"With our eyes fixed" on the World Cup, we will open this door on JaxSoccerNews.com to offer our perspective on the event that practically paralyzes the entire world, since not only the countries that will have a sporting presence follow it, but also the rest of the globe lives it and will live it daily.
But this will be a FIFA World Cup completely different from all the others held so far: three countries, 48 national teams, 104 matches and all in just over a month. This forces one to be nourished with a lot of information, such as new rules, more powers for the VAR, the full North American heat and many keys around the tournament.
Handled by Trump
For the first time, FIFA seems to share part of the media spotlight of a World Cup with the North American president Donald Trump.
Its political and geopolitical weight, inside and outside the United States, puts it in the focus of attention, to the point that many have even arrived. to call it Trump's World Cup.
A gigantic World Cup
The mere conformation of having 48 teams, playing 104 matches and being played in three nations, with 16 venues, turns the 2026 World Cup into a gigantic event.
But in addition, this World Cup faces challenges of all kinds: teacher strikes in Mexico, high costs of public transportation, international security challenges and even health alerts that could impact entry controls and mobility during the tournament.
The rookies' World Cup
Due to its very structure, this will be the World Cup with the largest number of debutants in all of history. Teams such as Jordan, Uzbekistan, Cape Verde and Curacao appear there, in addition to the return, after half a century, of teams such as Haiti and the DR Congo, and the return of Iraq since 1986.
All this makes the 2026 World Cup one of the most exotic and diverse in history.
Three opening ceremonies
Another unique and novel case will be that, for the first time, they will be held three opening ceremonies, one in each of the organizing countries.
Mexico City will be the first to raise the curtain on June 11, with the performance of artists such as Maná, J Balvin and Tyla, among others.
Toronto will be the second on stage, on June 12, before the clash between Canada and Bosnia-Herzegovina, with the presence of artists such as Michael Bublé and Alanis Morissette.
That same June 12, but in Los Angeles, in the debut of the United States against Paraguay, the third inauguration will take place, with Katy Perry, Anitta, Future, LISA, Rema and Tyla among the main names.
A champion after eight games
To lift the World Cup, the champion and its rival in the final will have to play eight games (previously there were only seven), and the definition will be at MetLife Stadium of New Jersey, on July 19.
It will be one more match than any other world champion in history and twice as many as Uruguay needed to become the winner of the first edition, in 1930.
A superlative challenge that will force you to stay in shape for more than a month.
