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Before the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, there were concerns about everything from the people it is cheaper to attend matches adequacy of football fields.
Mexico started this tradition with a 2-0 group win in South Africa on June 11, the third time Mexico City has hosted the opening game. Fast forward 17 days and 72 games later and it was Austria and Algeria who finished the group stage on June 28 in Dallas, with a tense 3-3 draw that ended at midnight on Sunday.
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As of late last week, FIFA announced that the 2026 edition had surpassed the World Cup attendance record of 3.6 million, surpassing Qatar 2022 at over 3.4 million viewers, with three weeks to go.
Here are 5 major takeaways from the World Cup squads:
The World Cup is still going on in Euro-South America
UEFA groups are often based on their reputation, with France leading the way with the best record in the group stage.
Even Norway, which has never been better than the Round of 16, is preparing for a big run. Wisely, coach Stale Solbakken conceded Group I to Les Bleus in their last group game on Friday to give them a break in the next round.
CONMEBOL Argentina, Brazil and Colombia won the groups, the Cafeteros holding Portugal in the final; and Ecuador upset Germany to advance as third place.
But Europe and South America are not alone in their ambitions for the 2026 World Cup.
Nine of the 10 African teams have advanced and Morocco are talking about reaching the final. It seems like a reasonable goal after the last appearance of the Atlas Lions in 2022.
The Moroccans went to Qatar defending and defending Yassine Bounou’s goals. Now, the plan is going towards the goal, one reason why Mohamed Ouahbi replaced Walid Regragui. It was a slow start, a 1-1 draw with Brazil and a 1-0 win in Scotland. Then, Achraf Hakimi, Ismael Saibari and Reserve Soufiane Rahimi won 4-2 in Haiti.
Then there is the United States, which has been talking about all the wins since coach Mauricio Pochettino was hired in 2024. Now, the US players and their new signings are matching Pochettino. Don’t forget their team-mates Mexico, who won all three of their group games – one of only three teams to do so alongside heavyweights Argentina and France.
Which team is the real USA?
Team USA started with a big win – 4-1 in Paraguay, 2-0 in Australia. Then, a 3-2 loss to Turkey. So, is this team as good as they appeared in the first two games or are they as vulnerable as the previously eliminated Turks made them appear? The answer is probably somewhere in between.
Firing on all cylinders and with a team behind them, the USA players look as good as anyone. But the depth of the American team is questionable and injuries to the starters led Pochettino to make nine changes against Turkiye and expose the shortcomings of his teammates to bring down.
Lionel Messi has taken the Golden Boot nomination
Going into the World Cup, the Golden Boot competition Favorites were Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe.
Then came Messi, himself he broke Miroslav Klose’s all-time scoring record – and the diminutive Argentine star looks set to add a few more goals to his current Golden Boot haul of six from three games, not just in the World Cup.
Messi turned 39 last week and there is international consensus that this will be his last appearance on the world’s biggest show. But Messi seems to – if not getting better with age – somehow acquire an extra weapon, or two.
Unlike another 41-year-old star, Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi has shown subtle ways to extend his talent: he can take the playing field; his body, low center of gravity, helps prevent injuries; and its very practical style conserves energy. Messi and the Goat? If they haven’t confirmed yet, just wait until 2030.
Everyone loves an underdog
A proud, 48-team division dominated the competition. But Cape Verde showed they belonged, the Tubaroes Azuis finished second in a group that included former World Cup champions Spain and Uruguay, plus Saudi Arabia. They were committed to the field, united on it.
No controversy or controversy can mar the campaign of a team as inexperienced – or as experienced, as Uruguay. Curacao deserves some mercy, but the Blue Wave should have been happy to score against Germany and get a draw with Ecuador.
Haiti and the Democratic Republic of the Congo – who returned to the competition 52 years after becoming the first Caribbean and sub-Saharan African countries respectively to qualify for the tournament – also earned respect for their performances, unlike the 1974 debacle in West Germany.
Aymen Hussein of Iraq converted the country’s first goal, but the Lions of Mesopotamia – playing in their first World Cup since 1986 – won in one of the toughest groups.
It was hard not to sympathize with Iran at the 2026 World Cup. It was bad enough that they received unwelcome treatment from US officials, but luck also eluded them on the pitch. terminated on the last daythough he made an undefeated record in team play (three draws).
The spirit of the World Cup is still there
It’s guaranteed: win, lose or draw – the World Cup group stage is the biggest party in the world. Maybe not everyone was invited, but those who entered the door were doing so.
Fans from all over the world have transformed cities and stadiums into crowd-pleasers and chants: Scots drink water in towns without causing trouble; The Dutch turned the paved highways into a sea of orange.
There were definitely obstacles to having a good time – high ticket prices and travel hassles.
Hydration burst disrupts the flow of the game and angers the fans – who are greeted with boos. But the audience showed great enthusiasm and brought the event to life.
Group play ended with 72 of the 104 games played over two and a half weeks, with the original goal of sending 12 teams home. There may be questions as to whether some of them were involved in the competition, but their followers undoubtedly were.
