2026 FIFA World Cup – Fans, Feelings and Facts

By Louise Peloquin

Soccer field

Even the most indifferent to the world’s most popular sport have been caught up, at least for a few moments, by some of the many viral images around the 2026 FIFA World Cup competition. It runs from June 11 to 19, features 48 teams, 104 matches and 16 stadiums spread across North America. That is 40 more marches than the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The United States participated in its first World Cup in 1930, organized and won by Uruguay.

On June 16, we reported on Les Bleus. (1) The French team is very happy to be based in Boston, the town their compatriot LaFayette knew and loved so well. (2) Boston is indeed a World Cup hub drawing many media outlets to highlight the city and offer the world unprecedented images. Who hasn’t smiled at seeing the kilt-clad, bagpipe-playing Tartan Army parade through the streets? Maybe some of you have shared a pint or two with them and participated in emptying kegs all around town. Sam Adams had never gone dry before but did a couple of weeks ago. One cannot underestimate the Caledonians whose most populous town, Glasgow, officially became Boston’s sister city. “We are one” said a Scotsman interviewed by local media.

World Cup coverage has included spectacular stadium scenes of Norwegian fans chanting “ro” (Norwegian for “row”) as they mimicked rowing a Viking ship together.

Each national team has its own chant or signature song. Team USA has adopted John Denver’s “Country Roads.” (3)

Team USA fans

    The French team cheers with Allez les Bleus (Go the Blues) and is aiming at singing Queen’s “We Are the Champions” for the third time on July 19th. (4)

     En Argentina nací, tierra de Diego y Lionel (I was born in Argentina, land of Diego and Lionel), from Muchachos, a song tweaked to pay homage to legendary Argentinian soccer star Diego Maradona and living legend Lionel Messi, became Argentina’s anthem during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Samurai Blue fans chant “Vamos Nippon!”, an amalgamation of Japanese and Spanish. ”Vamos Nippon!” keeps the formal pronunciation of Japan, “Nippon,” combined with a twist from Spanish-language chants from other countries.

    Fans from 48 countries passionately cheering on their team – that alone is quite exciting to watch.

Some scenes from the last couple of weeks have been very touching. For example, Kylian Mbappé’s bearhug with his coach after scoring his first goal in the June 30 match  against Sweden. Coach Didier Deschamps had lost his 90-year-old mother on June 23, returned to France to attend the funeral and missed the June 26 France-Norway 4 to 1 victory for Les Bleus. An emotional Deschamps, Les Bleus coach since 2012, told reporters that French team captain Mbappé’s gesture had “moved him deeply.” France won 3 to 0 against Sweden that day.

Mbappé & Deschamps

The competition is in the knockout stage where every match is win or go home. As we write this piece, Morocco, France, Norway and England have already qualified for the quarter finals. No one knows who will hoist, on July 19, the $713,000 trophy made of gold plated sterling silver with a lapis lazuli base. But we observe that the sport has gained media momentum and made new followers.

Although it will never replace basketball, baseball, football and hockey in American hearts, soccer does have its share of arresting stories and anyone can find a trivia item or two of interest.

To close, who were the 10 youngest World Cup goalscorers?

1. Brazil’s Pelé – 17 years and 239 days.
2. Mexico’s Manuel Rosas – 18 years and 93 days.
3. Spain’s Gavi – 18 years and 110 days.
4. Senegal’s Ibrahim Mbaye – 18 years and 143 days.
5. England’s Michael Owen – 18 years and 190 days.
6. Romania’s Nicolae Kovàcs – 18 years and 197 days.
7. Russia’s Dimitry Sychev – 18 years and 231 days.
8. Spain’s Lamine Yamal – 18 years and 343 days.
9. Argentina’s Lionel Messi – 18 years and 357 days.
10. The United States’s Julian Green – 19 years and 25 days.

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1. Link for “Les Bleus in Boston.” https://richardhowe.com/2026/06/16/les-bleus-in-boston/
2. Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, was a skillful military leader who served as a diplomat and advised the French government to channel aid to American colonial forces. He earned his reputation as a war hero and became a symbol of the Revolutionary War generation who helped create the United States. LaFayette stayed in Boston in 1778, 1784, 1824 and 1895 to support the American Revolutionary cause and to celebrate the 50th anniversary of American independence. His strong ties to Boston contributed to the city’s longstanding American-French relationship.
3. “Country Roads,” written by Bill Danoff, Taffy Nivert and John Denver was released as a single on April 12, 1971. It was immediately a success, became one of Denver’s most popular songs and has continued to sell, with over 1.8 million digital copies sold in the United States.

“We Are the Champions,” a song by the British rock band Queen and written by lead singer Freddie Mercury, was a worldwide success and has become an anthem for sporting event victories including those of the FIFA World Cup.