The 2026 World Cup in times of war and gigantism

For the first time, 48 instead of 32 national teams will compete for the title from June 11 to July 19. FIFA is selling the tournament as a celebration of global football, but critics see it above all as the next step towards gigantism. Instead of 64, the World Cup now comprises 104 matches. The matches will be played at 16 venues in three countries and the tournament will last 39 days. In future, the world champion will have to survive five instead of four knockout matches - eight matches including the group stage.

78 matches and all matches from the quarter-finals onwards will be played in the USA, 13 each in Canada and Mexico, including the opening match between Mexico and South Africa on Thursday at 9.00 pm Swiss time in the legendary Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. The final will take place on July 19 at the MetLife Stadium near New York, which will be known as the New York-New Jersey Stadium during the World Cup.

A guest of Donald Trump

It is set to be a summer of superlatives for Donald Trump. The US President celebrates his 80th birthday three days after the start of the World Cup, and on July 4, the USA celebrates its 250th founding day.

However, the hoped-for celebratory mood is clouded: the USA is still at war with Iran, social tensions accompany everyday life in the country and put the USA to the test. There is chaos in the world, which Trump is fueling with his hostile appearances, belligerent actions and confrontation with long-standing allies.

Another uncertainty factor is the climate. Several venues are located in regions where temperatures regularly exceed 30 degrees in June and July and severe storms are to be expected. Even before the tournament began, the heat was a concern for organizers and associations. Additional cooling zones, drinking water stations and other protective measures are intended to provide relief.

Profit maximization at all costs

Nevertheless, FIFA is hoping for a summer fairytale and images of full stadiums. The XXL tournament brings the world association - what else? - even more revenue. The advantages outweigh the disadvantages: more markets, more television rights, more sponsors and more tickets. The record profit for FIFA is expected to amount to 13 billion, while the tournament is expected to bring the US economy an added value of 30 billion dollars.

The ticket prices in particular are causing discussion. In some cases, four-digit dollar amounts were charged for top matches and knockout rounds. The World Cup is thus following the trend that FIFA has already adopted for the Club World Cup and previous major events: Profit maximization to the extreme.

The burden on the players is also increasing. The professionals come to North America after a long club season, have to travel long distances four years after the World Cup in Qatar, the tournament of short distances, and have to play an additional knockout game if they are successful. The debate about the increasingly full international football calendar will therefore not die down during this World Cup, on the contrary.

Switzerland on a mission

In sporting terms, the increase to 48 participants opens the door to the finals for more nations. With Jordan, Cape Verde, Uzbekistan and Curaçao, four countries are taking part for the first time. For top teams, the increase primarily means an additional burden. The tournament is threatened by the fact that the disparity in the group stage is too great.

Switzerland wants to make history in the XXL tournament. In the words of national coach Murat Yakin and the players, they should play their best World Cup in modern times, i.e. advance to the quarter-finals. Their opponents in the group stage are Qatar (June 13), Bosnia-Herzegovina (June 17) and hosts Canada (June 24).

The national team has not reached the last eight since the 1954 World Cup. In five of the last six World Cup appearances, they have finished in the round of 16. The starting position at the 2026 World Cup is promising: Switzerland qualified undefeated and will line up with an experienced, well-coordinated team.