Your Guide To Watching The World Cup

Whether you’re a dedicated soccer fan or can’t recite a single fact about the sport, get ready for the worldwide phenomenon that is the men’s soccer World Cup. With 1.5 billion watching 2022’s final match between Argentina and France, this summer’s month-long tournament is expected to be the biggest sporting event in the world. It kicks off (literally) on June 11, when Mexico and South Africa play in Mexico City, and runs through July 19, with the final game being played in New Jersey.

“We think the Super Bowl is so big here, but this is watched globally,” says former US women’s national team player Julie Ertz, who now co-hosts the Style of Play Show podcast. “It's all the eyes on soccer and what a beautiful game it is.”

This time, though, you might hear extra buzz about the World Cup. For the first time since 1994, it’ll be hosted in North America, across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

While the United States Women’s National Team have taken home four World Cup titles, most recently in 2019, and a gold medal in the 2024 Olympics, the United States Men’s National Team last advanced to the World Cup semifinals in 1930. The American men, currently ranked 14th in the tournament, open up play in the group stage. They are in Group D, where they’re favored to win their first game against Paraguay on June 12 and then take on 26th-ranked Australia in their second game the following week.

For the U.S., the group stage concludes with a matchup against Turkey, Slovakia, Romania or Kosovo depending on how those teams performed in their first two games. Then, it’ll be onto single elimination.

So what else do you need to know? Read on to find out the storylines to keep an eye out for throughout the 2026 World Cup.

Team USA Names To Know

If you’re not familiar with this year’s roster, here are a few names to watch out for, according to Seth Vertelney, soccer editor at USA Today Sports.

Christian Pulisic, 27, midfielder. He scored the goal that put the U.S, into the knockout round at the 2022 World Cup. “He’s already talked about as one of the best American men soccer players ever, but this is the chance to really do something that gets him remembered and put on the real Mount Rushmore of American soccer.”

Weston McKinnie, 27, midfielder. “He can play pretty much anywhere and do it well.”

Tyler Adams, 27, midfield. “He is their defensive midfield linchpin, kind of does everything on the field, does all the dirty work, and allows the players ahead of him to do their thing, attacking-wise.”

Chris Richards, 26, defender. “He's their best defensive player. He's going into this tournament with an ankle injury and his health is going to be really important.”

Ticket Costs Are Unprecedented

This tournament is being dubbed the most expensive World Cup in history, with ticket prices doubling in some cities since 2022. For group stage games, Category 3 seats (the cheapest) ranged from $140 to $1,410. Category 1 seats in the final initially sold for $6,370 in October, but jumped to $10,990 by June.

Earlier this month, the attorney generals of New York and New Jersey even opened an investigation into FIFA for the “sky-high costs” of attendance.

The Favored Champions

So who’s going to win it all? Becky Sauerbrunn, former USWNT player and current Men in Blazers Media Network host of The Women's Game says she’s watching four teams: 2022 World Cup champion Argentina; Spain, which is coming off a European Championship; and France with superstar forward Kylian Mbappe.

“And then if I wanted to go with more of a Cinderella story, you could go with Morocco, who did really well last time but just couldn't get to the final,” she says. “But it was an amazing run to make it to the semis.”

Goodbye To The GOATs?

Speaking of Argentina, this may be the last chance to see Lionel Messi, who turns 39 this month, in a World Cup. He’s been in five already, and was a key player in his country’s 2022 win.

Portugal’s superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, will also be playing in his sixth World Cup — his last, he says.

“The argument is always who's the GOAT,” says Ertz. “That's a storyline that will just be talked about because they're two of the greatest.”

As one generation exits, another rises. “It’s this sending off of the legends and the introduction of just new exciting young players,” says Sauerbrunn.

Soccer’s About To Boom In The U.S. — Again

Historically, a World Cup on U.S. soil has given the sport’s popularity a boost. America’s professional league, Major League Soccer, formed as a result of the 1994 men’s World Cup. The women’s side experienced a similar bump when the U.S. hosted — and won — the 1999 women’s World Cup. Money poured into the game and the launch of the first domestic women’s league was accelerated.

“It was great that the States [hosted] in ‘94 because I think we got a taste of what soccer can be in this country, and it's just grown so exponentially since then,” says Sauerbrunn. She believes the halo effect will reach the women’s side as well.

The World Cup is also a rare chance for players – even the most well-known– to propel their careers to bigger clubs, bigger salaries, big endorsements and hero status if they have a key moment in the tournament. “This,” Sauerbrunn says, “is where legends get made.”