The World Cup is the most prestigious tournament in international football
It is the biggest sports event on the planet, and the eyes of the world will be on the US, Canada, and Mexico this summer, as the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off. The tournament is only held every four years and is the most prestigious in international football. All the best players will be in attendance, with millions watching every game on TV at home.
It goes without saying that the world’s media will descend on North America for the five and a half weeks of elite football, and all the right New Jersey betting apps will be covering the tournament.
New Jersey will actually host eight games during the tournament, including those from the group stage, knockout rounds, and even the final itself. The MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford will be temporarily known as the New York New Jersey Stadium, in line with FIFA policy, and will, once again, feature prominently in a world-class sporting event.
With just a few months to go before the first game kicks off, here are the answers to four important questions about World Cup 2026.
Will We Have a Back-to-Back Champion?
Even non-football fans have probably heard of Lionel Messi, thanks to his global profile. If you are new to the sport, he is arguably the best player in the world at the current time, and might have a claim to be the greatest of all time. After a career of titles, he finally won a World Cup in 2022, when his Argentina side beat France in the final.
Argentina is still one of the world’s best international teams, and is currently ranked second in the world by the sport’s governing body. Lionel Messi is the captain of a team that boasts some unbelievable talent. But can he win it all again? The last time a nation won back-to-back titles, it was Brazil in 1962. With a number of elite teams vying to take the crown this summer, the odds would seem to be against Argentina winning it again so soon.
Can Ronaldo Complete the Set?
We only said that Lionel Messi has a claim on being the greatest of all time because some football fans would point to Cristiano Ronaldo as holding that position. That debate will probably go on forever, but there is no doubt that the captain of Portugal is right up there when it comes to football legends.
Ronaldo made his debut for his national team at the age of 18 and has now played over 220 games, scoring an incredible 143 goals. He helped Portugal to win the European Championship 2016, and has won just about everything at club level with the biggest European teams. But he has never won a World Cup. Portugal has never even made it to the final, and although the squad is full of world-class talent, it could be that Ronaldo retires in the summer without ever winning the biggest prize in the sport.
Who are the Long Shots to Look Out For?
Even though Portugal has never won a World Cup before, there is no way it can be considered a long shot when it comes to an eventual winner. There is just too many world-class players in the squad, as well as Ronaldo, to not think of Portugal as being anything but firmly in the “real contender” level.
This will be the biggest World Cup finals of all time, with an expanded format meaning that there will be 48 nations represented. There will be 104 games – each their own Super Bowl if FIFA President Gianni Infantino is to be believed – and there are bound to be a few surprises. There are four teams making their finals debut (with the potential for two more after the playoffs), but the chance of any of those actually winning the final is unlikely. Long shots to keep an eye on include Ecuador, Senegal, and Mexico, but the winner is usually one of an elite group of teams that have already triumphed before. So don’t expect a shock.
Can the US Benefit from Home Advantage?
Home advantage can be a big deal in the World Cup. Of the 22 past tournaments, six have been won by the hosts, while even lower-ranked hosts have done better than expected thanks to playing in front of crowds filled with their own fans. The 2026 World Cup will be co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico, and all three could do well.
The US is ranked 15th in the world, with Mexico in 16th, and Canada at 29th by FIFA. That would suggest that none of them should make it further than the round of 16. But, depending on how the opening phase goes for all three, they could play the majority of games on home soil.
Although Canada and Mexico might both do very well this summer, it is the US that has the most home advantage, as the majority of games will be played within the country. The final games hosted by Canadian or Mexican venues will be during the round of 16, so home advantage will largely disappear after that for those two.
The US will be hoping that this will be their World Cup – in many ways. But, even though there are some players performing for the best club sides in the world, the squad as a whole looks weaker than those in the top-tier nations. The US will almost certainly benefit from home advantage, but don’t expect an American World Cup triumph.
