The FIFA World Cup remains one of the greatest spectacles in international sport because of its ability to innovate continuously. The 2026 edition, which begins in the early hours of Friday across the United States of America, Canada and Mexico, reflects this capacity for renewal. For instance, new rules have been introduced to maintain competitive intensity, and the tournament has been expanded to include 48 teams, widening representation on football’s biggest stage. There is a line of thought that suggests greater representation may dilute the tournament’s competitiveness but evidence shows that the gap between traditional powers and emerging nations has narrowed — at the 2022 World Cup, which Argentina won, Saudi Arabia had defeated the eventual champions; Morocco became the first African nation to reach a semi-final; and Japan topped a group containing both Spain and Germany. But this chapter of the beautiful game has sprouted some ugly warts. FIFA’s growing proximity to the US administration has raised questions about the governing body’s political neutrality. These queries are crucial as the spirit of the tournament, which claims to unite the world, is being disrupted by American immigration policies. The Iranian squad, for instance, has had to land in Mexico after some support staff were denied visas; the team must enter and leave US soil on the same day as their matches. A Somali referee has been denied entry and the Iraqi striker, Aymen Hussein, was detained and questioned for hours on arrival in Chicago. Fans from Iran, Haiti, Senegal and the Ivory Coast are facing insurmountable obstacles when it comes to attaining visas. A tournament built on international participation cannot be fully successful when access is seemingly determined by nationality, geopolitics and prejudice rather than merit. FIFA and the hosts must ensure that the World Cup remains open, accessible and faithful to its ideals.
India, of course, will be watching from the sidelines. Despite its vast population, the deep imprint of football in several regions — West Bengal and Kerala are examples — and an enduring fascination with the World Cup, the Indian national team is nowhere close to being even a modest footballing nation. The reasons are systemic: weak grassroots development, the absence of a truly professional national league, poor talent identification, and the absence of a coherent long-term strategy for nurturing players. It is unlikely that Indians would get to see the Men in Blue earn their World Cup stripes anytime soon.