‘The World Cup has not gripped the US yet’
The 2026 finals kick off today, but World Cup fever has not yet taken hold in the US, writes Henry Winter
Click here to read World Soccer’s guide to the 2026 World Cup
It’s like the World Cup has to wait in line until the NBA Finals has finished obsessing a nation. Then it can come in and, sorry about the mess, they’ve been having quite a party. The sporting drama of New York Knicks leading San Antonio Spurs 3-1 is intoxicating, and plenty of the arriving World Cup footballers are tuning in by all accounts.
Some are transfixed because they are huge NBA fans. Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi both are. Others watch because it is difficult to flick the TV on here and avoid the coverage. The World Cup has not gripped the US yet (it has Mexico, certainly, and Canada).
Talking of being gripped, all footballing visitors could also be forgiven for watching the levels of grappling in the NBA and consider that basketball is worse than even football for holding and baulking.
Now the football is about to get underway, changes to the laws will become even more a subject for debate. Grappling at set-pieces, and most significantly defenders preventing attackers reaching corners, has supposedly been addressed by IFAB. The law men now allow grappling to be penalised before the ball is kicked – in theory. During England’s 3-0 win over Costa Rica in Orlando, Jude Bellingham was twice wrestled to the floor at corners by Fernan Faerron. Dan Burn was also man-handled away from reaching the ball.
The incidents annoyed Thomas Tuchel. Even if the new laws are not to be fully imposed until the World Cup gets fully under way, they were completely ignored in the Inter&Co Stadium. I asked Tuchel about why there was no punishment for those pulling down Bellingham and Burn. “Very good question. I have no answer for that.” He paused so I added another point. Twenty games will be played at the World Cup before England play. So England can look for hints on referees’ focus.
“It will be difficult to have consistency,” Tuchel said. “Credit to the referees, and to VAR, (but) it will be very, very difficult to hold a consistent line. It’s not difficult to view situations whistled in one match, and not whistled in the other. This is what’s coming.”
It’s particularly frustrating for Tuchel because he knows that set-pieces will be a valuable weapon for England, including their four Arsenal players.
“We are strong with set-pieces already, and we will get stronger, because the group is ready to dig in, learn in meetings, spend the minutes on the training pitch (practising set-pieces),” Tuchel said. “It is not the most attractive session to train set-pieces, but they’re willing to do it because they have a dream.
“They know it takes invisible work, repetitive work that’s maybe not so nice to do. They’re ready to do it. We want to be a strong set-piece team. We adapt to what’s allowed and what’s not allowed.” England are grapplers themselves. FIFA’s referees could be busy at both ends.
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A 48-team World Cup is, of course, too big. The quality is diluted. Jamie Carragher was talking on one of his podcasts about the group stages being likely to lack drama, so roll on the knockouts. But the history of the World Cup is that there can be shocks. Italia 90 unfolded to Cameroon demolishing the holders Italy. USA 94 was not short of early drama. I covered Saudi Arabia’s Group F game with Belgium on June 29. It promised a routine win for Enzo Scifo, Franky Van der Elst and friends in Washington DC.
Hotel staff were surprised I wanted to go, even when I explained I was writing on the game. They were, kindly, also concerned for my safety. They insisted I take a cab, as they warned the area around RFK Stadium station was risky. It was fine, calm and I was at risk only of sunstroke. And at risk of my jaw dropping to the floor. Saeed Al-Owairan dribbled past four Belgians and placed the ball past Michel Preud’homme. It was voted one of the greatest goals of all time. At one of the most unpromising occasions. The World Cup offers tales of the unexpected.
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There’s always a sense of privilege in attending a World Cup, a feeling enhanced by a chance encounter with an Italian football fan. He was over here in West Palm Beach, working out in the hotel gym before heading off to a conference. He spoke mournfully of Italy’s failure to qualify – again – for the World Cup. It was a weight of sorrow he carried with him, a feeling of failure and humiliation for his country. I tried to cheer him up by mentioning that Italy won the European Championships in 2021 by defeating England in the shootout. He hardly needed reminding. It was a moment of joy, he acknowledged, but not even that sunshine at Wembley could dispel the clouds over Italy for three successive World Cups missed. The tournament matters so much. As he went off to his conference, taking his misery with him, and then back to a summer at home tuning in to someone else’s party, I understood even more what the World Cup means. It means – in every sense – the world.