ATLANTA (AP) — world cup The final between Spain and defending champion Argentina comes to an end. biggest tournament in the history of the competition. When the final whistle blew in New Jersey on Sunday, the record 104 games The game will be played across three countries for approximately six weeks.
This mega tournament featured thrilling action on the field, with upsets, dramatic comebacks, spectacular goals, and standout performances from the game’s biggest stars.
It also caused controversy due to the surrounding political tensions. Iranian participation In response to criticism of innovations such as hydration breakwhich was unpopular with many fans.
Here are some key takeaways from the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
More teams means more drama.
There were concerns that the newly expanded 48-team format would make the games lopsided and that the group stages would be out of jeopardy.
Tell that to Cape Verde, Congo and even Curacao. All of these made history and won new fans.
cape verde They held Spain to a draw in the first match and advanced to the round of 32, giving Argentina a scare, but they ultimately lost 3-2 in overtime at the World Cup Classic. Cape Verde goalkeeper Vosinha appointed breakout star At the age of 40, he has amassed millions of followers on social media.
Congo also made it through the group stage. pushed England out Before you finally lose, Curacao There was still a chance for a knockout win heading into the final group match.
FIFA has opened its doors to more teams and proven they can compete on soccer’s biggest stage. Despite this, the top nations that made it to the final four were former champions Argentina, Spain, France and England.
Delivered by big stars
The race for the Golden Boot has turned out to be a who’s who of the world’s top players, with Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham firing on all cylinders.
mbappe He scored 10 goals in the tournament, setting a World Cup record of 22 goals and leading the charge heading into Sunday’s final. Messi has played 8 matches in this World Cup, with 1 remaining for a total of 21 matches.
Cristiano Ronaldo It was his last World Cup, but although he was unable to lead Portugal to success, the Spanish teenage sensation did. Lamine Yamal The star of the Euros two years ago had to work through injuries to qualify for the tournament.
Big technology, big complaints
Video review, known as VAR, was at the center of many controversial decisions, ruling out big goals from Germany, Croatia and Egypt.
Egyptian coach Hossam Hassan launched a ferocious attack Argentina made a stunning comeback from a 2-0 deficit in the round of 16 to win 3-2.
“We have suffered unfairly,” he said after Egypt had a goal overturned when the score was still 1-0.
The high-tech balls used in the tournament, equipped with sensors, shocked Croatia. dramatic late equalizer In the Round of 32 match against Portugal, Josko Gvardiol’s goal was ruled offside after picking up a slight touch from Igor Mantanovic.
“All these decisions take the joy out of football,” Croatian national team coach Zlatko Dalic said. resigned.
Fans flocked despite exorbitant ticket prices
In the lead up to the tournament, there were concerns that FIFA’s introduction of dynamic pricing would put match tickets out of reach for the average fan. Some critics blamed FIFA. “A monumental betrayal.”
Official ticket price General sales ranged from $140 to $2,735 Group stage matches can cost up to $8,680 and the final can cost up to $8,680, far more than the price of the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022. In response to the criticism, FIFA announced it would offer a selection of $60 tickets for each match to the 48 participating national federations.
The FIFA resale market allowed sellers to sell tickets well above face value, including tickets for the final. Just under $2.3 million. FIFA did not control resale prices, but received a cut of the sales.
Despite all the criticism, fans still turned out in large numbers, even for games where leading teams and players were not present.
After a shaky start despite empty seats for the intervening games; Korea and Czech Republic In Guadalajara, stadium after stadium reported being full.
There were also many foreign tourists. Impressed by the hospitality they experienced in america
Hydration beats turn-offs
FIFA’s new hydration break midway through the first half, new for this World Cup, drew loud jeers from fans inside the stadium and was criticized by former players.
“This is America, right? So it’s like a time out,” former Ireland international Roy Keane told the Overlap podcast.
Rests were introduced to allow players to address issues. summer heatHowever, FIFA has stipulated that the tournament will be held regardless of weather, venue, or location.
Coaches used it like a timeout to convey in-game tactical instructions. Meanwhile, broadcasters used this as an opportunity for a commercial break.
It is unclear whether FIFA will implement hydration breaks at future World Cups, but the English Football Association has said it is unlikely to be implemented at the 2028 European Championship, which will be co-hosted by England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
Iran joined despite the war
It’s not unusual for politics and sports to intertwine at the World Cup. This time, the greatest political tension surrounded the national teams. Iran.
of war in the middle east There were doubts as to whether the Iranian team would show up in the first place. It was, but only after Move base camp From Arizona to Mexico.
Their participation was hampered by visa issues, with the US refusing to issue visas to several members of the Iranian delegation. Iranians also complained about travel restrictions, including having to leave the United States immediately after each game.
When Iran was eliminated in the group stage, Secretary of Homeland Security Mark Wayne Mullin said: made his feelings clear. “I’m really glad they’re done and aren’t coming back,” he said.
President Trump’s role attracts attention
On the other hand, the Trump administration travel restrictions A series of countries blocked some fans from traveling to the United States, but there were no reports of the heavy-handed immigration controls that some human rights groups feared could take place around World Cup stadiums.
Other than the finals, Trump did not attend any World Cup games. However, his relationship with FIFA president Gianni Infantino suddenly came to light after comments made by American striker Folarin Balogun. One match suspension due to red card Ahead of the team’s Round of 16 match against Belgium.
President Trump said he called Infantino and made the request. Decisions to be considered Before FIFA granted Balogun eligibility. FIFA insisted its disciplinary body acted independently, but the incident raised questions about political interference.
In the end, this decision did not help the United States. lost 4-1 To Belgium.
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James Robson is https://x.com/James Saran Robson
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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here
