
World Cup 2026: A Global Showpiece Beset by Real-World Tensions
The 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada, and Mexico will feature 48 teams and a 104-game schedule, aiming for unprecedented global engagement, but it arrives amid visa hurdles, security and funding concerns, and broader geopolitical tensions that threaten the build-up, even as organizers pledge unity and record spectacle and highlight moments from stars like Messi and Ronaldo and debutants from new nations.











