s Lamine Yamal follow in his footsteps next month, he will have smashed that record by some 1,409 days. Watching him will be one of the joys of this tournament.
Z is for Zayu
Zayu the Jaguar, to give him his full title. Aka the Mexican delegate in a trio of tournament mascots, along with Maple the Moose and Clutch the Bald Eagle (I’ll trust you to work out which of the other two host nations they represent). A small figurine set of the gang is available to buy on the FIFA website for the bargain price of £210. Should you take all leave of your senses.
