FIFA World Cup 2026 :Canada/Mexico/United States: Discussion Thread

[Sithara007]

This could also happen because Brazil already has many world-class stars and players in its country. That's what makes children in Brazil dream of becoming great footballers. They can idolize players from their own country. And because these great players also come from Favella, it is a motivation for other children. Second, Brazil and football are like one unit. Just like the US with basketball. In Brazil, limited space and economic conditions make football the only sport that can be played by everyone.

It is not just the case with Brazil. Football is like the religion in the entire Latin American region, from Mexico in the North to Argentina and Chile in the South. In the US, that is not the case. They have more popular leagues such as the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL. The local football league (MLS) is not that popular when compared with the other leagues. So it is not very surprising that US lags behind Latin American teams such as Brazil and Argentina, when it comes to football. Economic conditions in Latin America also favor football. You just need a ball, that costs as little as $5. 

[bots1]

~snip~
I am not sure about this. Brazil is a relatively prosperous nation, at least when compared to Asian and African nations. But it is true that there are quite a few informal settlements in Brazil (known as Favelas, with a total population of close to 11-12 million spread across 6,000+ localities), where the living standards are too low. But these sort of ghettoes can be found even in developed nations such as the United States and France. That doesn't mean that those who live there face too many obstacles in developing their game.

You can read the bio of many Brazilian players and they will say that they were growing in one of those favelas, that they did not have shoes or food, and they were playing football all day by kicking a ball of paper, etc.

That is very common in Brazil, and to a lesser extent, South America.

These kids grew up playing with the absolute minimum, just a ball made of paper or trash, and ended up being the best in the world.

Rivaldo for example has issues with malnutrition when he was a kid.

You are right. It is very difficult for children in Brazil to develop their talents to become professional players because Brazil is a poor country. To play ball, they often do not have adequate facilities. For this reason, they play anything that can be used to develop their talents. This challenge makes them more creative so that their skills improve rapidly. So it is not surprising that Brazil produces many of the best quality players in the world.

[Leviathan.007]

Brazil must start paying more attention to their young talents, because there are many children born with great talent in the world of football. I'm sure if they can focus more on that, then they will again become a very feared country. Now they are also a country that is considered a lot, but lately they are declining. It's unfortunate when they have high potential but can't utilize it very well, it's the same as throwing away the assets they have. Not many countries have the potential that they have in football.

It's not like Brazil is declining. The reason why you see Brazil not winning a lot of the tournaments is that the other countries have managed to catch up with them. Hundreds, if not thousands of Brazilian players participate in various football leagues around the world. In due course of time, the players from other countries also learn skills from them. On top of that, a number of Brazilian players have also got naturalized as citizens of other countries and now represent them in international tournaments. And it is not just due to lack of funds, but also due to lack of opportunities back at home. 

Correct, it is not as if the ceiling is going down what is happening is that the floor is going up, so in the past Brazil could destroy all other teams except those which were at the top with them as their level was too low, however with an improvement of training techniques and copying the techniques of the strongest nations around the world the other countries are catching up, however Brazil still is at the top simply because of their long tradition as a powerful soccer team.

Football is part of Brazil's tradition and this country can't lose its place fully in the world.
I think after some time Brazil will use a better strategy and use better coaches also they will try to use the young talents they have better than before. That's how Brazil can take its place back in the world.
But in the short term and for the World Cup in 2026 I don't think if they can achieve anything.

[Sithara007]

You are right. It is very difficult for children in Brazil to develop their talents to become professional players because Brazil is a poor country. To play ball, they often do not have adequate facilities. For this reason, they play anything that can be used to develop their talents. This challenge makes them more creative so that their skills improve rapidly. So it is not surprising that Brazil produces many of the best quality players in the world.

Maybe poverty is the reason why they are performing so good? In the favelas, children start playing football from a very young age and the conditions are very tough. A lot of them get injured. On the other hand, European kids start playing in schools and academies, where rules are strictly followed. And this is exactly the reason why footballers in Brazil are having unique skills, which are rare to find in other parts of the world. And it is not just Brazil. What I mentioned can be found in other Latin American nations such as Argentina, Colombia and Ecuador as well.

[Strongkored]

Football is part of Brazil's tradition and this country can't lose its place fully in the world.
I think after some time Brazil will use a better strategy and use better coaches also they will try to use the young talents they have better than before. That's how Brazil can take its place back in the world.
But in the short term and for the World Cup in 2026 I don't think if they can achieve anything.

This condition makes Brazil a country that has never experienced difficulty in building a strong national team, every world cup they will qualify and play in the knockout phase even though their performance in the last few World Cups has not been very good because they failed to reach the semifinals as well as what happened at the Qatar World Cup.
I'm sure their fans really want Brazil to win the 2026 World Cup considering that it is the American continent because usually countries from that continent have a greater chance of becoming champions, and maybe Brazil will finally end their poor results in the World Cup. and become champions again and become the country with the most world cup titles.

[Weawant]

Correct, it is not as if the ceiling is going down what is happening is that the floor is going up, so in the past Brazil could destroy all other teams except those which were at the top with them as their level was too low, however with an improvement of training techniques and copying the techniques of the strongest nations around the world the other countries are catching up, however Brazil still is at the top simply because of their long tradition as a powerful soccer team.

This could also happen because Brazil already has many world-class stars and players in its country. That's what makes children in Brazil dream of becoming great footballers. They can idolize players from their own country. And because these great players also come from Favella, it is a motivation for other children. Second, Brazil and football are like one unit. Just like the US with basketball. In Brazil, limited space and economic conditions make football the only sport that can be played by everyone.

Yeah Brazil have got the best set of players ever produced during the world cup as this has kept on happen over the years, this is basically because they begin to develop their skills from a very young age as stated by most persons earlier and as a result getting players for the national team is not difficult because there are football talents all over which makes the pool of Choice vast.

I think other countries has aswell learnt from Brazil to start development of good players early enough to get quality players enough to play for the national team when needed. Brazilian kids not only idolize players who are of Brazilian origin and has done really well in their foot ball career but they go further to put in efforts to be like and most probably exceed the achievement of such players.

That's why Brazil never missis a world cup qualifiers and not only do they qualify but they also make sure to get up to the knock out stage. At some point I could say Brazils first and second squads are usually still good enough as their bench aswell sometimes is even better than some nations squad, this is because they have the talents all over so even one of the best could still be on the bench.

[Bobrox]

It is not just the case with Brazil. Football is like the religion in the entire Latin American region, from Mexico in the North to Argentina and Chile in the South. In the US, that is not the case. They have more popular leagues such as the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL. The local football league (MLS) is not that popular when compared with the other leagues. So it is not very surprising that US lags behind Latin American teams such as Brazil and Argentina, when it comes to football. Economic conditions in Latin America also favor football. You just need a ball, that costs as little as $5. 

For South America, Argentina and Brazil football almost close with religion with more favorite sport but difference with United State they are have other favorite sport from NBA and American Football. Actually United State not familiar with football but they called soccer there and domestic league of soccer as MLS popular and have many fans when Lionel Messi arriving there. But becoming host of World Cup is not necessary with how football popular in that country but how already with infrastructure and stadium there.
No doubt United State have good financial and easily for building best stadium, they have publish best stadium use for World Cup matches and more fantastic than stadium in last World Cup edition in Qatar.

[bryant.coleman]

No doubt United State have good financial and easily for building best stadium, they have publish best stadium use for World Cup matches and more fantastic than stadium in last World Cup edition in Qatar.

Some of their stadiums are originally intended to be used for NFL and MLB matches. They are converting these stadiums so that they can be used for Association football. For example, the MetLife Stadium in New York is home to NFL franchises such as New York Jets and New York Giants. Similarly, the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood is home to Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams. All of the 11 venues within the United States are originally NFL stadiums.

[Silberman]

This could also happen because Brazil already has many world-class stars and players in its country. That's what makes children in Brazil dream of becoming great footballers. They can idolize players from their own country. And because these great players also come from Favella, it is a motivation for other children. Second, Brazil and football are like one unit. Just like the US with basketball. In Brazil, limited space and economic conditions make football the only sport that can be played by everyone.

It is not just the case with Brazil. Football is like the religion in the entire Latin American region, from Mexico in the North to Argentina and Chile in the South. In the US, that is not the case. They have more popular leagues such as the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL. The local football league (MLS) is not that popular when compared with the other leagues. So it is not very surprising that US lags behind Latin American teams such as Brazil and Argentina, when it comes to football. Economic conditions in Latin America also favor football. You just need a ball, that costs as little as $5. 

Without a doubt the low costs of soccer helped its adoption all over the world, as not only a soccer ball is relatively cheap but you only need one, while a sport like hockey is horribly expensive due to the amount of gear you have to get and the same is true for what the people at US call football, baseball is not as expensive but you still need at least a baseball glove for each kid, the only sport that is relatively as cheap as soccer is basketball as you only need a ball too, as depending where you live you could have access to a near basketball court and play there with your friends at no cost for yourself.

[Sithara007]

Without a doubt the low costs of soccer helped its adoption all over the world, as not only a soccer ball is relatively cheap but you only need one, while a sport like hockey is horribly expensive due to the amount of gear you have to get and the same is true for what the people at US call football, baseball is not as expensive but you still need at least a baseball glove for each kid, the only sport that is relatively as cheap as soccer is basketball as you only need a ball too, as depending where you live you could have access to a near basketball court and play there with your friends at no cost for yourself.

In India, a soccer ball of decent quality costs as little as $3. An example here:

https://www.flipkart.com/vector-x-attacker-2-0-football-size-5/p/itm5a496853d67bb?pid=BALGRCAMYH47B2W3

And I agree with you on hockey (both the field and ice varieties). The gear can be very expensive. The same can be said about some of the other sports, such as cricket, tennis, badminton and baseball. On the other hand, there are sports such as basketball and netball, which require expensive facilities. The advantage with football is that you neither need expensive facilities, nor expensive gear. And this maybe one of the primary reasons why football is the no.1 sport around the globe. The situation maybe different in rich nations such as the United States.

[tygeade]

This could also happen because Brazil already has many world-class stars and players in its country. That's what makes children in Brazil dream of becoming great footballers. They can idolize players from their own country. And because these great players also come from Favella, it is a motivation for other children. Second, Brazil and football are like one unit. Just like the US with basketball. In Brazil, limited space and economic conditions make football the only sport that can be played by everyone.

It is not just the case with Brazil. Football is like the religion in the entire Latin American region, from Mexico in the North to Argentina and Chile in the South. In the US, that is not the case. They have more popular leagues such as the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL. The local football league (MLS) is not that popular when compared with the other leagues. So it is not very surprising that US lags behind Latin American teams such as Brazil and Argentina, when it comes to football. Economic conditions in Latin America also favor football. You just need a ball, that costs as little as $5. 

It looks like it is getting better though. Even before Messi joined, they had some world cup experience if you look at it, and that means they are doing fine, and I am guessing that they are going to keep doing fine for a while longer as well. That means that we are going to see them grow, and with Messi now coming, and probably staying there after he retires as well, he should be bringing some new love for it.

We have seen women soccer be a lot more popular, so male counterpart is just on the rise and could do better. Doesn't mean that it could get anywhere near NFL, that's the most popular sport of all time there, and will never be passed by any other sport, but it could still be liked a bit more than what it is right now.

[Godday]

And I agree with you on hockey (both the field and ice varieties). The gear can be very expensive. The same can be said about some of the other sports, such as cricket, tennis, badminton and baseball. On the other hand, there are sports such as basketball and netball, which require expensive facilities. The advantage with football is that you neither need expensive facilities, nor expensive gear. And this maybe one of the primary reasons why football is the no.1 sport around the globe. The situation maybe different in rich nations such as the United States.

You only need a ball, and 22 people can play sports together. No need for goalposts, football boots, or even a grass field. You only need a ball and a field with sufficient area and width. It's very simple to be able to play football. You can imagine how cheap it costs. There are no complicated rules to remember. Yes, I think the rules are also what make football a very easy sport to play.

[FanEagle]

Football is part of Brazil's tradition and this country can't lose its place fully in the world.
I think after some time Brazil will use a better strategy and use better coaches also they will try to use the young talents they have better than before. That's how Brazil can take its place back in the world.
But in the short term and for the World Cup in 2026 I don't think if they can achieve anything.

Sometimes it is more than just an industry for a nation, sometimes it is all about the culture. Brazil is like that and they are a poor nation, England is like that and they are not poor at all. Which means that they are doing fine and they are getting the results they want and the result is great.

I personally believe that it is going to be tough to handle something like that, and it is going to take a while before we could see them do any better, and there are so many nations that doesn't have that culture. It is all about having football as your "fun" time, not just for watching but playing as well. In nations like England, there are 40 year old who still play at Sunday leagues, instead of just go out and watch the games.

[Lucasgabd]

There are some concerns being raised about the weather conditions, which may prevail during the world cup in 2026.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/fifa-2026-worldcup-climate-lineker-31031557

All three host nations (Canada, USA and Mexico) have been devastated recently by extreme heat waves and wildfires. And the tournament is scheduled to take place during the peak summer season. Combined with extreme distances between different venues, weather is sure to create a lot of difficulties for the fans, as well as for the players. Gary Lineker and David Wheeler have already spoken against the huge carbon footprint that may result from this tournament.

why not simply changing the date for a different one maybe mid season (autumn or spring)?
do you think they're considering cancelling it?
I don't think they'll cancel it because there's a lot of money to be made with these events

[rdluffy]

why not simply changing the date for a different one maybe mid season (autumn or spring)?
do you think they're considering cancelling it?
I don't think they'll cancel it because there's a lot of money to be made with these events

I'm pretty sure that Fifa and the organizers aren't considering changing the calendar, since everything is organized and preparations are already being made based on those dates, including the Fifa world club calendar
Billions of dollars are involved in the competition and I think it's almost impossible to cancel it

What I think they can do about the heat, for example, is make technical stops to hydrate the players, change the time of matches to be outside peak sun hours and, in a more extreme case, perhaps change the air conditioning system in the stadium

As for the fires, it's difficult to predict anything in this regard, I'd even consider it the same as hurricanes. If there is something like that, they'll simply move the matches to other parts of the country

[marcous]

There are some concerns being raised about the weather conditions, which may prevail during the world cup in 2026.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/fifa-2026-worldcup-climate-lineker-31031557

All three host nations (Canada, USA and Mexico) have been devastated recently by extreme heat waves and wildfires. And the tournament is scheduled to take place during the peak summer season. Combined with extreme distances between different venues, weather is sure to create a lot of difficulties for the fans, as well as for the players. Gary Lineker and David Wheeler have already spoken against the huge carbon footprint that may result from this tournament.

why not simply changing the date for a different one maybe mid season (autumn or spring)?
do you think they're considering cancelling it?
I don't think they'll cancel it because there's a lot of money to be made with these events

I try to understand it as a challenge that FIFA always faces in every World Cup, of course FIFA will try to make the biggest event in football safe and successful. It is true that currently as a sport, football is the biggest industry that can generate huge profits. So I don't think it's possible to cancel it, and FIFA certainly has very good management to minimize various risks.

[Leviathan.007]

Football is part of Brazil's tradition and this country can't lose its place fully in the world.
I think after some time Brazil will use a better strategy and use better coaches also they will try to use the young talents they have better than before. That's how Brazil can take its place back in the world.
But in the short term and for the World Cup in 2026 I don't think if they can achieve anything.

Sometimes it is more than just an industry for a nation, sometimes it is all about the culture. Brazil is like that and they are a poor nation, England is like that and they are not poor at all. Which means that they are doing fine and they are getting the results they want and the result is great.

I personally believe that it is going to be tough to handle something like that, and it is going to take a while before we could see them do any better, and there are so many nations that doesn't have that culture. It is all about having football as your "fun" time, not just for watching but playing as well. In nations like England, there are 40 year old who still play at Sunday leagues, instead of just go out and watch the games.

Yes, that's right and there's a huge difference between Brazil and a country like England, speaking about a developed country like England, you and expect to see good sports facilities with high-quality coaches and managers who can help people to use their talents here, that's why they can see England as using shining in the world cup in every season because other than their national team they have high-quality league.
 

[Weawant]

Yes, that's right and there's a huge difference between Brazil and a country like England, speaking about a developed country like England, you and expect to see good sports facilities with high-quality coaches and managers who can help people to use their talents here, that's why they can see England as using shining in the world cup in every season because other than their national team they have high-quality league.
  

It's sad that a country such as Brazil that has so much of talents littered every where probably on the street happens to be poor and have only a few facilities to showcase their talents and probably encourage their dreams and aspirations with football, Brazil except for national facilities which are not too accessable to all, have only but a few others to use for training.

They as well lack sports investors who could probably invest in their local football league and produce world class talent, I think this is one of the reasons they don't outperform other teams from advanced countries where they have all this in place early enough even before there is a call to play for the national team at international competitions such as the world cup.

It's when there is a call as such to play for the national team some of these players especially the local ones get the opportunity to use the international standard facilities to train and this is usually within a short frame of time, but if they had the opportunity and were already ready training before the call, probably playing in a world class league, they will definitely perform excellently when they make appearance at the world cup.

[nullama]

~snip~
You only need a ball, and 22 people can play sports together. No need for goalposts, football boots, or even a grass field. You only need a ball and a field with sufficient area and width. It's very simple to be able to play football. You can imagine how cheap it costs. There are no complicated rules to remember. Yes, I think the rules are also what make football a very easy sport to play.

You can always make the goal posts of sweaters or shirts from the players, and the ball can be anything really.

Kids in poor countries will use anything, even pieces of rubbish to play football. A ball is a luxury in some places.

At the end of the day, football is the easiest game to play all around the world and the most loved one.

[FanEagle]

One thing we need to remember is that USA is the place for THE entertainment, and that is going to be the most important thing. If they are making huge shows for something like that, I am sure that we are going to end up with something even much bigger on the long run and something like world cup. That will definitely be something that they are going to spend a lot of money on. Maybe they won't spend as much as Qatar on infrastructure, but the entertainment aspect of it will be insane.

I still bet that we are going to end up with the most fun any world cup has been for the longest time. They have all the famous people, if they can make it work with some known names, I bet that it is going to be a special world cup for sure.