The 2026 World Cup won over America and proved the planet wrong - Yahoo Sports

What the report says

Yahoo Sports reported that the 2026 FIFA World Cup, staged across North America, became a broader cultural and sporting success in the United States despite pre-tournament doubts about empty seats, weak local enthusiasm and unsuitable conditions. Writing from East Rutherford, New Jersey, Steven Goff described the event as one that drew in casual and previously indifferent viewers, using scenes of airline passengers watching Argentina play England and airport travelers crowding around highlights as examples of the tournament’s reach.

The article said the expanded 104-match tournament still delivered strong attendance overall, even with high ticket prices and some empty seats. It also pointed to major U.S. television audiences, including reported Fox and Telemundo figures of 50 million for U.S.-Belgium and 45 million for Mexico-England, as evidence that World Cup interest was amplified by soccer’s growing weekly presence through leagues such as the Premier League, Liga MX and Major League Soccer.

On the field, Yahoo highlighted Spain’s title run, Argentina’s return to the final behind 39-year-old Lionel Messi, Rodri’s Golden Ball award, and Kylian Mbappé leading the Golden Boot race. It also noted storylines such as Cape Verde reaching the knockout stage in its first World Cup, Morocco sustaining its recent international rise, and disappointing early exits or underperformances from major teams including Brazil, Germany, Uruguay and South Korea.

For the co-hosts, the report framed the tournament as a marker of soccer’s continued growth in the U.S., while noting Canada won World Cup matches for the first time and Mexico benefited from games at Estadio Azteca before losing to England. The piece argued that, despite criticism of FIFA over pricing, politics and match operations, the tournament strengthened North America’s case as a major soccer market.